1922 Roma
About this Railway Ambulance

Basic data
Name 1922 Roma Power not stated
Wheel Arr 2-2wPMR Construction
Gauge 3ft 6in Status Scrapped 1941
Builder QGR Ipswich
Year 1922 # in class 3*


* 2 built at Ipswich  (one for Dalby & one for Mt Mulligan)
1 built at Auster Engineering
All essentially the same class of railway ambulance although this unit has a distinctive radiator that 1919 Dalby and 1920 Mt Mulligan did not.
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In service
Roma rail motor. Q.A.T.B. Roma Centre is written on the side of the rail motor, which was purchased in 1921 for use when roads were impassable. Left to right: Joe Harland, Bert Berry, Jack Keegan and J. Sloman.


Date not known, wonderful clear image of the grill and headlight.  Note the shiney wheels. Can anyone else identify any particulars from the surrounds, glass reflection? Kindly provided by Paul Tiffany - thank you!
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In service history by J.W. Knowles 1990
In 1922, a rail motor was constructed at the Ipswich workshops of hte QGR for the QATB at Roma to operate on the Injune branch.  It cost 317 pounds ($634) plus $22 for a portable turntable.  The QATB obtained the two cyclinder Auster engine separately, at a cost of 151 pounds ($302).  This type of engine was apparently manufactured by a Queensland firm.  A trial run was made from Ipswich to Grandchester, and teh car was despatched to Roma on 9 March.  By 29 March, it had made a successful trial run to Injune.  The brigade provided a 18.5 by 12.5ft shed to house the railway ambulance in Roma railway yard.
The car was of the same outline and dimensions as the Dalby car, but the engine required a radiator, and a Ford radiator was mounted in front.  Lighting was by acetylene.  Loaded weight was 17cwt (863.6kg).
In March 1924, it was reported that the car had given continual trouble since its inception.  It vibrated and rode badly, had suffered two broken crank shafts, a collapse of the petrol tank, burnt cylinder gasket, plug shaken from the crankcase, and water pump failure.  The Charleville car built privately to the same drawings was satifactory, but all these problems were with the engine, which had been supplied by the QATB.  Changes made included: replacement of the waqter pump by syphon, an extra bearing for the drive shaft, a solid type crankshaft, larger fuel tank, and a larger acetylene burner.
It would seem that in 1922, the local District Superintendent allowed the car to be used without a railwayman if none was available.
In 1941 it was reported that the car had not been used for some years and that the QATB was removing its engine and the shed.  The QR had no use for the car, but when it recieved enquires from other places for railcars (Beaudesert Shire for its Tramway, Quilpie QATB for an ambulance rail motor) ti recommended those concerned to contact the Roma QATB but there were no buyers, and it would seem that the car was scrapped locally.
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About the location(s)
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About the railway line (extracts used from Triumph of Narrow Gauge, J Kerr)
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About the people helped
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More info from JWK Database!
ROMA

1921 - QATB Exec.Committee Brisbane 21.6.21 to Commr asking if Roma Centre might operate RM Ambulance between Roma and Injune under same conditions as other centres. Injune has no doctor, and impossible to reach by road except under most favourable conditions.

Referred GM Toowoomba. GM 28.6.21 no objection if similar Dalby arrangement.

GM 18.7.21 estimate £174.10.0 for building and £ 26 for siding into shed with examination pit. Does not include cost portable turntable. GM 22.7.21 with details of estimates. No representations have been made to me by Roma Centre QATB re car.

CE 6.8.21 estimate £12 for portable turntable.

Sec. to Gen Sec. QATB Brisbane, enclose blueprints, est. cost examination pit, siding, building, turntable £220, Board liable for any excess. Usual conditions for operations (railwaymen to accompany etc) will apply.
    
(Plan in file shows ambulance shed between platform and Wyndham Street LC, ambulance shed 18 x 12 feet near points on line leading off mainline.)

Pike, Gen.Sec. QATB to Sec 1.9.21 requesting permission for Roma centre platform to erect shed themselves, light structure. It is not likely that a pit will be required. Also requests permission for car to be built at Ips.Shops.

GM SWD 6.9.21 no objection to brigade building shed as long as it is presentable.

Works Manager Ipswich 6.9.21 after discussion with Mr Pike, design of car prepared and sent to him. Works Manager 24.10.21 - ambulance have accepted design, request it be made. Est cost. £350 exclusive of engine, to be provided by Ambulance. Sec QATB 14.11.21 forwarding £350.

