The Magnet Tramway, often found referred to as the Magnet Tram, was a gauge railway in north west Tasmania. It ran between Magnet Junction on the Guildford to Mount Bischoff railway line, and the Magnet mine.Sometimes identified as The MagnetChapter 11 Mt.Bischoff, Magnet and Balfour Tramways, pp.172 - 188, Magnet 180-1834 Page 5 - photo of Mallet in steam
History The track was being constructed in 1901. The construction was led by B.F. Waller, who started to work as managing director and responsible engineer in January 1901. Previously, the route had been roughly surveyed by the former mine manager T.H. Jones. Although the destination was only from the interchange in Waratah, the route had a total of 194 bends and a length of due to the difference in altitude of . The climb for the first was 1.9‰ (100 feet per mile) and then it was then less steep. The light rail profiles weighing were laid on 22,000 sleepers, most of which were made of Huon pine.Paul Ledger. Magnet. The Rise & Fall of A Tarkine Mining Town. 2017. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
The tramway included the following rolling stock: Orenstein & Koppel 0-4-4-0T Mallet locomotives No 1 and 3Derek A. Bayliss: The origins of Orenstein & Koppel. The Industrial Railway Record, No. 47, April 1973, p. 27-32. Retrieved 10 June 2018. Orenstein and Koppel 0-4-0T locomotive No 2 Ford Model T railmotor
In 1941 Mount Magnet silver mine closed, the railway and locomotive were bought by sawmiller R.J. Howard of Zeehan.
External links Bennet Brook Railway: Magnet Silver Mining Co. Orenstein & Koppel, Mallet, Magnet No.3
References