Shop Number 1694 Restoration

October 19, 2004

Out of service for several years at the Puffing Billy Museum, Melbourne, Victoria, AU. S/N 1694 has been moved from Emerald to the shops at Belgrave, for boiler restoration work. S/N 1694 is one of the authors favorite Climax locomotives. She's a classy looking little lady! And of course she has the distinction of carrying the last builders plate of the Climax Manufacturing Company. All photographs on this page courtesy Bill Hanks.

Here she is - S/N 1694 in all her glory. A beautiful little Class B Climax locomotive and 30 inch gauge to boot!
Members of the Puffing Billy Railway inspect S/N 1694 prior to the move to Belgrave. Diesel locomotive No. D 21 originally operated on the 3 foot-6 inch gauge Tasmanian Railways, and was re gauged to 2 foot-6 inch gauge when transferred to the Puffing Billy Railway.
D 21 and S/N 1694 en route to Belgrave, October 19, 2004. The flat car with the container is to provide extra braking power on the steep grades on the Puffing Billy Railway.

Special thanks to Bill Hanks, for providing the update on S/N 1694 and for the great photos. Bill has promised to keep us updated on the restoration progress. I'm sure the folks at the Puffing Billy Railway could use a little help with this progress.

Visit the Climax Locomotive S/N 1694 Restoration web Site and support this worthy project!