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South African Class 15F 4-8-2
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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 locomotive
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 were placed in service.

Manufacturers

The Class 15F 4-8-2 steam locomotive was designed by W.A.J Day, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the South African Railways (SAR) from 1936 to 1939, and was built in four batches by four locomotive manufacturers in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

 and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 over a period of eight years spanning World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

.
  • The first twenty-one were built in Germany
    Germany
    Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

     in 1938. Seven were delivered by Berliner Maschinenbau
    Berliner Maschinenbau
    Berliner Maschinenbau AG was a German manufacturer of locomotives.The factory was founded by Louis Victor Robert Schwartzkopff on 3 October 1852 as Eisengießerei und Maschinen-Fabrik von L. Schwartzkopff in Berlin ....

    , numbered 2902 to 2908, and fourteen by Henschel and Son
    Henschel & Son
    Henschel & Son was a German company, situated in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicles and weapons....

    , numbered 2909 to 2922.
  • Another forty-four were built by the North British Locomotive Company
    North British Locomotive Company
    The North British Locomotive Company was created in 1903 through the merger of three Glasgow locomotive manufacturing companies; Sharp Stewart and Company , Neilson, Reid and Company and Dübs and Company , creating the largest locomotive manufacturing company in Europe.Its main factories were...

     (NBL) of Glasgow
    Glasgow
    Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...

     in 1938. They were delivered in 1939, numbered 2923 to 2966.
  • Locomotive building was interrupted by World War II
    World War II
    World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

    , but because of a critical motive power shortage that developed in South Africa during the war, manufacturing of the Class 15F was resumed even before hostilities had ceased. In 1944 production started on thirty locomotives by Beyer, Peacock and Company
    Beyer, Peacock and Company
    Beyer, Peacock and Company was an English railway Locomotive manufacturer with a factory in Gorton, Manchester. Founded by Charles Beyer and Richard Peacock, it traded from 1854 until 1966...

     (BP), delivered later that same year and numbered 2967 to 2996.
  • In 1945 sixty were built and delivered by NBL, numbered 2997 to 3056.
  • The final batch of one hundred Class 15Fs were built by NBL in 1946 and 1947 and delivered between 1946 and 1948, numbered 3057 to 3156.


The table shows the Class 15F running numbers, builders, years built and works numbers.

Lineage

The Class 15F represented the ultimate stage in a long history of development spanning thirty years. The first 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...

 4-8-2 tender locomotive entered SAR service in 1914, sporting a 40 ft2 grate, a boiler pressure of 185 pound per square inches (1,275.5 kPa), a maximum axle load of 16.5 long tons (16.8 t) and 57 inches (1,447.8 mm) driving wheels. Later orders incorporated major improvements in succession, until the Class 15CA
South African Class 15CA 4-8-2
In 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:...

 was commissioned in 1926 with a 48 ft2 grate, a boiler pressure of 210 pound per square inches (1,447.9 kPa), a maximum axle load of 17.75 long tons (18 t) and 60 inches (1,524 mm) driving wheels.
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 locomotive
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 were placed in service.

Manufacturers

The Class 15F 4-8-2 steam locomotive was designed by W.A.J Day, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the South African Railways (SAR) from 1936 to 1939, and was built in four batches by four locomotive manufacturers in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

 and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 over a period of eight years spanning World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

.
  • The first twenty-one were built in Germany
    Germany
    Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

     in 1938. Seven were delivered by Berliner Maschinenbau
    Berliner Maschinenbau
    Berliner Maschinenbau AG was a German manufacturer of locomotives.The factory was founded by Louis Victor Robert Schwartzkopff on 3 October 1852 as Eisengießerei und Maschinen-Fabrik von L. Schwartzkopff in Berlin ....

    , numbered 2902 to 2908, and fourteen by Henschel and Son
    Henschel & Son
    Henschel & Son was a German company, situated in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicles and weapons....

