Silverton Tramway Y class

The Silverton Tramway Y class was a class of 2-6-0 and 2-6-2T steam locomotives of the Silverton Tramway Company, operating between Broken Hill, New South Wales, and the border of South Australia.

Silverton Tramway Y class
Y1 preserved at Sulphide Street Museum, 2009
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder Beyer, Peacock & Co James Martin & Co Build date 1888–1907 Total produced 21
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 2-6-0 (19 locos), 2-6-2T (2 locos) Gauge 1067 mm (3 ft 6 in) Driver dia. 3 ft 3 in (991 mm) Length 40 ft 0 in (12.19 m) Loco weight 2–6–2T: 34 long tons 0 cwt (76,200 lb or 34.5 t) Total weight 2–6–0: 47 long tons 7 cwt (106,100 lb or 48.1 t) Fuel type Coal Water cap. 2–6–0: 1,600 imp gal (7,300 L; 1,900 US gal) 2–6–2T: 600 imp gal (2,700 L; 720 US gal) Tender cap. 2–6–0: 4 long tons 10 cwt (10,100 lb or 4.6 t) (2–6–2T had no tender) Firebox: ​  • Grate area 13.6 sq ft (1.26 m2) Boiler pressure 2–6–0: 145 lbf/in2 (1.00 MPa) 2–6-0 rebuilt: 180 lbf/in2 (1.24 MPa) 2–6–2T: 140 lbf/in2 (0.97 MPa) Cylinder size 14.25 in × 20 in (362 mm × 508 mm)
Performance figures Tractive effort 2–6–0: 13,289 lbf (59.11 kN) 2–6–0 rebuilt: 16,500 lbf (73.40 kN) 2–6–2T: 12,154 lbf (54.06 kN) Factor of adh. 3.29
Career Operators Silverton Tramway Company Numbers Y1–Y17 Preserved Y1, Y6, Y11, Y12 Disposition 4 preserved, 17 scrapped

History

Between 1888 and 1907 the Silverton Tramway Company took delivery of eighteen 2-6-0 and two 2-6-2T locomotives from Beyer, Peacock & Co, Manchester, and two built by James Martin & Co purchased second-hand from the Tarrawingee Tramway.

The company notionally had 21 Y class locomotives, although three were never operated and only a maximum of 17 were owned at any one time. Their road numbers were recycled.

In 1887, having commenced operations with hired South Australian Railways Y class locomotives, the company ordered four locomotives of the same design from Beyer, Peacock. They were assembled in Gawler, South Australia by James Martin's Phoenix Foundry. Since the company had an option to sell to the South Australian Railways any that it deemed surplus, two of the locomotives ("1st Y3" and "1st Y4") passed without use. Of the other two, which were 2-6-2T (side tank) locomotives but otherwise the same as the 2-6-0 locomotives, one was sold within a few months; the other was given away as compensation for a collision 11 years later.

Westinghouse air brakes were fitted to Y13, Y15 and Y16 from new and Y1 and Y11 were retrofitted. Y1, Y6, Y8 and Y11 to Y17, which originally had a boiler pressure of 145 pounds per square inch (1000 kilopascals; 10.2 kilograms-force per square centimetre), were rebuilt with 180 pounds per square inch (1200 kilopascals; 13 kilograms-force per square centimetre) boilers and lead adhesion slabs were added to the running boards. Three were superheated between 1924 and 1926.

The locomotives were superseded on main line duties by the A class from 1912 onwards, but many were retained for shunting and secondary duties around the Broken Hill yards and mine sidings. The last was withdrawn in 1961.

Y12 at the National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide

Disposition

The locomotives' disposition as of 2015 is shown in the table.

Number Wheel arrangement Builder Builder's number Year built Withdrawn Notes Y1 2-6-0 Beyer, Peacock & Co 2971 1888 12 February 1960 Semi-bogie tender. Stored at Railway Town, put on display at Sulphide Street Museum in late 1970s. Y2 2-6-0 Beyer, Peacock & Co 2972 1888 15 June 1943 Semi-bogie tender. Sold to BHP, Whyalla 1945. Y3 (1st) 2-6-0 Beyer, Peacock & Co 2973 1888 N/A Semi-bogie tender. Sold to South Australian Railways without use November 1888 as Y90. Y3 (2nd) 2-6-0 James Martin & Co 16 1891 28 February 1931 Purchased from Tarrawingee Tramway 1892, scrapped 1937 Y4 (1st) 2-6-0 Beyer, Peacock & Co 2974 1888 N/A Semi bogie tender. Sold to South Australian Railways without use 7 November 1888 as Y91 Y4 (2nd) 2-6-0 Beyer, Peacock & Co 3397 1891 1907 Sold to South Mine Broken Hill 1907, later transferred to BHP Whyalla as 3A Y5 (1st) 2-6-2T Beyer, Peacock & Co 3170 1890 1898 Forwarded to Sulphide Corporation Central Mine as compensation for one of their locomotives destroyed in a head-on accident with a Silverton locomotive. Transferred to BHP Whyalla as 2A in 1940, withdrawn late 1950s. Y5 (2nd) 2-6-0 Beyer, Peacock & Co 4391 1901 8 April 1931 Scrapped 1938 Y6 (1st) 2-6-2T Beyer, Peacock & Co 3357 1891 N/A Never owned by Silverton: ordered by BHP and landed in Adelaide August 1891 but too heavy for tracks so entered service with South Australian Railways (SAR) in exchange for V class no. 11. In March 1893, the SAR lent it to STC as Y6. Entered service with BHP Broken Hill September 1893, transferred to BHP Whyalla in 1901 as no. 3, withdrawn 1963 and displayed on Whyalla foreshore, moved to Mount Laura Homestead Museum, Whyalla Norrie in 1983. Y6 (2nd) 2-6-0 Beyer, Peacock & Co 3795 1895 7 October 1960 Scrapped July 1963 Y7 2-6-0 Beyer, Peacock & Co 3515 1892 14 October 1929 Scrapped 1934 or 1937 Y8 2-6-0 Beyer, Peacock & Co 3516 1892 27 May 1960 Scrapped July 1963 Y9 2-6-0 Beyer, Peacock & Co 3533 1893 12 January 1931 Scrapped 1937 Y10 2-6-0 Beyer, Peacock & Co 3534 1893 12 January 1931 Scrapped 1937 Y11 2-6-0 Beyer, Peacock & Co 3535 1893 16 May 1960 Stored at Railway Town, donated to Penrose Park Trust, Silverton September 1965 Y12 2-6-0 Beyer, Peacock & Co 3536 1893 17 July 1961 Withdrawn 1961, steamed in 1964 for Broken Hill Club picnic special, stored Railway Town, donated to the Mile End Railway Museum in 1965; subsequently on display at the National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide. Y13 2-6-0 Beyer, Peacock & Co 3796 1895 28 May 1953 Fitted with MSL superheater Y14 2-6-0 Beyer, Peacock & Co 3870 1896 14 December 1955 Scrapped July 1963 Y15 2-6-0 Beyer, Peacock & Co 3871 1896 17 May 1961 Fitted with MSL superheater Y16 2-6-0 Beyer, Peacock & Co 5006 1907 28 February 1953 Fitted with MSL superheater Y17 2-6-0 Beyer, Peacock & Co 5007 1907 30 January 1959 Scrapped 1961

Preservation

• Y1: at Sulphide Street Museum
• Y6: at Mount Laura Homestead Museum
• Y11: at Penrose Park, Silverton in September 1965
• Y12: at the National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide