The workshops
Each of the separate state-run railway systems needed their own workshops. Ipswich, Rockhampton and Townsville were the homes of Queensland Railways in each system. For generations, the railway workshops were some of Queensland’s largest sites of employment.
During the Second World War, the workshops contributed to Australia’s military and armaments manufacturing. By the end of the war, due to the huge demand put upon Queensland Railways to run both civil and military services, the state’s rolling stock was in a poor condition.
The 1950s ushered in the beginning of the diesel era and a period of rapid modernisation commenced. This period is typified by the famous ‘Lander trains, (the Sunlander, Westlander, Midlander and the Inlander) and the introduction of air-conditioned long-distance services across the state. The new steel carriages provided passengers with an increased level of comfort, particularly compared to the old wooden carriages that had been in use.