    , numbered 2909 to 2922.
  • Another forty-four were built by the North British Locomotive Company
    North British Locomotive Company
    The North British Locomotive Company was created in 1903 through the merger of three Glasgow locomotive manufacturing companies; Sharp Stewart and Company , Neilson, Reid and Company and Dübs and Company , creating the largest locomotive manufacturing company in Europe.Its main factories were...

     (NBL) of Glasgow
    Glasgow
    Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...

     in 1938. They were delivered in 1939, numbered 2923 to 2966.
  • Locomotive building was interrupted by World War II
    World War II
    World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

    , but because of a critical motive power shortage that developed in South Africa during the war, manufacturing of the Class 15F was resumed even before hostilities had ceased. In 1944 production started on thirty locomotives by Beyer, Peacock and Company
    Beyer, Peacock and Company
    Beyer, Peacock and Company was an English railway Locomotive manufacturer with a factory in Gorton, Manchester. Founded by Charles Beyer and Richard Peacock, it traded from 1854 until 1966...

     (BP), delivered later that same year and numbered 2967 to 2996.
  • In 1945 sixty were built and delivered by NBL, numbered 2997 to 3056.
  • The final batch of one hundred Class 15Fs were built by NBL in 1946 and 1947 and delivered between 1946 and 1948, numbered 3057 to 3156.


The table shows the Class 15F running numbers, builders, years built and works numbers.

Lineage

The Class 15F represented the ultimate stage in a long history of development spanning thirty years. The first 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...

 4-8-2 tender locomotive entered SAR service in 1914, sporting a 40 ft2 grate, a boiler pressure of 185 pound per square inches (1,275.5 kPa), a maximum axle load of 16.5 long tons (16.8 t) and 57 inches (1,447.8 mm) driving wheels. Later orders incorporated major improvements in succession, until the Class 15CA
South African Class 15CA 4-8-2
In 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:...

 was commissioned in 1926 with a 48 ft2 grate, a boiler pressure of 210 pound per square inches (1,447.9 kPa), a maximum axle load of 17.75 long tons (18 t) and 60 inches (1,524 mm) driving wheels.4-8-2 Class "15F" Locomotives for the South African Railways, reprinted from "The Railway Gazette" of September 20, 1946
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 locomotive
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 were placed in service.

Manufacturers

The Class 15F 4-8-2 steam locomotive was designed by W.A.J Day, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the South African Railways (SAR) from 1936 to 1939, and was built in four batches by four locomotive manufacturers in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

 and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 over a period of eight years spanning World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

.
  • The first twenty-one were built in Germany
    Germany
    Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

     in 1938. Seven were delivered by Berliner Maschinenbau
    Berliner Maschinenbau
    Berliner Maschinenbau AG was a German manufacturer of locomotives.The factory was founded by Louis Victor Robert Schwartzkopff on 3 October 1852 as Eisengießerei und Maschinen-Fabrik von L. Schwartzkopff in Berlin ....

    , numbered 2902 to 2908, and fourteen by Henschel and Son
    Henschel & Son
    Henschel & Son was a German company, situated in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicles and weapons....

    , numbered 2909 to 2922.
  • Another forty-four were built by the North British Locomotive Company
    North British Locomotive Company
    The North British Locomotive Company was created in 1903 through the merger of three Glasgow locomotive manufacturing companies; Sharp Stewart and Company , Neilson, Reid and Company and Dübs and Company , creating the largest locomotive manufacturing company in Europe.Its main factories were...

     (NBL) of Glasgow
    Glasgow
    Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...

     in 1938. They were delivered in 1939, numbered 2923 to 2966.
  • Locomotive building was interrupted by World War II
    World War II
    World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

    , but because of a critical motive power shortage that developed in South Africa during the war, manufacturing of the Class 15F was resumed even before hostilities had ceased. In 1944 production started on thirty locomotives by Beyer, Peacock and Company
    Beyer, Peacock and Company
    Beyer, Peacock and Company was an English railway Locomotive manufacturer with a factory in Gorton, Manchester. Founded by Charles Beyer and Richard Peacock, it traded from 1854 until 1966...

