Queensland PB15 class locomotive

The Queensland Railways PB15 class locomotive is a class of 4-6-0 steam engines operated by the Queensland Railways.
== History ==
The PB15 Class engine was designed by Locomotive Engineer, Henry Horniblow and LW Piggott. Per Queensland Railway's classification system they were designated the PB15 class engine, P representing they were a passenger locomotive, the B that they had three driving axles and the 15 the cylinder diameter in inches. The PB15 engines were in essence identical to the B15 class engine.
The first PB15 engines were delivered by Walkers Limited in December 1899. By 1912, a total of 202 engines had been built by Walkers, Evans, Anderson, Phelan & Co, Kitson & Co and Toowoomba Foundry, and were fitted with Stephenson valve gear. In May 1918, engine no. 411 was converted at North Ipswich Railway Workshops into a tank engine, the one off member of the 6D15 class engine, however in March 1922, due to poor performance, it was converted back to its original tender form.
In 1924 one example of the engine was built by North Ipswich Railway Workshops for the Aramac Shire Tramway, but was acquired by Queensland Railways in 1958. In 1925/26, Walkers manufactured a further 30 improved PB15 Class locomotives. These engines of these wheel arrangement were fitted with larger tenders and Walschaerts valve gear. In 1932, a number of PB15 class locomotives attached to Ipswich depot were fitted with a second sandbox for rear sanding to assist with shunting work on the colliery branches. These types of engines were nos. 351, 508, 567, 574, 587, 591, and 750, the last mentioned being a Walschaert engines or 1924 type PB15 engine.
== Preservation ==
Five examples of these engines have been preserved:
* 444 is on display at the Workshops Rail Museum, Ipswich
* 448 is operational on the Queensland Pioneer Steam Railway, Swanbank. This engine has been named in preservation RV Armstrong after the society's late founding member
* 454 is undergoing a major overhaul at the Bellarine Railway
* 732 is in storage at the Workshops Rail Museum
* 738 is on display at the Rosewood Railway Museum
== In other popular culture ==
A model of this engine can be found in the widely popular video game series "Trainz", which is a virtual train simulator game developed by N3V Games. An image is provided below.
File:Pb15 trainz.png
== Gallery ==
Category:Australia
Category:Australian Steam Locomotives
Category:Australian Locomotives
Category:Steam locomotives
Category:4-6-0 locomotives
Category:4-6-0 steam locomotives
Category:Tender locomotives
Category:Tender Engines