The BHP Whyalla Tramway is a gauge heavy-haul railway, long, on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. It runs from haematite mines at Iron Monarch, Iron Baron and Iron Duke in the Middleback Range, about west of Whyalla, to company steelworks at the coastal city of Whyalla. Opened in 1901, it was built by, and until 2000 operated by, BHP. it was owned by Liberty Steel Group and operated on its behalf by rail operator One Rail Australia, which was sold in 2022 to Aurizon.
History
In 1899, BHP was granted a lease to mine iron ore from the Middleback Ranges.The 1978 Scene at BHP Whyalla Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin issue 494 December 1978 pages 266-277 The Hummock Hill to Iron Knob Tramways and Jetties Act 1900 authorised BHP to build a 54 kilometre line from Hummock Hill, Whyalla to Iron Knob that opened on 28 August 1901.Railed Transport in the Broken Hill District Australian Railway Society Railway Bulletin issue 295 May 1962 pages 71/72
In 1930, a branch opened from Middleton Junction to Iron Baron. The latter closed in 1947 and reopened in 1958.BHP Re-opens Workings at Iron Baron Railway Transportation February 1958 page 24Iron Baron Sydney Morning Herald 8 February 2004 In 1990 it was extended 32 kilometres from Iron Baron to Iron Duke.BHP Tramway The Recorder April 1989 page 102In Brief Railway Gazette International June 1989 page 367 After iron ore production ceased at Iron Baron in 1991 and Iron Duke in 1998, the line from Middleton Junction closed. With the reopening of the Iron Baron Mine, in mid-2012 the line reopened to Iron Baron.Mining boost as Iron Baron reopens ABC News 15 May 2012Whyalla Iron Ore Tramway Changes Motive Power issue 87 May 2013 pages 54-63
In the 1960s, the internal Whyalla Steelworks network was converted to standard gauge to allow large 200 ton capacity torpedo ladles to be used.Whyalla Steelworks Gauge Standardisation Project Railway Transportation September 1963 pages 26, 27, 35Conversion of steelworks railway to standard gauge Railway Gazette 20 December 1963 page 681 It also allowed standard gauge trains from interstate to access the steelworks when the Whyalla railway line opened in October 1972.
In 2000, operations were contracted out to Australian Southern Railroad (ASR), with locomotive maintenance taken over by Clyde Engineering and track maintenance by Transfield.ASR Takes Control at Whyalla Catch Point issue 136 March 2000 page 21ASR Takes Over BHP Whyalla Steel Lines Railway Digest January 2000 page 13Intelligence Railway Gazette International January 2000 page 12 In July 2022, the contract was included in the sale of One Rail Australia, as ASR had become, to Aurizon.Aurizon completes acquisition of One Rail Australia Aurizon 29 July 2022
Rolling stock Many of the steam locomotives used on the tramway were transferred from BHP's Broken Hill operations. By 1941, the fleet comprised 12 locomotives.BHP Purchases Locomotives For Whyalla Plant Truck & Bus Transportation July 1941 page 49
A petrol-electric locomotive was purchased from the Davenport Locomotive Works, Iowa in 1928 for use at Iron Knob.
DH and DE class diesel locomotives replaced the steam locomotives in the 1950s.BHP Orders Diesels for Iron Knob Line Railway Transportation November 1955 page 40 With the reopening of the line to Iron Baron, five GWNs were delivered in 2013.The GWN Class Motive Power issue 87 May 2013 pages 64/65 In July 2019, five former Queensland Railways 2250 class locomotives were repatriated from South Africa to replace the GWNs.Old for New for Whyalla Catch Point issue 253 September 2019 page 10
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