1924 Mt Molloy
About this Railway Ambulance

Basic data
Name 1924 Mt Molloy Power
Wheel Arr 2-2wPMR Construction
Gauge 3ft 6in 2006 status unknown
Builder John Brown
Year 1924 # in class 1 off

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In service

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More Info! by J.W. Knowles 1990
The cottage hospital at the mining town of Mt Molloy had a rail motor ambulance to operate to Mareeba by 1929, but this had gone by 1940.  No details of it are known.
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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.
1916-18: Audit Report 31.12.16 to 16.7.18: no doctor has been employed by Mount Molloy Hospital since its inception (Aug.1916) [date seems wrong] (presume Hospital files, A/4692; QSA)

1920 - John Brown, Secretary to Home Secretary 12.3.20 - meeting of Mount Molloy Cottage Hospital Committee decided subject to your approval to sell Mount Molloy Hospital by auction "as it is impossible to rebuild it", "it is the greatest wreck of the cyclone all the building above the floor has been totally smashed", out of £100 worth of drugs only 2 bottles not broken.

U/Secretary Home Sec. to Secretary Mount Molloy Hospital 24.3.20: Home Secretary has approved your committee selling Mt Molloy Hospital building and remitting proceeds to this department "provided that it is not intended to build another hospital".  Also please return cheque for £13, this endowment for this quarter, already sent.

John Brown 4.4.20 - Nurse in charge resigned 2.1.20.

John Brown 5.4.20 re proceeds - the Committee had in mind placing "proceeds of sale to general fund and invite the public to find the rest of the money to purchase a motor ambulance car to be stationed at the Railway Station for conveying urgent cases to the doctor at Mareeba".  Will shortly hold public meeting.

U/Sec 13.5.20 - Department has no objection to Committee's suggestion.

Audit Report 16.7.18 to 17.6.21 - auction of remnants of hospital in June 1920 realised £118/12/-. Balance to credit of institution £288/4/9 which Secretary says to be used to purchase rail motor ambulance car. (Hospital files, A/4692; QSA)

1921 - U/Sec 29.6.21 re above audit report, Minister would like full information.

U/Sec 9.8.21 asking for a reply.

John Brown Secretary 27.8.21, "we are waiting to see how the new motor they are building at South Johnstone is going to do its work.  If it proves satisfactory, we are inclined to get a similar one as it would not cost as much as the Mulligan car has.  However I shall place full particulars before you probably in a month's time..."

U/Sec 14.10.21 asking how matter now stands.

George H O'Donnell, Secretary Mareeba District Hospital 20.10.21 to Home Sec. - there is a sum of money to credit of defunct Mt Molloy Hospital in the local bank, asks to be put in possession of property of Mt Molloy and Mt Garnet assets as Mareeba is now recognised hospital for these areas. (Hospital files, A/4692; QSA)

Public meeting 22.3.22 agreed to purchase of engine, wheels &c. similar to car South Johnstone and that we send someone to look at it.  Committee elected, decided to ask Mr Armstrong to look at Atherton car, he reported favourably on it, his sketches, photos approved by committee as confident of building it cheaper (Atherton one cost £381/16/10).

Meeting Molloy 22.3.22 elected a Hospital Committee, "and negotiations are now under way for the purchase of the wheels and engine for the car, the other portions of the car are being made at the local workshops.  Permission to use the railway line from Molloy to Biboohra at any time, for the conveyance of patients, has been given by the Railway Traffic Manager, Cairns, to the Molloy Hospital Committee." Purchase of car will not absorb all the funds. (Hospital files, A/4692; QSA)

1922 - Telegram Brown 26.4.22 to HJ Ryan MLA "local people strenuously object Mareeba proposal".

FC Crowley, Treasurer Molloy Hospital Committee to U/Sec 29.4.22, advises "a very vigorous is being made at the present time by the people of Molloy and district towards first the procuring of a rail motor to convey patients quickly to a doctor and secondly to re-establish the cottage hospital."

Committee meeting 10.11.22 let building of car to Mr Brown, the local blacksmith, Mr Armstrong the Committee's engineer to supervise - no plans, no specifications but to be made similar to Atherton car "as near as we could get". Start made Jan.1923, work done whenever there was spare time. Tried out by engineer in Christmas holidays, adjustments made, body and hood then completed, delivered in shed build on railway land on 11.4.24, inspected 23.4.24 and report 24.4.24 Hooper, District Superintendent, Cairns Railway "inspection was made by our Motor mechanic at Molloy yesterday and it is reported that the car is suitable and the driver competent to take charge.  it may therefore be run with ambulance cases when necessary."

