The Silverton Tramway 48s class are a class of diesel locomotives built by AE Goodwin, Auburn for the Silverton Tramway in 1960–1961. The State Rail Authority 48 class and South Australian Railways 830 class are of a very similar design.
History Between December 1960 and September 1961, the Silverton Tramway Company took delivery of three Alco DL531 locomotives from AE Goodwin, Auburn, painted in a red and white livery and numbered 27 to 29. They were the same as the 48 class and 830 class locomotives. All were delivered for use on the 56 kilometre Silverton Tramway narrow gauge line from Broken Hill to Cockburn."Silverton" Railway Digest July 1985 page 189
After the Silverton Tramway was replaced by a new standard gauge line, 27 was sold to the South Australian Railways in February 1970 as 874 and after being rebuilt with a nose low cab, continues in service with Genesee & Wyoming Australia as 907. The other two were fitted with standard gauge bogies, 28 at Silverton's workshop and 29 at Islington Railway Workshops and were relegated to trip working between the various mines in Broken Hill being repainted in Silverton's yellow and blue livery in May 1984.
Second hand purchases In 1990, Silverton Rail purchased two ex-Australian National 830 class from AN Tasrail"Silverton" Railway Digest August 1990 page 286 followed in December 1994 by six ex-State Rail Authority 48 class locomotives."State Rail's Locomotive Auction Results" Railway Digest January 1995 page 36 Initially numbered in the STxx series, all were renumbered as the 48s class.48s Class Railpage Also purchased for parts were two 830s and three 48s."Silverton Rail Loco Transfer" Railway Digest January 2000 page 36
Mainline service In 1995/96, Silverton Rail leased ST30 to ST35 to National Rail for use on Adelaide to Melbourne services as bankers to Tailem Bend."Rail Authorities Face Loco Shortage" Railway Digest December 1995 page 16"South Australia" Railway Digest July 1996 page 37 Following Silverton Rail being awarded a contract by National Rail to haul iron ore trains from Cobar to Narromine, most of the STs were transferred to Parkes in August 1999."Silverton Rail Update" Railway Digest October 1999 page 14
All ten were included in the sale of Silverton Rail to South Spur Rail Services in 2006 and later passed to Greentrains.48s Class Vicsig They primarily operate in New South Wales. In April 2016, five Greentrains units were sold to Southern Shorthaul Railroad.Disposal of Greentrains rollingstock Engenco 28 April 2016"Greentrans rollingstock sold to Holdco Holdings" Railway Digest June 2016 page 6
Status table Purchased new Current NoSerial numberDateOwnerStatusNotes90783826Dec 1960Genesee & Wyoming AustraliaIn serviceex-Silverton 27, sold to South Australian Railways as 874, rebuilt as 907482883827May 1961Southern Shorthaul RailroadIn serviceex-28, ex-48s28, renumbered to 4828 in early 2024. Currently the only one of the original batch still operating in original condition. Note that the original 4828, a member of the NSWGR 48 class, had been scrapped in 2014.48s2983828Sep 1961GreentrainsScrappedex-29
Purchased second hand Current NoSerial numberDateOwnerStatusNotes86484710Jul 1963GreentrainsIn serviceex-48s30, ex AN Tasrail 86448s3184703Apr 1963GreentrainsScrappedex-AN Tasrail 85748s3283820Feb 1961GreentrainsScrappedex-State Rail Authority 4825482983824May 1961Southern Shorthaul RailroadIn serviceex-Silverton 48s33481583715Feb 1960Southern Shorthaul RailroadIn serviceex-Silverton 48s34484384133Feb 1962Southern Shorthaul RailroadIn serviceex-Silverton 48s35481183711Dec 1959Southern Shorthaul RailroadStoredex-Silverton 48s3648s3784128Dec 1961GreentrainsScrappedex-State Rail Authority 4838
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