This locomotive was built by Beyer Peacock & Co as their builder's number 7554 of 1951 ^(a) as the final of four locomotives of the Silverton Tramway's W-class. (For further information about these fine locomotives, refer to the comments for preserved sister W22.)

W25 was named 'Thomas B Birbeck' in service. ^(a)  The four Silverton W-class locomotives wore an attractive lined green livery as they shuttled back and forth over the 56km Silverton Tramway main line from Broken Hill to the South Australian Railways interchange at Cockburn.

Following withdrawal from Silverton Tramway service, W25 was obtained for preservation by the Australian Railway Historical Society's Mile End Railway Museum in Adelaide. (Your webmaster has fond memories of visiting the Mile End museum during family holidays in the 1970's; W25's distinctive boiler cowling and green livery always made this loco a favourite. My father would also tell us of the horrors of the Broken Hill "Express" which he endured as an apprentice, traveling from Adelaide to Broken Hill during the mid-1950's; W25 represented the type of locomotive which took over for the final run across the border to Broken Hill.) ^(b)

W25 was relocated from the closed Mile End Museum to the new Port Dock Station Museum in 1988, where it keeps company with other Silverton Tramway locos Y12 and A21.

Page updated:  19 December 2010