Telegram GM 25.11.21 contractor ready to erect shed if approved. (File 1935/361 Batch 1, A/12687 QSA)

1922 - Works Manager 24.1.22 car nearing completion. Please instruct C.E. to proceed with turntable, est. cost about £12.

J.J.Petford Act.GM SWD 30.1.22 Ambulance shed complete, expect rails and choke block to be laid today. C.E. 18.2.22 turntable will be complete Feb.22.

C.E. 24.2.22 turntable complete, being sent to Ipswich as instructed. Works Manager 7.3.22 trial run quite satisfactory, hope to consign vehicle March 9.

Sec B22.485/2 for Weekly notice - Ambulance have provided a rail motor car for use between Roma and Injune. Speed (15mph) and regulations similar Dalby. (in WN 11/22).

Sec. to Works Manager - I presume car has been painted green as prescribed by Rule 559 of 1917 book of rules ((which provides section cars etc to be painted red up to 3cwt, green if over 3cwt)).

J.E.Robinson Works Manager 10.3.22 - car was painted yellow with red facings and red cross.

Pike, Sec. QATB to Commr 29.3.22, asked by Roma Centre to convey to Dept their entire satisfaction with design and construction of RM Ambulance.

Works A/c to Chief Accountant - cost £383/11/- not including turntable. GM SWD costs re Ambulance £10/12/6.

Works A/c 13/4/22 - reason for excess - basic wage increases and certain alterations necessitated new templates for roof, wheels and frame for engine. The Works Manager minutes "The improvement made in the Roma car after the experience of building the Mount Mulligan car, justified the making of new templates, ... so that the cost may be considered as correct."

C.E. 13.4.22 turntable cost £11/1/11. Bill to QATB 3.5.22 for £54/15/1 excess stamped paid 12.5.22.

Gen Sec. QATB 23.6.22, noting engine cost £151, while £10/10/- paid for drawings etc and asks for refund, esp. as £131/10/9 for "Shop Charges" seems high. Col Thynne and Mr Pike called on Commr 23.6.22 - more than Board could afford. Had let contract with Auster Engineering Works for similar car for Charleville complete for £381. Commr agreed to reduce shop charges £50 after pointing out they were high because it was not a routine job. (File 1935/361 Batch 1, A/12687 QSA)

1923 - QATB Gen.Sec. 13.2.23 to Sec. asking if employee on car necessary on Roma-Injune line. Reply 19.2.23 absolutely necessary in interests of safety, applies to all cars. (File 1935/361 Batch 1, A/12687 QSA)

1924 - Much trouble with Roma Car but the car built by Auster Engineering Co. to same drawing and supplied to our Charleville centre is giving entire satisfaction (QSA A/12988 48.6803 Batch 11)

1924 - R.B.Pike 8.3.24 "the car has, however, given trouble almost from the time it was put in service." Two crankshafts broken. Rough riding. Recently plug shaken from crank case and engine seized. The car built by Auster Engineering Co to same drawing and supplied to our Charleville centre is giving entire satisfaction under fairly constant use, hard to explain all difference by grades on Injune line.

Works Manager 21.3.24 when tested car appeared all right but engine seemed too powerful for purpose. Perhaps crankshaft not in line or strained in service. A great deal depends on competency of driver handling grades.

GM SD - on 22.4.1922 petrol tank collapsed on return trip from Kooragan; 17.2.1923 new crank shaft broke near Bymount on way to Injune. On 2.2.24 plug dropped out of crank-case on way to Injune - cannot have been properly secured. Mechanic says now satisfactory except rough as engine has too few cylinders. Reply to Pike with info. (File 1935/361 Batch 1, A/12687 QSA)

1925,35 Ambulance at Roma, may travel Roma-Injune (GA 133, 145)

1929 - Railmotor ambulance may run Roma-Injune. (QSA A/12687 File 1935/361 Batch.1)

1941 - Sec. to GM Toowoomba 31.12.41. QATB Charleville (qv).

CME & WS 5.1.1942 re RM Ambulance car Roma - re your memo - material ex Roma car is of no use to this Dept. (see below under Charleville 1941)

1949: pencilled note 15.6.49 - there is no RM Ambulance at Roma now. (QSA A/12988, File 48.6803 Batch 11)