Magnet Silver Mining Co. 0-4-4-0T No. 3
Whiteman Park, Western Australia, Australia 		Location: Bennett Brook Railway
Status: Restoration
Related Notes
Photo Copyright © Robin R Beck
Here are the notes for Magnet Silver Mining Co. No. 3, a 0-4-4-0T located in Whiteman Park, Western Australia. If you have additional information about this locomotive, and would like to share it, click the Add Note button.
Posted: Apr 18, 2023 @ 22:04:06 by Norman R. R. Birkner
Ownership: Built in 1907 for the Magnet Silver Mining Co. in Tasmania, No.3 was sold to the Great Boulder Gold Mines Pty. Ltd. in 1946. No.3 was retired from service in 1962 and purchased by Lew Whiteman and displayed at an entrance to his property. In 1984, No.3 was donated to the Western Australian Light Rail Association Inc. (WALRPA) along with another locomotive. No.3 is 2 ft. (610 mm) gauge.
Posted: Jul 20, 2018 @ 14:07:13 by Robin R Beck
The third locomotive ordered by Magnet Mine, Tasmania and their second Mallet (first was No1 O&K 882 built 1901). It becoming thier No 3 loco. It worked hauling ore to exchange sidings at Magnet Junction. Various circumstances had the tramway close in 1932. Later on No 3 was used in pulling up the steel rails. In 1946 it was sold along with No 1 to Boulder Gold Mines in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. No 1 never worked again, but became a spares source. No 3 worked until 1962.

Sold to Lew Whiteman, moved to his property near Perth. When his property & surrounding neighbours land was purchased in 1978 by the State Government to become Whiteman Park in a move to protect Perths water supply which was situated below the park, Mr Whiteman gifted this and another locomotive to the organisation operating Bennet Brook Railway.

The locomotive is being slowly restored. It was for years kept in a none public shed. Now it is in their repair workshops at Mussel Pool, Whiteman Park. They boast they can operate the motion using compressed air.

Magnet Tramway was a 10 mile railway running from the Magnet mine. The tramway had many severe bends so the hinged body of the Mallets were ideal. The tramway ran from close to Mt Bischoff to Magnet Junction on the outskirts of Waratah, Tasmania where the Emu Bay Railway had a line to the coast. At the Waratah end the tramway, had loco shed, goods sheds and transhipment facilities taking ore from 24 inch gauge wagons to the 42 inch gauge wagons of Emu Bay.

Posted: Jul 15, 2018 @ 03:07:16 by Dr.Ullrich Pietsch
I have the intention to built this lokomotive in 1 / 18 because of the very seldom position of the zylinders. The boiler is cole fired and already produced. The measures of the Lok I took from a Drawing by Jim Fainges of the Orenstein & Koppel lokomotive of the Douglasshire Tramway. Have you got more informations, measures ore pictures? Excuse my Englisch.I wood be very happy to hear from you. Yours sincerely Dr. Pietsch