Silverton Tramway A class explained

Silverton Tramway A class
Powertype:Steam
Builder:Beyer, Peacock & Co
Builddate:1912, 1915
Totalproduction:4
Whytetype:4-6-0
Driverdiameter:4feet
Fueltype:Coal
Boilerpressure:1852NaN2
Cylindersize:Original: 16.5x
Rebuilt: 16.5x
Tractiveeffort:Original: 158012NaN2
Rebuilt: 173812NaN2
Factorofadhesion:3.52
Operator:Silverton Tramway Company
Fleetnumbers:A18-A21
Preservedunits:A21
Disposition:1 preserved, 3 scrapped

The Silverton Tramway A class was a class of 4-6-0 steam locomotives operated by the Silverton Tramway Company.

History

The Silverton Tramway Company took delivery of two 4-6-0 locomotives in 1912 from Beyer, Peacock & Co, Manchester followed by another two in 1915.[1] [2]

They were built with small tenders so as to keep them within the limits imposed by the fifty foot turntables and operated both passenger and freight services on the Silverton Tramway.[1] Between 1924 and 1926, all were fitted with superheaters.[3]

After the arrival of the W class in 1951, they were relegated to trip working between the various mines in Broken Hill. During World War II and again in the 1950s, they were leased to the South Australian Railways for shunting duties at Peterborough. The last was withdrawn in January 1961.[1] [2] [3]

A21 has been preserved at the National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide.[1] [2]

Class list

NumberBuilder's numberYear builtNotes
A1855281912scrapped July 1963
A1955901912scrapped 1953
A2059121915scrapped July 1963
A2159131915preserved at the Mile End Railway Museum October 1965, now on display at the National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide

Notes and References

  1. Book: Oberg, Leon. Locomotives of Australia 1850s-2010. 2010. Rosenberg Publishing. Dural. 9781921719011. 145-146.
  2. Web site: Steam locomotive A21 . . 2020 . National Railway Museum . National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide . 2 September 2020 .
  3. Book: McNicol. Steve. Silverton Tramway Locomotives. 1981. Railmac Publications. Elizabeth Downs. 0 959415 30 0. 17/18.