1929 Charleville
About this Railway Ambulance

Basic data
Name 1929 Charleville Power 9 hp
Wheel Arr 2-2wPMR Construction Standard 10
Gauge 3ft 6in 2006 status exists
Builder Gardiner, Enoggera 2006 home Charleville
Year 1929 Miles Travel

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In service
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Out of service
On display at Glidaway Service Station, Ebbw Vale

On display in Charleville
Motor of the Railway Ambulance (Photo G Haag)
Controls of the Railway Ambulance (Photo G Haag)
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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 the JWK database.
1929 Charleville
Brisbane Courier 6.11.28 with photo - 9hp British Standard, front view looks like small 45hp rail motor - on trial carried 8 men.  Two men get it on its way using turntable in 20 minutes. Speed of 35mph attains.

Train Notice to run: Thursday Roma St 8.13am, Dalby 4.30pm. Friday Dalby 7am, Roma 4.20pm. Sat. Roma 7.50am, Charleville 4.45pm (as revised). Speed 20 miles per hour. Commissioners OK 6.11.28. Ambulance officer to drive, guard to accompany, plus 6d per mile charged.  Added: maximum speed 20mph. Train Notice 6.11.28 re block and staff regulations apply. (Batch 10 File 1969-249 from 1949-1442; Commr.Corresp.File Central)

1929 - 9.1.29 - car apparently ran Brisbane to Ipswich and back on trial.

18.1.29: costs debited to Cars of Britain, Ltd. South Brisbane.  Commissioner reduced charge 6d to 3d per mile. (Batch 10 File 1969-249 from 1949-1442; Commr.Corresp.File Central)

1941 - QATB Charleville 8.9.41 asking for increased speed, listed in Rule Book 15mph, totally inadequate, can run safely 25mph "or so your officers at the Mechanical Department of the Railway Works states when I called to see the Mechanical Engineer Mr Chalmers."  No Doctor now Quilpie, and due speed limit it took 19 hours to get pneumonia case to Charleville, should be only 14. Asks for 20mph.

CME 9.10.41: could not find how speed determined in General Appendix Clause 145 "but it may reasonably assumed these were fixed after due consideration" and declines change.

QATB 22.10.41: car 14ft 3in long, car weights 1 ton 2cwt (and 1 1/2 cwt turntable).

17.12.41 declined to change. (QSA A/12988 File 48.6803 Batch 11)

1941: R.J.Angus, Sec. Quilpie Hospital Board 16.12.41 to Commr asking for help in having RM or some other convenient form of transport stationed at Quilpie to convey urgent medical cases to Charleville. At present no doctor available closer than Charleville. Any patient has to be conveyed by train Mon. or Thursday or by special RM Ambulance from Charleville - this latter is too much of a delay - recent accident case took 5 hours to reach Quilpie Hospital, then 9 hours for RM Ambulance to get here and 9 hours to return to Charleville, meant 24 hours awaiting attention. In other case, 24 hours before heart attack patient got medical attention. In wet season roads impassable, at other times not good for seriously ill patient. Temporary disability due lack medical officer, would appreciate some temporary provision to help.

Referred to GM Toowoomba. GM SWD 31.12 41 Charleville ambulance limited to 15mph, so at least 9 hours for 138m trip. "The Charleville Ambulance offered the car to this Dept recently as they wished to get rid of it. If this car were stationed at Quilpie instead of Charleville, it would get over a great deal of the difficulty so far as this section is concerned."

Pencilled note - this refers to ROMA car - see GM telegram 8.1.42. GM telegram car offered was not Charleville one but the Roma one - see B41/1059 of 6.1.42.  

Notes, in pencil, apparently runs of Charleville car - Jan.1941 to Lurnea and return; Feb.1941 Wyandra; March Morven; April Morven; June Morven; July Quilpie; August Quilpie and back twice, and Cheepie and back; Sept. Cheepie and back, Quilpie and back; Oct. Cheepie and back; Nov. Morven; Dec Quilpie twice. (£39.18.10 received)

Memo to Minister 9.1.42 in last 12 months, rail ambulance did 6 trips to Quilpie. Regret Dept cannot help but perhaps QATB may if matter presented to them. Memo made into letter to H.O'Shea MLA 12.1.42. (QSA A/12988 48.6803 Batch 12)

1941: Sec. to GM Toowoomba 31.12.41 QATB Charleville request increase speed 15 to 20mph but this was declined. (QSA A/12988 File 48.6803 Batch 11)

1947 - Commissioners Inspection Oct.1947 - set 20mph. CME 10.12.47 - allowing 20mph on straights. (Batch 10 File 1969-249 Commr Corresp File Central Store)

1965 - Charleville RM ambulance withdrawn and sold, since gone to Ebbw Vale where on display there at Glideaway motor service station (HAT 8/65)

1975 - Photo of ex Charleville rail ambulance - S.E. 11/75 p156.

1977 - was a larger vehicle, 15ft6 long with 7ft8 wheelbase, Gardiner engine, and was a Standard 10hp. built by Gardiner of Enoggera in 1929. (Pony Exp Jan. 1977p14; JWK )
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The documentation reproduced & provided by D Phillips - wonderful stuff!

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