page_title: Southern & Silverton Rail
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Southern & Silverton Rail / History
caption_attribution_description: English: W class locomotive that ran on the en:Silverton tramway in en:Broken Hill, New South Wales
context_page_description: Southern & Silverton Rail was an Australian rail operator. Founded in 1886 as the Silverton Tramway Company, it operated the Silverton Tramway until 1970, before diversifying into operating hook and pull services, being renamed Silverton Rail in the mid-1990s. In 2006 it was purchased by South Spur Rail Services and rebranded as Southern & Silverton Rail, before both were sold to Coote Industrial. In June 2010 it was sold to Qube Logistics and rebranded.
context_section_description: The Silverton Tramway Company was formed in 1886 by a consortium led by J. S. Reid, to build and operate the Silverton Tramway, a 58-kilometre (36 mi)-long 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)-gauge railway running from Cockburn on the New South Wales-South Australia state border to Broken Hill; after the Government of New South Wales enacted into legislation the Silverton Tramway Act of 1886 that granted the Silverton Tramway Company the rights to build and operate a railway. It was headquartered in Melbourne, listing on the London Stock Exchange in 1897, later transferring to the Australian Securities Exchange.
  The line the line opened on 12 January 1888. Initially using hired South Australian Railways Y class locomotives, until it received its own locomotives. By the end of 1888, it had concluded a deal for the South Australian Railways to operate the main line services with Silverton servicing the various mines and sidings in Broken Hill. On 1 July 1893, Silverton resumed operating mainline services.
  In August 1899, the New South Wales Government Railways (NSWGR) purchased the Tarrawingee Tramway. As it was isolated and to a different gauge from the rest of its operations, the NSWGR contracted Silverton to operate services until the line closed in 1931.
  Following a new 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in) standard gauge line being opened in February 1970 by the Federal Government, the line was made redundant and the company concentrated on operating shunting and track maintenance services to the mines industry in and around Broken Hill with its remaining two diesel locomotives. Under the 1886 Act, the Government of New South Wales had an option to buy out the company for 21 times the annual divisible profits of the preceding seven years. Silverton calculated it was entitled to $5.8 million, but through legislation this was removed, the company having to settle for a $2 million payment.
  In 1969, the Dillingham Corporation of Honolulu bought a 33% shareholding, later increasing to 50%. In 1972, it was then taken over by T & G Mutual Life Assurance Society and delisted. It was included in the 1983 purchase of T & G Mutual by National Mutual, and in 1986 was sold in a management buyout to Graham Clements.
  Having purchased a number of locomotives from FreightCorp and AN Tasrail, in 1995/96 Silverton Rail leased six locomotives to National Rail for use on Adelaide to Melbourne services as bankers to Tailem Bend. With the introduction of an open access regime in New South Wales the business was rebranded as Silverton Rail, and in August 1999 began operating iron ore services from Cobar to Narromine as a subcontractor to National Rail and relocated the majority of its fleet to Parkes Roundhouse. In August 1999, it also began operating trip workings in Sydney. In August 2000, Silverton began operating grain services from Nyngan to Sydney.
  In February 2006, Silverton Rail was sold to Western Australian-based South Spur Rail Services. The locomotives and rolling stock were sold to the Allco Finance Group and leased back. Silverton Rail was rebranded as Southern & Silverton Railway. In March 2007, South Spur Rail Services was purchased by Coote Industrial. Following Allco Finance running into financial trouble, Coote Industrial was able to buy much of the former Silverton rolling stock in January 2008 through controlled subsidiary Greentrains. In June 2010 South Spur Rail Services was sold to P&O Trans Australia.
  In April 2011, Qube Logistics acquired outright control and majority ownership of P&O Trans Australia and Southern & Silverton Rail was rebranded. Qube Logistics purchased New South Wales freight operator Independent Transport Group in June 2012.
caption: Preserved W24 at  Sulphide Street Museum, Broken Hill in August 2009
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