South African Class 15B 4-8-2
Encyclopedia
Between 1918 and 1922 the South African Railways placed ten Class 15B steam locomotive
s with a 4-8-2
Mountain wheel arrangement in service.
(MLW) in Canada
. They were built and delivered in 1918, numbered 1829 to 1838. A second batch of twenty locomotives was ordered from the same builders and delivered in 1922, numbered 1971 to 1990. They were built to the general specifications of the Class 15
, but with bar frames and some typical North American features, and they were equipped with Belpaire fireboxes with combustion chambers.
Eventually all thirty Class 15B locomotives were reboilered with Watson Standard no. 2A boilers and reclassified to Class 15BR. Early conversions were equipped with copper and later conversions with steel fireboxes. In the process they were also equipped with Watson cabs, with their distinctive slanted fronts compared to the conventional vertical fronts of their original cabs.
An obvious visual difference between an original and a Watson Standard reboilered locomotive is usually a rectangular regulator cover just to the rear of the chimney on the reboilered locomotive. In the case of the Class 15B and Class 15BR two even more obvious visual differences are the Watson cab and the absence of the Belpaire firebox hump between the cab and boiler on the reboilered locomotives.
to Cradock
and across to De Aar. When the Class 15F
started taking over in that area, they were gradually relocated to Cape Town
from where they worked goods and passenger trains to the north. They were also used across Sir Lowry's Pass
to Caledon in the Overberg
and on the Bitterfontein
line via Malmesbury
and Klawer.
Some were shedded at Worcester
and at Ashton
for shunting. The usual way of exchanging the Ashton shunter every fortnight was for it to be used on the local passenger train, which was normally hauled by a Garratt. They were withdrawn by 1976.
and occasionally on freight service to Swaziland
. The SAR running numbers of these locomotives were 1836, 1974, 1981, 1983, 1984 and 1986, sold in March 1973, and 1829, 1831, 1838, 1976, 1977 and 1985, sold in July 1973. The CFM renumbered the March batch 421, 426 and 422 to 425, and the July batch 427 to 432, but this renumbering sequence could not be ascertained with certainty.
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
s with a 4-8-2
4-8-2
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-8-2 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle...
Mountain wheel arrangement in service.
Manufacturer
As a result of wartime disruption in Europe, the first batch of ten Class 15B 4-8-2 steam locomotives for the South African Railways (SAR) was ordered from the Montreal Locomotive WorksMontreal Locomotive Works
Montreal Locomotive Works was a Canadian railway locomotive manufacturer which existed under several names from 1883–1985, producing both steam and diesel locomotives. For a number of years it was a subsidiary of the American Locomotive Company...
(MLW) in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. They were built and delivered in 1918, numbered 1829 to 1838. A second batch of twenty locomotives was ordered from the same builders and delivered in 1922, numbered 1971 to 1990. They were built to the general specifications of the Class 15
South African Class 15 4-8-2
In 1914 the South African Railways placed ten Class 15 steam locomotives with a 4-8-2 Mountain wheel arrangement in service.-Manufacturer:The Class 15 was introduced by D.A...
, but with bar frames and some typical North American features, and they were equipped with Belpaire fireboxes with combustion chambers.
Cylinder bushing
As they went in for major overhauls, these locomotives had their cylinders bushed to reduce the bore from the as built 22 to 21.75 in (558.8 to 552.5 mm). At the same time their operating boiler pressure was adjusted upwards from 185 to 190 psi (1,275.5 to 1,310 kPa).Watson Standard boilers
During the 1930s many serving locomotives were reboilered with a standard boiler type designed by A.G. Watson, CME of the SAR from 1929 to 1936, as part of his standardisation policy. Such Watson Standard reboilered locomotives were reclassified by adding an "R" suffix to their classification.Eventually all thirty Class 15B locomotives were reboilered with Watson Standard no. 2A boilers and reclassified to Class 15BR. Early conversions were equipped with copper and later conversions with steel fireboxes. In the process they were also equipped with Watson cabs, with their distinctive slanted fronts compared to the conventional vertical fronts of their original cabs.
An obvious visual difference between an original and a Watson Standard reboilered locomotive is usually a rectangular regulator cover just to the rear of the chimney on the reboilered locomotive. In the case of the Class 15B and Class 15BR two even more obvious visual differences are the Watson cab and the absence of the Belpaire firebox hump between the cab and boiler on the reboilered locomotives.