1924 - John Tarmey(?) to Home Secretary 20.6.24 re meeting about 2 years ago which decided to build the Ambulance car and ambulance centre at Mt Molloy. "The car has been under the course of erection since and was just recently completed.  The car was built locally by Mr Brown who called another public meeting and informed the public of Mt Molloy that the car and shed cost £320." He said meeting to form committee to hand car over to for benefit of public of Mt Molloy. Letter asks if this in order.

E.S. Ball, Secretary Mt Molloy Progress Association to Home Sec. 14.7.24 - car was completed 3 months ago, "since then it has been lying idle although it has been applied for, no person seems to have sufficient power to grant the use of same."

John Brown 25.7.24 "The rail ambulance has been purchased and equipped, shed built to house same." The car has undergone two trial runs and came through satisfactory and is in readiness to take the first case comes along. Sends photo under separate cover. Photo in file (another photo loose in file).

Receipts and Expenditure since 17.6.21: 12.7.22 Finlay Brothers, Melbourne motor engine £92/10/6 6.11.22 Foster Engineering Works, Brisbane, wheels and axles £30/0/0 15.6.23 Foster Engineering Works, sprocket wheel £5/1/0 16.6.23 F.G. Locke, Cairns - Benzine tank and oil pump £6/17/10 24.3.24 F.G. Locke - generator and two head lights £7/16/6 24.4.24 J.M. Johnston, timber for shed £9/6/9 26.4.24 P. Cowie, building shed £8/0/0 26.4.24 Roden & Co, iron, rails and bolts for shed £15/10/2 26.4.24 A. Armstrong, adjusting engine, supervising building £15/0/0 26.4.24 J. Brown, building ambulance car £85/15/0 23.5.24 Fettler Saint, 1 day's wages on motor ambulance trial trip 16s1d.

Brown's account includes 12 yards Khaki Duck for hood and blinds, 1 Signal motor horn, 1 oil tail lamp, linoleum, tool box, leather straps for blinds, Labour C. Vains 60 hours, P. Cowie 179 1/2 hours, J. Brown 322 hours.

1925 - Dept Memo 1.4.25 with summary, committee ask "are they entitled to subsidy to run the car".

[May 1914 report recommended closing Mt Molloy building and moving it to Mt Carbine but it carried on and was destroyed by cyclone Feb. 1920.]

John Brown 23.3.25 asking permission to hand over assets to committee appointed at public meeting 9.2.25.

Two cases were conveyed when roads impassable: 25.1.25 compound fracture of thigh; 3.2.25 case of sudden illness.

HH Derrington, Hon Sec. Mt Molloy 19.3.25, 30 at meeting 9.2.25, committee appointed - JM Johnston chairman, A Armstrong, J Bourke, D Fullerton, FC Crowley Treasurer, W Colley, N Nissen, F West, HH Derrington Secretary.
    
HH Derrington 8.5.25 seeking decision. Although cases have been transported since that change, "we are unable to act with any degree of certainty."

Memo 22.5.25 - there is no ambulance brigade at Mareeba. Atherton centre willing to control Mt Molloy.

HH Derrington 26.6.25 - public do not wish to establish ambulance sub- centre at Molloy, also seek permission to remove Mt Carbine Hospital to Molloy as not used there, being attacked by white ants.

U/Sec Mines Dept 30.9.25 - Mt Carbine hospital going to ruin.

Ass. U/Home Sec 30.10.25 - Minister approves moving Mt Carbine hospital. (Hospital files, A/4692; QSA)

1926 - WA Newbery, Secretary Molloy 28.6.26 "It is intended to open the hospital on the 7th July. Matron Lacy has been appointed to take charge of same. A balance sheet has already been forwarded to you, of Rail Motor Committee.

Molloy Hospital Balance Sheet 31.3.26 includes: Receipts: Use of Rail Car £18/14/4; Sales and Donations £201/19/6; Entertainment £90/4/11.  Expenditure includes - car and shed £10/10/-, driving of rail car £11/-/-, Railway Dept £11/17/1; Running expenses Rail Car £5/0/7; Hospital Building and removal. W.A. Newberry Sec. (Hospital files, A/4692; QSA)

1929 - Mount Molloy Hospital - rail motor ambulance may run between Mount Molloy and Mareeba (List dated 24.1.29 in QSA A/12687, Rly.Dept File 1935/361 Batch 1)

1930 - Approval given 30.6.30 - following representation on behalf of residents of Julatten area, to proceed to Julatten/Rumula on authority of SM Biboohra rather than District Super Cairns, as phone to Cairns sometimes down in flood weather. (QSA A/12687 Rly.Dept File 1935/361 Batch l)

1934 - List dated 30.8.34, as 24.1.29 above, still has Mt Molloy-Mareeba. (Batch 11) (QSA A/12988 48.6803)

1935: Rail motor ambulance Mount Molloy may run Mount Molloy-Mareeba (GA Cl.145)