page_title: Mackay Railway
section_title: River Estate of John Spiller
hierarchical_section_title: Mackay Railway / History / Early lines / River Estate of John Spiller
caption_attribution_description: English: John Spiller's first steam engine Mary Ann built by Robertson &amp; Co at the Victoria Foundry, Mackay, in 1880 crossing Fursden Creek. Or less likely: The Emma Ruth, John Spiller's first steam engine transporting rakes of sugar cane to Pioneer Mill, over Fursden Creek. Mackay region. (SLQld) https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2591278234276068&amp;set=gm.2319642951592385&amp;type=3&amp;theater&amp;ifg=1
context_page_description: The Mackay Railway was a 68 km line situated in the Pioneer River valley in North Queensland, Australia. It opened in a series of sections between 1885 and 1911. 3 short branches junctioned from it, parts of which were initially built by the local government. It closed in sections between 1959 and circa 2007.
context_section_description: John Spiller imported a new steam locomotive as complete as possible from John Fowler & Co. in England by for this estate (No 4150 of 1881).  It was christened on Thursday 4 August 1881 Emma Ruth after the wife of John Spiller. It was capable of drawing 80 tons on a level or 16 tons up a gradient of 1 in 40 (25 ‰) and at a speed of 15 miles per hour. The new locomotive was reported to have been a 2 ¹⁄₂ inches (64 mm) cylinder, with 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge, together with pressure gauge spring balance, whistle and outfit complete. 26 cane wagons were used, out of these 16 came out with the locomotive, and they could each carry about 23 cwt (1.2 t) of cane.
  The estate had a 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge line of rails some three and a-half miles in length. The line was substantially laid on sleepers, and was similar in construction to ordinary lines. The trestle over Fursden Creek was made of 200 yd (180 m) piles, which were of up to 20 ft (6.1 m) high. In 1881 Spiller has also procured from England two miles of permanent steel rails and one mile of portable rail, which will be added to the present line of 3½ miles, now running from one end of the estate to the other.
  The River Estate comprised 2625 acres. In 1881 there were 1247 acres under cultivation, producing 1200 tons of sugar per season or 10 tons of first-class sugar per day.
caption: John Spiller's first steam engine Mary Ann built by Robertson & Co at the Victoria Foundry, Mackay, in 1880 crossing Fursden Creek towards Pioneer Mill[2]
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