South African Railways
The Class 15B was placed in service in the eastern Orange Free State, but eventually spent most of their working lives in the Cape Midlands, working south from NoupoortNoupoort
Noupoort is a town in the eastern Karoo region of South Africa which revolved principally around the railways and is still used as traction change-over facility from diesel to electric locomotives on the Noupoort-Bloemfontein line. It was serviced by Midlandia, a locomotive complex a few kilometers...
to Cradock
Cradock, Eastern Cape
Cradock is a town in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, in the upper valley of the Great Fish River, by rail northeast of Port Elizabeth. The town is the administrative seat of the Inxuba Yethemba Local Municipality in the Chris Hani District of the Eastern Cape. The estimated population...
and across to De Aar. When the Class 15F
South African Class 15F 4-8-2
The Class 15F was the most numerous steam locomotive class in South African Railways service. Between 1938 and 1946 two hundred and fifty-five of these steam locomotives with a 4-8-2 Mountain wheel arrangement were placed in service.-Manufacturers:...
started taking over in that area, they were gradually relocated to Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
from where they worked goods and passenger trains to the north. They were also used across Sir Lowry's Pass
Sir Lowry's Pass
Sir Lowry's Pass is a mountain pass on the N2 national road in the Western Cape province of South Africa. It crosses the Hottentots-Holland mountain range between Somerset West and Grabouw on the main national road between Cape Town and the Garden Route...
to Caledon in the Overberg
Overberg
Overberg is a district in South Africa to the east of Cape Town beyond the Hottentots-Holland mountains. It lies along the Cape Province's south coast between the Cape Peninsula and the region known as the Garden Route in the east...
and on the Bitterfontein
Bitterfontein
Bitterfontein is a village in the Knersvlakte, the northernmost area of the Western Cape province of South Africa, north of Cape Town. It is the railhead of a line from Cape Town; ore from the copper mines at Okiep is transferred there from road transport to the railway...
line via Malmesbury
Malmesbury, Western Cape
Malmesbury is a town with 37,529 inhabitants in the Western Cape province of South Africa, about 65 km north of Cape Town.The town is the largest in the Swartland due to the dark "Renosterbos" , an indigenous plant that turns black in the warm, dry summers...
and Klawer.
Some were shedded at Worcester
Worcester, Western Cape
Worcester is a town in the Western Cape, South Africa. It is located 120 km north-east of Cape Town on the N1 highway north to Johannesburg....
and at Ashton
Ashton, Western Cape
Ashton is a small town in the Western Cape in South Africa. The town is situated in a luscious valley famous for its great wines and fruit....
for shunting. The usual way of exchanging the Ashton shunter every fortnight was for it to be used on the local passenger train, which was normally hauled by a Garratt. They were withdrawn by 1976.
Mozambique
In March and July 1973 twelve Class 15BR locomotives were sold in two batches to Caminhos de Ferro de Moçambique (CFM), the Mozambique Railways, where they were mainly used for shunting at Lourenco MarquesMaputo
Maputo, also known as Lourenço Marques, is the capital and largest city of Mozambique. It is known as the City of Acacias in reference to acacia trees commonly found along its avenues and the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. It was famous for the inscription "This is Portugal" on the walkway of its...
and occasionally on freight service to Swaziland
Swaziland
Swaziland, officially the Kingdom of Swaziland , and sometimes called Ngwane or Swatini, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa, bordered to the north, south and west by South Africa, and to the east by Mozambique...
. The SAR running numbers of these locomotives were 1836, 1974, 1981, 1983, 1984 and 1986, sold in March 1973, and 1829, 1831, 1838, 1976, 1977 and 1985, sold in July 1973. The CFM renumbered the March batch 421, 426 and 422 to 425, and the July batch 427 to 432, but this renumbering sequence could not be ascertained with certainty.
Industrial
Six Class 15BR locomotives were sold into industrial use.- Numbers 1972 and 1980 went to Tweefontein United Collieries.
- Numbers 1973, 1975, 1982 and 1990 went to the Randfontein Estates Gold Mine (REGM).
Gallery
The main picture shows REGM number R7, ex SAR Class 15BR 1990, heading a mine manager's tour of the REGM system, seen here on the Doornkop branch on 14 September 1997.See also
- South African Class 15 4-8-2South African Class 15 4-8-2In 1914 the South African Railways placed ten Class 15 steam locomotives with a 4-8-2 Mountain wheel arrangement in service.-Manufacturer:The Class 15 was introduced by D.A...
- South African Class 15A 4-8-2South African Class 15A 4-8-2Between 1914 and 1925 the South African Railways placed one hundred and nineteen Class 15A steam locomotives with a 4-8-2 Mountain wheel arrangement in service, delivered in ten batches from three manufacturers.-Manufacturers:...
- South African Class 15C 4-8-2
- South African Class 15CA 4-8-2South African Class 15CA 4-8-2In 1926 the South African Railways placed twenty-three Class 15CA steam locomotives with a 4-8-2 Mountain wheel arrangement in service. Another sixty-one were ordered and delivered in 1929 and 1930.-Class 15C redesign:...
- South African Class 15E 4-8-2South African Class 15E 4-8-2Between 1935 and 1937 the South African Railways placed forty-four Class 15E steam locomotives with a 4-8-2 Mountain wheel arrangement in service. -Manufacturers:...
- South African Class 15F 4-8-2South African Class 15F 4-8-2The Class 15F was the most numerous steam locomotive class in South African Railways service. Between 1938 and 1946 two hundred and fifty-five of these steam locomotives with a 4-8-2 Mountain wheel arrangement were placed in service.-Manufacturers:...
- Tender locomotive numbering and classification
- Watson Standard boilers
- The 4-8-2 "Mountain"
- List of South African locomotive classes