Silverton, as a rail operator, owes its very existence to a dispute between the NSW and SA state governments over NSW refusing to allow the SA to extend its narrow gauge rail link from Cockburn on the NSW/SA border some 34 kilometre into NSW to Silverton where large ore deposits had been discovered.
With NSWGR not interested in operating what would ultimately be about 70 kilometers of isolated narrow gauge track several hundred kilometres from its nearest standard gauge destination, a compromise was reached. The track could be operated between Broken Hill and Cockburn via Silvertown by private enterprise. Mining syndicates in Silverton and Melbourne formed the Silverton Tramway Co in 1886 and the first train entered Broken Hill on 6th September 1887.
On January 12th 1970 with the opening of the standard gauge line between Broken Hill and Adelaide, Silverton lost its main line operation. It sold one of its three Goodwin Alco locomotives, purchased in the early 1960s, and moved entirely to shunting and mine transfer working at Broken Hill. Then in the late 1990s with the approach of privatised rail operation, it purchased a number of surplus 442, 48 and 830 and 930 Class locomotives, surplus NSWGR/SAR/WAGR rolling stock and returned to main line working, hauling ore, containerised cotton and intermodal trains throughout NSW. In the mid 2000s, it added surplus 44 and C Class and also took over major locomotive depots at Parkes and Broken Hill. Surplus 45 and 80 Class were introduced late 2006.
Sadly, Silverton started to decline in the mid 2000s, struggling with seasonal commodities, especially cotton. The more or less take over by South Spur and then the ‘assistance’ of Alco Finance have further seen its demise with most of its locomotives moving to Coote Industrial and its maintenance facilities to Rail Technical Support. Our presentation covers the period 2000-2008.
Approximate run time: 94 minutes.