Silverton Tramway Y class

The Silverton Tramway Y class was a class of 2-6-0 and 2-6-2T steam locomotives operated by the Silverton Tramway Company of Australia.

Silverton Tramway Y class
Y1 at Sulphide Street Museum in August 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), 2-6-2T (2) Gauge 1,067 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) Firebox:  • Firegrate area 13.6 sq ft (1.26 m^2) Boiler pressure 2-6-0: 145 lbf/in^2 (1.00 MPa) 2-6-0 rebuilt: 180 lbf/in^2 (1.24 MPa) 2-6-2T: 140 lbf/in^2 (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. One James Martin & Co built example was purchased second-hand from the Tarrawingee Tramway.[1][2][3]

Having commenced operations with hired South Australian Railways Y class locomotives, the Silverton Tramway Company ordered four locomotives of the same design from Beyer, Peacock & Co. It had an option to on sell any that it deemed surplus to the South Australian Railways, hence the original Y3 and Y4 passed without use. The Silverton Tramway Company notionally had 21 locomotives of this type, although three were never operated and only a maximum of 17 were owned at any one time with numbers recycled.[1][2][3]

Westinghouse air brakes were fitted to Y13, Y15 and Y16 from new with Y1 and Y11 retrofitted. Y1, Y6, Y8 and Y11 to Y17 were rebuilt with 180psi (originally 145psi) boilers with lead adhesion slabs added to the running boards. Three were superheated between 1924 and 1926.[1]

They were superseded on main line duties by the A class from 1912 onwards, but many were retained for shunting and secondary duties around the Broken Hill yards and mine sidings.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.[1][3]

Class list

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[4] 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 sold to South Australian Railways without use 7 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 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 locomotivess 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, too heavy for tracks so entered service with South Australian Railways in exchange for V11, loaned to STC March 1893 as Y6, entered service with BHP Broken Hill September 1893, transferred to BHP Whyalla 1901 as no 3, withdrawn 1963 and preserved on Whyalla foreshore, moved to Mount Laura Homestead Museum 1983[5][6] 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[7] 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 October 1965 and now on display at the National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide[3][8] 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[4]
• Y6: at Mount Laura Homestead Museum[5]
• Y11: at Penrose Park, Silverton in September 1965[7]
• Y12: at the National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide[3][8]

References

1. McNicol, Steve (1981). Silverton Tramway Locomotives. Elizabeth Downs: Railmac Publications. pp. 7/8. ISBN 0 959415 30 0.
2. Oberg, Leon (2010). Locomotives of Australia 1850s-2010. Dural: Rosenberg Publishing. pp. 65/66. ISBN 9781921719011.
3. Y1 National Railway Museum
4. Y1 Australian Steam
5. Narrow Gauge No 0 2-6-2 Tank Locomotive Chris' Commonwealth Railways Information
6. BHP Whyalla No.2 Australian Steam
7. Y11 Australian Steam
8. Y12 Australian Steam