The Silverton Tramway Y class is a class of and steam locomotives of the Silverton Tramway Company, operating between Broken Hill, New South Wales, and the border of South Australia.
History Between 1888 and 1907 the Silverton Tramway Company took delivery of eighteen and two locomotives from Beyer, Peacock & Co, Manchester, and two built by James Martin & Co purchased second-hand from the Tarrawingee Tramway.Y1 National Railway Museum
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 , were rebuilt with 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The locomotives were superseded on main line duties by the A class from 1912 onwards, but many were retained for shunting and secondary duties around the Broken Hill yards and mine sidings. The last was withdrawn in 1961.
Disposition The locomotives' disposition is shown in the table. NumberWheel arrangementBuilderBuilder's numberYear builtWithdrawnNotesY12-6-0Beyer, Peacock & Co2971188812 February 1960Semi-bogie tender. Stored at Railway Town, put on display at Sulphide Street Museum in late 1970s.Y1 Australian SteamY22-6-0Beyer, Peacock & Co2972188815 June 1943Semi-bogie tender. Sold to BHP, Whyalla 1945.Y3 (1st)2-6-0Beyer, Peacock & Co29731888N/ASemi-bogie tender. Sold to South Australian Railways without use November 1888 as Y90.Y3 (2nd)2-6-0James Martin & Co16189128 February 1931Purchased from Tarrawingee Tramway 1892, scrapped 1937Y4 (1st)2-6-0Beyer, Peacock & Co29741888N/ASemi bogie tender. Sold to South Australian Railways without use 7 November 1888 as Y91Y4 (2nd)2-6-0Beyer, Peacock & Co339718911907Sold to South Mine Broken Hill 1907, later transferred to BHP Whyalla as 3AY5 (1st)2-6-2TBeyer, Peacock & Co317018901898Forwarded 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)2-6-0Beyer, Peacock & Co439119018 April 1931Scrapped 1938Y6 (1st)2-6-2TBeyer, Peacock & Co33571891N/ANever 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.Narrow Gauge no. 0 2-6-2 Tank Locomotive Chris's Commonwealth Railways InformationBHP Whyalla No.2 Australian SteamY6 (2nd)2-6-0Beyer, Peacock & Co379518957 October 1960Scrapped July 1963Y72-6-0Beyer, Peacock & Co3515189214 October 1929Scrapped 1934 or 1937Y82-6-0Beyer, Peacock & Co3516189227 May 1960Scrapped July 1963Y92-6-0Beyer, Peacock & Co3533189312 January 1931Scrapped 1937Y102-6-0Beyer, Peacock & Co3534189312 January 1931Scrapped 1937Y112-6-0Beyer, Peacock & Co3535189316 May 1960Stored at Railway Town, donated to Penrose Park Trust, Silverton September 1965Y11 Australian SteamY122-6-0Beyer, Peacock & Co3536189317 July 1961Withdrawn 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.Y12 Australian SteamY132-6-0Beyer, Peacock & Co3796189528 May 1953Fitted with MSL superheaterY142-6-0Beyer, Peacock & Co3870189614 December 1955Scrapped July 1963Y152-6-0Beyer, Peacock & Co3871189617 May 1961Fitted with MSL superheaterY162-6-0Beyer, Peacock & Co5006190728 February 1953Fitted with MSL superheaterY172-6-0Beyer, Peacock & Co5007190730 January 1959Scrapped 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
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