South African Class 3 4-8-2
Encyclopedia
In 1909 the Natal Government Railways
placed its first true Mountain type locomotive in service when five Class Hendrie D 4-8-2
tender locomotives were commissioned. Twenty-five more were placed in service in 1911. In 1912, when they were assimilated into the South African Railways, they were renumbered and classified as Class 3. The Mountain wheel arrangement went on to become the most numerous steam locomotive wheel configuration in use in South Africa.
locomotive designed by Natal Government Railways
(NGR) Locomotive Superintendent D.A. Hendrie to handle coal traffic on the upper Natal main line.
They were based on his Class Hendrie B
4-8-0, but with the firebox positioned to the rear of the driving wheels, which made an improved grate and ashpan possible. To accomplish this, the plate frame was equipped with a cast bridle at the rear to accommodate the improved firebox design, which also necessitated the addition of a pony truck. Five locomotives were built by the North British Locomotive Company
(NBL) and delivered in 1909, numbered 330 to 334.
They were Natal's first true Mountain type tender locomotives, having been designed and built with a 4-8-2 wheel arrangement. Earlier Natal 4-8-2 locomotives were modified from a different original wheel arrangement.
In 1910 twenty-five more were ordered from NBL. They were delivered in 1911 and numbered 345 to 369. Even though the Union of South Africa
was established on 31 May 1910, the renumbering of the locomotives of the component railways onto the SAR roster did not take place until 1912, with the result that this second batch of Class Hendrie D locomotives were still numbered onto the NGR roster when they were delivered and placed in service in 1911.
es and used saturated steam. The boilers that were used on these locomotives were, at the time, the largest in South Africa. Being built without superheaters, the bore of their slide valves were 0.5 inches (12.7 mm) larger than on the Class Hendrie B to compensate for the additional weight of the locomotive.
In 1912, when these thirty Class Hendrie D locomotives were taken onto the South African Railways (SAR) roster, they were renumbered 1446 to 1475 and classified as Class 3.
When twenty-nine of the Class 3 locomotives, all except number 1457, were eventually reboilered with superheated Watson Standard no. 2 boilers, they were therefore reclassified to Class 3R. The most 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, but this was not always the case, as illustrated in the gallery below. In the case of the Class 3R locomotive an even more obvious visual distinction is the absence of the Belpaire firebox hump between the cab and the boiler.
By the late 1960s, towards the end of their service lives, the Class was distributed between the Orange Free State and the Cape Western systems. By this time they were all used on shunting service, mainly around Bloemfontein, Beaufort West, Touws River and Cape Town. By 1970 the entire Class was concentrated in the Cape, where they were finally withdrawn from service in 1974.
Both of the pictures below show Watson Standard reboilered Class 3R locomotives. The first displays the usual spotting feature of a Watson Standard reboilered locomotive, the rectangular regulator cover just to the rear of the chimney, while the second has a bolted on cover plate instead, flush with the boiler cladding.
Natal government railways
The Natal Government Railways was formed in January 1877 in the Colony of Natal.In 1877 the Natal Government Railways acquired the Natal Railway Company for the sum of £40,000, gaining the line from the Point to Durban and from Durban to Umgeni...
placed its first true Mountain type locomotive in service when five Class Hendrie D 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...
tender locomotives were commissioned. Twenty-five more were placed in service in 1911. In 1912, when they were assimilated into the South African Railways, they were renumbered and classified as Class 3. The Mountain wheel arrangement went on to become the most numerous steam locomotive wheel configuration in use in South Africa.
Manufacturer
With increasing coal traffic in Natal, the demand arose for more powerful locomotives. The Class Hendrie D was a heavy 4-8-24-8-2
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...
locomotive designed by Natal Government Railways
Natal government railways
The Natal Government Railways was formed in January 1877 in the Colony of Natal.In 1877 the Natal Government Railways acquired the Natal Railway Company for the sum of £40,000, gaining the line from the Point to Durban and from Durban to Umgeni...
(NGR) Locomotive Superintendent D.A. Hendrie to handle coal traffic on the upper Natal main line.
They were based on his Class Hendrie B
South African Class 1 4-8-0
In 1904 the Natal Government Railways placed fifty Class Hendrie B 4-8-0 Mastodon steam locomotives in service. Six of them were modified to a 4-8-2 Mountain wheel arrangement in 1906...