     (BP), delivered later that same year and numbered 2967 to 2996.
  • In 1945 sixty were built and delivered by NBL, numbered 2997 to 3056.
  • The final batch of one hundred Class 15Fs were built by NBL in 1946 and 1947 and delivered between 1946 and 1948, numbered 3057 to 3156.


The table shows the Class 15F running numbers, builders, years built and works numbers.

Lineage

The Class 15F represented the ultimate stage in a long history of development spanning thirty years. The first 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...

 4-8-2 tender locomotive entered SAR service in 1914, sporting a 40 ft2 grate, a boiler pressure of 185 pound per square inches (1,275.5 kPa), a maximum axle load of 16.5 long tons (16.8 t) and 57 inches (1,447.8 mm) driving wheels. Later orders incorporated major improvements in succession, until the Class 15CA
South African Class 15CA 4-8-2
In 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:...

 was commissioned in 1926 with a 48 ft2 grate, a boiler pressure of 210 pound per square inches (1,447.9 kPa), a maximum axle load of 17.75 long tons (18 t) and 60 inches (1,524 mm) driving wheels.4-8-2 Class "15F" Locomotives for the South African Railways, reprinted from "The Railway Gazette" of September 20, 1946Kleinplasie Farming Museum, Worcester

Valve gear

The locomotive was similar to its predecessor Class 15E
South African Class 15E 4-8-2
Between 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:...

, but built with Walschaerts valve gear as specified by CME W.A.J. Day, who was not a protagonist of RC Poppet valve gear. This and some other differences led to it being classified 15F.

Watson Standard boilers

The Class 15F was delivered with a Watson Standard no. 3B boiler and a Watson cab. During the 1930s Day’s predecessor as CME, A.G. Watson, designed a standard boiler type as part of his standardisation policy. Many serving locomotives were reboilered with these Watson Standard boilers and 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. New locomotives that were acquired in the Watson era and later, such as the Class 15F, were built with such boilers and cabs.

Pre-war models

The pre-war Class 15Fs were hand stoked and delivered without smoke deflectors. The original twenty-one Berliner and Henschel builts remained hand-fired for their full working lives. On the pre-war NBL-builts, on the other hand, provision was made in the design to later convert them to mechanical stoking. A mechanical stoker was tested on number 2923 before the remaining locomotives of that group were all fitted with stokers by the late 1940s. Their brake systems consisted of steam brakes on the engines and vacuum brakes on the tenders.Additional information received from Les Pivnic

Post-war models

The post-war locomotives were built to the design and specifications of Doctor M.M. Loubser, who succeeded W.A.J. Day as CME in 1939. The specifications included mechanical stokers, smoke deflectors, vacuum brakes on the driving wheels as well as the tenders, with two 24 inches (609.6 mm) brake cylinders on the engine and two 21 inches (533.4 mm) cylinders on the tender.

The early post-war locomotives built by BP and NBL in 1944 and 1945, like the pre-war NBL-builts, were built without mechanical stokers, although provision was made for their subsequent conversion to mechanical stoking. They were all equipped with stokers post delivery. The locomotives in the final order from NBL, number 3057 and later, were delivered new complete with mechanical stokers.

Apart from these differences, the post-war locomotives were identical to the earlier ones. Smoke deflectors were later installed on the pre-war locomotives as well.

The use of vacuum braking instead of steam braking became standard practice on locomotives from 1944 onwards and was welcomed by SAR drivers, who were always reluctant to make use of steam brakes for fear of skidding the locomotive wheels. The trigger on the steam brake attachment, for isolating the proportional device that admitted steam to the brake cylinder automatically upon the application of the vacuum brake, was invariably wedged down with a wooden peg by drivers to eliminate the steam brake entirely.

Service

While the Class 15F was used predominantly in the Orange Free State and Western Transvaal, it also saw service in every system country wide, including Garratt territory in Natal, where they were used on the line from Newcastle to Utrecht. It also briefly served on the Cape Eastern system when it worked out of East London in the early 1960s.

