Freshly restored by the Pichi Richi Railway, former South Australian Railways Yx class 2-6-0 number 141 made it’s first public appearance at the Trans-Continental Railway Centenary at Port Augusta in October 2017.
The ‘Colonial Mogul’ was a successful design of Beyer Peacock for narrow-gauge lines, and became the most prolific class of steam locomotives on the South Australian Railways. Over 120 locos were built by Beyer Peacock between 1885 and 1890 and James Martin at Gawler from 1890 to 1898. Two were also built by the SAR at Islington Workshops in 1898. From 1906 onwards many of the James Martin locos were rebuilt as Yx class with a larger boiler and higher tractive effort.
Following the gauge conversion of the Western Division in the 1920s many were sold off. During World War 2 a number were sold to the Commonwealth Railways for operation on the North Australia Railway.
Although displaced on the main line by the bigger T class, 21 survived into the 1950s. As shunters at the Peterborough Loco Depot three Ys survived into the 60s, with Y97 becoming an ARHS regular till the end of steam. A number of Yx survived at Port Lincoln till the early 1960s with 141 not officially condemned until 1963, although it is doubtful if it steamed much in the last few years.
Placed in a park at Port Lincoln for twenty years Yx141 was gifted to the Pichi Richi Railway in 1982. Restoration began in 2006 with inspection showing the boiler in good condition. The tender had rusted out and a new welded tank was constructed. Following a Boiler Inspection approval, the loco was steamed in 2013 only for the heart-break of an internal crack in one of the cylinders to show.
With the help of a generous donation from Member Ray King, patterns were prepared and two new cylinder / valve assemblies were cast and machined in Adelaide and installed at Quorn. This time successful main-line trials were completed in August 2017, handling a six-car train up the 1 in 60 to the Summit comfortably. A 168 ton train was handled, but to maintain schedules 100-120 tons is a more suitable train.
The Yx had a tractive effort of 17,000 pounds, although the small boiler limited their rate of maintaining this power.
Yx141 is expected to join the regular roster at Pichi Richi in 2018, although on what trains is yet to be established.