There was great excitement at the Nambour Museum in 2003 with the donation of two locomotives, the Eudlo and Sandy, start of an impressive collection from the Moreton Central Sugar Mill.

In 1925, the mill purchased a John Fowler locomotive built in Leeds, England, at the cost of 2,318 pounds 12 shillings and 3 pence.

The locos Sandy and Eudlo being loaded at the mill for transport to the Nambour Museum.

It was named the Eudlo, continuing the mill’s tradition of naming its locos after cane growing areas in the district.

In 1936, the Eudlo was involved in a major accident when a bridge collapsed over a saltwater inlet just downstream of Dunethin Rock. On board were the driver Elias ‘Elly’ Perren, Les ‘Sandy’ Plater and fireman Edgar Plater who was seriously injured.

Without the assistance of mobile cranes, unavailable in those years, recovering the loco was a major operation. Luckilly damage was mostly superficial and the loco was soon back in operation. Signs of the damage and repairs are still visible if you look carefully when visiting the Eudlo at the Nambour Museum.

The second donation to the museum was a small V8 Malcolm Moore Rail Tractor originally built for use by the Military Forces in World War II. This locomotive was named SANDY in honour of ex- mill employee Sergeant Les ‘Sandy’ Plater who was killed in the Middle East in World War II. Sandy also became the hero of a children’s story book ‘Sandy the Cane Train’ written by Jean Chapman.

You can view Eudlo and Sandy and five other locomotives at The Nambour & District Museum in Mitchell Street, Nambour. Saturday 14 October is a free open day commemorating the closure of the Moreton Central Sugar Mill 20 years ago and the 30th anniversary of the Nambour & District Museum’s formation.