Silverton Tramway W class

The Silverton Tramway W class was a class of 4-8-2 steam locomotives operated by the Silverton Tramway Company.

Silverton Tramway W class
W24 Malcolm Moore at Sulphide Street Museum in August 2009
Type and origin Power type Steam Designer Frederick Mills Beyer, Peacock & Co Builder Beyer, Peacock & Co Serial number 7418-7419, 7553-7554 Build date 1951 Total produced 4
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 4-8-2 Gauge 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) Driver dia. 4 ft 0 in (1,219 mm) Length 61 ft 10.9 in (18.87 m) Total weight 102 long tons 0 cwt (228,500 lb or 103.6 t) Fuel type Coal Water cap. 3,000 imp gal (14,000 L; 3,600 US gal) Tender cap. 5 long tons 0 cwt (11,200 lb or 5.1 t) Firebox: ​  • Grate area 27 sq ft (2.5 m2) Boiler pressure 200 lbf/in2 (1.38 MPa) Cylinder size 16 in × 24 in (406 mm × 610 mm) Valve gear Walschaerts Loco brake Westinghouse air
Performance figures Tractive effort 21,760 lbf (96.79 kN) Factor of adh. 4.43
Career Operators Silverton Tramway Company Numbers W22–W25 Last run 1961 Preserved W22, W24, W25 Disposition 3 preserved, 1 scrapped

History

In January 1949, the Silverton Tramway Company ordered two 4-8-2 locomotives from Beyer, Peacock & Co, Manchester, to the same design as the Western Australian Government Railways W class. A further two were ordered in November 1950.

All four arrived at Port Pirie in October 1951 and, after final assembly, moved to Broken Hill in a convoy, with two in steam. Until 1953, all were hired to the South Australian Railways on a rotating basis, operating services out of Peterborough, until the South Australian Railways 400 class locomotives were delivered.

The Silverton W class differed from the WAGR examples in having a skyline cowling running the length of the boiler and smokebox, Westinghouse air brakes, and an additional blow-down valve in the middle of the bottom of the boiler barrel.

When the 48s class diesels arrived in 1961, the W class locomotives were retired, after only 10 years in service. They remained in store until disposed of in 1970, with three now preserved. The Pichi Richi Railway has a locomotive operating as W22, although it is actually W916 masquerading as W22, including some parts from the latter.

Class list

Number Name Builder's number Image Notes W22 Justin Hancock 7418 preserved by Puffing Billy Railway, Melbourne until 1999, moved to Pichi Richi Railway used for spares in the restoration of W916 as W22 W23 Thomas B Birkbeck 7419 scrapped 1970 W24 Malcolm Moore 7552 preserved Sulphide Street Museum W25 HF (Gerry) Walsh 7553 preserved National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide