Silverton Tramway 2-6-2T No. Y 5
Quorn, SAUS, Australia 		Location: Pichi Richi Railway
Status: Stored
Posted: Aug 13, 2017 @ 14:08:59 by Robin R Beck
Silverton Tramway Y5 is a tank version of the sucessful 2-6-0 Y class. Silverton Tramway ordered two 2-6-2T. Y5 the first was shipped to Adelaide and moved to Broken Hill. It worked for the tramway until 1898 when it was given in compensation to the Sulphide Corporation Central mine after one of their locos was destroyed in collision with a Silverton Tramway loco. It remained numbered 5 and worked in Broken Hill. In 1940/41 it was sold and moved to Whyalla and renumbered 3 in the BHP steelworks fleet.

After withdrawal it was plinthed in a park in Whyalla. Whyalla is on the Spencer Gulf. Before air conditioning, the welcomed nightly breeze would blow across the Gulf, cooling the town. The salty breeze did the usual damage and Y5s steel corroded in the open air. In 1983 was obtained by the Pichi Richi Railway. At present it lives in their long term restoration building minus side tanks, but at least under cover until its chance at restoration.

Sister engine Y6 was never actually used by the Silverton Tramway. But is also preserved. See Beyer Peacock 3357 for notes.

The Sulphide Corporation was a London backed company. From 1897 their Central mine in Broken Hill produced rich ore. A mixture of lead, zinc and silver which was train hauled to Port Pirie and then shipped to Newcastle, New South Wales to the company's own smelters, later using the BHP smelter at Port Pirie. The mine closed in 1939.