Advent of rail line ushers in new era

Thousands turn out for ceremony heralding turning of first sod for new railway.

ALL GO: The signal box at Ipswich station that played its part in making the railway such a success.

ON APRIL 14, 1869, there was a report in The Queensland Times that the proposed line of a railway from Brisbane to Ipswich had been surveyed and that it would be an inexpensive one.

Just four years later, in January 1873, this announcement appeared in the QT: "Excursion to the Black Scrub and back by the steamer Settler to the spot selected for turning the first sod of the Brisbane railway extension is on January 30 at 9.30am. This sod-turning ceremony - the start of work in the Ipswich/Brisbane rail link was performed by the Marquis of Normanby the governor of Queensland."

The spot chosen for the first excavation was a hill through which a cutting would be made.

A thousand people were at the Six Mile bridge for the ceremony.

The official turning took place at 1pm. The wheelbarrow used had been made at the locomotive department of Ipswich.

It bore the Marquis of Normanby's coat of arms and crest and a brass plate for the inscription.

The spade was made by Messrs Flavelle Bros. and Roberts of Brisbane.

Tulipwood formed the handle and the blade was silver.

The inscription of the spade read: "This spade was used by the Marquis of Normanby, governor of Queensland on January 30, 1873, when his excellency turned the first sod of the Brisbane and Ipswich railway."

With the advent of the railway line, many buildings were erected at Goodna and there was an influx of navvies and because of this, the work of the police was said to have greatly increased and extra staff had been stationed there.

Despite the extra workmen, a report in 1874 stated work on the railway was being held up because of the lack of carpenters.

Contractors were willing to pay 10 to 12 shillings a day to men even though they were not qualified.

The construction of the line in April 1874 was "making progress" and it was hoped to complete it by the end of that year.

The bridge over the river at Oxley would not be finished, but the proposal to overcome that was to run trains from Ipswich and Brisbane and to transfer passengers and goods from one to the other by means of a punt.

On June 3, 1874, a locomotive engine was taken down Brisbane Rd to be used as the new line extension for ballasting purposes.

Twenty-four bullocks were needed to drag the engine which weighed 16 tonnes and this was mounted on a large trolley. The first section of this new line from Ipswich to Oxley was completed, and on August 25, 1874, the mayor of Ipswich, Thomas Pryde, and members of the corporation enjoyed a run down this section.

Accompanying them was the chief engineer, J.T. Smith.

The tender and engine took them from a large cutting in the eastern suburbs known as Panton's Cutting and the report stated: "They went whirling along the new line at a rapid rate."

On October 5, 1874, the departure of the first public train from Ipswich to Oxley took place.

An article in the QT read: "Its flight was unattended with circumstances of interest. A few fat men and a few thin women, very lavishly husbanded by a number of zealous constables, formed the chief features of observation."