Some briefly served outside South Africa’s borders. In 1978 six Class 15Fs were hired to Rhodesia Railways (RR), but they were returned nine months later and replaced by Class GMAM
South African Class GMA 4-8-2+2-8-4
Between 1954 and 1958 the South African Railways placed one hundred and twenty Class GMA branch line and Class GMAM main line Garratt articulated steam locomotives with a 4-8-2+2-8-4 "Double Mountain" wheel arrangement in service...

 Garratts.
When the Class 23
South African Class 23 4-8-2
In 1938 and 1939 the South African Railways placed one hundred and thirty-six Class 23 steam locomotives in service. The Class 23 was the last and the largest 4-8-2 Mountain locomotive to be designed by the South African Railways.-Manufacturers:...

 was retired, many Class 15F locomotives inherited their huge twelve wheel Type EW tenders which, apart from increasing their range with its larger fuel and water capacity, also greatly enhanced their appearance.

In later years, when the Class 15F was being relegated to heavy shunting and local work, many of the post-war locomotives had their mechanical stokers removed.

Preservation

As would be expected, given its usefulness and the large quantity placed in service with the SAR, quite a few of this type have survived into preservation.

The Pretoria-based steam heritage club Friends of the Rail (FOTR) possesses two locomotives of this class, numbers 3094 and 3117.
  • Number 3094 was in service with FOTR until its withdrawal in 2007 due to failing flexible stays surrounding the firebox. This locomotive now awaits its turn to be overhauled.
  • Number 3117 was restored by FOTR and returned to service in December 2008, after 17 years of standing idle. This locomotive was derailed near Cullinan due to sleeper theft in July 2009. It too was awaiting repairs by November 2011.


The Germiston-based Reefsteamers has three Class 15F locomotives in its stable, numbers 2914 "Spikkels", a hand-fired version, 3016 "Gerda" and 3046 "Janine". The latter was the club's only operational 15F as at November 2011..

Number 3007 was one of many built by NBL. In 2006 this locomotive was returned to its builder's home city, Glasgow in Scotland, where it has been put on static display in George Square
George Square
George Square is the principal civic square in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It is named after King George III.-Historical development:George Square was laid out in 1781, part of the innovative Georgian central grid plan that initially spanned from Stockwell Street east to Buchanan Street—which...

 by the North Britsh Locomotive Preservation Group.

Commemoration

A 40c postage stamp depicting a Class 15F locomotive was one of a set of four commemorative postage stamps that were issued by the South African Post Office on 27 April 1983, to commemorate the steam locomotives of South Africa that were rapidly being withdrawn from service at the time. The artwork and stamp design was by the noted stamp designer and artist Hein Botha.Philatelic Bulletin 176, issued by Philatelic Services and INTERSAPA, 1983

The particular locomotive depicted was NBL built Class 15F 2954. The outline of a traditional SAR locomotive number plate was used as a commemorative cancellation for De Aar on the date of release.

Gallery

The main picture shows pre-war NBL built 2940 "Lynette", with an ex Class 23 Type EW tender, at speed near Princess station on the Johannesburg-Magaliesburg line on 6 April 1992.


See also

  • South African Class 15 4-8-2
    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...

  • South African Class 15A 4-8-2
    South African Class 15A 4-8-2
    Between 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 15B 4-8-2
    South African Class 15B 4-8-2
    Between 1918 and 1922 the South African Railways placed ten Class 15B steam locomotives with a 4-8-2 Mountain wheel arrangement in service.-Manufacturer:...

  • South African Class 15C 4-8-2
  • South African Class 15CA 4-8-2
    South African Class 15CA 4-8-2
    In 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 4-8-2
    South African Class 15E 4-8-2
    Between 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 23 4-8-2
    South African Class 23 4-8-2
    In 1938 and 1939 the South African Railways placed one hundred and thirty-six Class 23 steam locomotives in service. The Class 23 was the last and the largest 4-8-2 Mountain locomotive to be designed by the South African Railways.-Manufacturers:...

  • Tender locomotive numbering and classification
  • Watson Standard boilers
  • The 4-8-2 "Mountain"
  • List of South African locomotive classes

External links

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