South African Class 4 4-8-2
Encyclopedia
In 1911 the Cape Government Railways
placed two steam locomotives with a 4-8-2
Mountain wheel arrangement in service. A year later, when they were assimilated into the South African Railways, they were renumbered and classified as Class 4.
Mountain type locomotive of the Cape Government Railways (CGR) was designed at the Salt River shops as a heavy mixed traffic locomotive by H.M. Beatty, the Chief Locomotive Superintendent of the CGR from 1896 to 1910. Two locomotives were built by North British Locomotive Company
(NBL) and delivered in 1911. While they were numbered 850 and 851 in the CGR numbering series, they were not allocated a classification. A year later, when they were taken onto the South African Railways (SAR) roster, they were renumbered 1477 and 1478 and classified as Class 4.
) and the CGR Class 10 4-8-0 (SAR Class Experimental 6
), both built by Kitson and Company.
The Class 4 had bar frames, Stephenson valve gear
with "D" valves and used saturated steam. The boiler was equipped with a combustion chamber, which reduced the distance between the tube plates to 18 feet (5.486 m) and made them excellent steamers. The two locomotives were not identical, 1477 being equipped with Ramsbottom safety valves while 1478 had Cole’s muffled type Pop safety valves.
, working between Touws River and Beaufort West. In later years they were stationed at Worcester, from where they were used extensively on and around the Cape Western system’s main line, working pick-up goods trains to De Doorns in the Hex River valley and on the Mosselbaai line via Robertson.
They were withdrawn from service by 1938.
Cape Government Railways
The Cape Government Railways was the government-owned railway operator in the Cape Colony from 1874 until the creation of the South African Railways in 1910.-Private railways:...
placed two steam locomotives 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. A year later, when they were assimilated into the South African Railways, they were renumbered and classified as Class 4.
Manufacturer
The first 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...
Mountain type locomotive of the Cape Government Railways (CGR) was designed at the Salt River shops as a heavy mixed traffic locomotive by H.M. Beatty, the Chief Locomotive Superintendent of the CGR from 1896 to 1910. Two locomotives were built by 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 1911. While they were numbered 850 and 851 in the CGR numbering series, they were not allocated a classification. A year later, when they were taken onto the South African Railways (SAR) roster, they were renumbered 1477 and 1478 and classified as Class 4.
Development
The locomotives were a further development of the two experimental locomotives that were placed in service by the CGR in 1906, the CGR Class 9 2-8-2 (SAR Class Experimental 5South African Class Exp 5 2-8-2
In 1906 the Cape Government Railways placed a single experimental steam locomotive with a 2-8-2 Mikado wheel arrangement in service. In 1912, when this locomotive was assimilated into the South African Railways, it was renumbered and classified as Class Experimental 5.-Manufacturer:The Cape Mikado...
) and the CGR Class 10 4-8-0 (SAR Class Experimental 6
South African Class Exp 6 4-8-0
In 1906 the Cape Government Railways placed a single experimental Class 10 steam locomotive with a 4-8-0 Mastodon wheel arrangement in service on the Cape Eastern System. In 1912, when this locomotive was assimilated into the South African Railways, it was renumbered and classified as Class...
), both built by Kitson and Company.
The Class 4 had bar frames, Stephenson valve gear
Stephenson valve gear
The Stephenson valve gear or Stephenson link or shifting link is a simple design of valve gear that was widely used throughout the world for all kinds of steam engine. It is named after Robert Stephenson but was actually invented by his employees....
with "D" valves and used saturated steam. The boiler was equipped with a combustion chamber, which reduced the distance between the tube plates to 18 feet (5.486 m) and made them excellent steamers. The two locomotives were not identical, 1477 being equipped with Ramsbottom safety valves while 1478 had Cole’s muffled type Pop safety valves.
Service
Both of them were placed in service in the KarooKaroo
The Karoo is a semi-desert region of South Africa. It has two main sub-regions - the Great Karoo in the north and the Little Karoo in the south. The 'High' Karoo is one of the distinct physiographic provinces of the larger South African Platform division.-Great Karoo:The Great Karoo has an area of...
, working between Touws River and Beaufort West. In later years they were stationed at Worcester, from where they were used extensively on and around the Cape Western system’s main line, working pick-up goods trains to De Doorns in the Hex River valley and on the Mosselbaai line via Robertson.
They were withdrawn from service by 1938.
See also
- South African Class 4A 4-8-2South African Class 4A 4-8-2In 1913 and 1914 ten Class 4A steam locomotives with a 4-8-2 Mountain wheel arrangement were placed in service by the South African Railways.-Manufacturer:...
- Tender locomotive numbering and classification
- The 4-8-2 "Mountain"
- List of South African locomotive classes