4-8-0, but with the firebox positioned to the rear of the driving wheels, which made an improved grate and ashpan possible. To accomplish this, the plate frame was equipped with a cast bridle at the rear to accommodate the improved firebox design, which also necessitated the addition of a pony truck. Five locomotives 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) and delivered in 1909, numbered 330 to 334.
They were Natal's first true Mountain type tender locomotives, having been designed and built with a 4-8-2 wheel arrangement. Earlier Natal 4-8-2 locomotives were modified from a different original wheel arrangement.
In 1910 twenty-five more were ordered from NBL. They were delivered in 1911 and numbered 345 to 369. Even though the Union of South Africa
Union of South Africa
The Union of South Africa is the historic predecessor to the present-day Republic of South Africa. It came into being on 31 May 1910 with the unification of the previously separate colonies of the Cape, Natal, Transvaal and the Orange Free State...
was established on 31 May 1910, the renumbering of the locomotives of the component railways onto the SAR roster did not take place until 1912, with the result that this second batch of Class Hendrie D locomotives were still numbered onto the NGR roster when they were delivered and placed in service in 1911.
Characteristics
Like the Class Hendrie B that it was based on, the Class Hendrie D had plate frames, Walschaerts valve gear with "D" valves, Belpaire fireboxBelpaire firebox
The Belpaire firebox is a type of firebox used on steam locomotives. It was invented by Alfred Belpaire of Belgium. It has a greater surface area at the top of the firebox, improving heat transfer and steam production...
es and used saturated steam. The boilers that were used on these locomotives were, at the time, the largest in South Africa. Being built without superheaters, the bore of their slide valves were 0.5 inches (12.7 mm) larger than on the Class Hendrie B to compensate for the additional weight of the locomotive.
In 1912, when these thirty Class Hendrie D locomotives were taken onto the South African Railways (SAR) roster, they were renumbered 1446 to 1475 and classified as Class 3.
Watson Standard boilers
In the 1930s many serving locomotives were reboilered with a standard boiler type designed by then Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) A.G. Watson as part of his standardisation policy. Such Watson Standard reboilered locomotives were reclassified by adding an "R" suffix to their classification.When twenty-nine of the Class 3 locomotives, all except number 1457, were eventually reboilered with superheated Watson Standard no. 2 boilers, they were therefore reclassified to Class 3R. The most 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, but this was not always the case, as illustrated in the gallery below. In the case of the Class 3R locomotive an even more obvious visual distinction is the absence of the Belpaire firebox hump between the cab and the boiler.
Service
When acquired in 1909, the first five Hendrie D locomotives were put to work between Estcourt and Charlestown on the Transvaal border. They proved to be highly successful in use on all kinds of traffic, leading to the order for another twenty-five locomotives in 1910.By the late 1960s, towards the end of their service lives, the Class was distributed between the Orange Free State and the Cape Western systems. By this time they were all used on shunting service, mainly around Bloemfontein, Beaufort West, Touws River and Cape Town. By 1970 the entire Class was concentrated in the Cape, where they were finally withdrawn from service in 1974.
Gallery
The main picture shows NGR Class Hendrie D number 332, later SAR Class 3 number 1448, as built with a Belpaire firebox.Both of the pictures below show Watson Standard reboilered Class 3R locomotives. The first displays the usual spotting feature of a Watson Standard reboilered locomotive, the rectangular regulator cover just to the rear of the chimney, while the second has a bolted on cover plate instead, flush with the boiler cladding.
See also
- South African Class 3A 4-8-2South African Class 3A 4-8-2Early in 1910 the Natal Government Railways placed a single Class American D 4-8-2 locomotive in service. In 1912, when it was assimilated into the South African Railways, it was renumbered and classified as Class 3A.-Manufacturer:...
- South African Class 3B 4-8-2South African Class 3B 4-8-2In 1912 the South African Railways took delivery of ten Class 3B steam locomotives with a 4-8-2 Mountain wheel arrangement that had been ordered by the Natal Government Railways the year before.-Manufacturer:...
- Tender locomotive numbering and classification
- Watson Standard boilers
- The 4-8-2 "Mountain"
- List of South African locomotive classes