South African Class 6E 4-6-0
Encyclopedia
In 1898 the Oranje-Vrijstaat Gouwermentspoorwegen ordered its final six new Cape Class 6 locomotives. When British forces invaded the Orange Free State
during the Second Freedom War
, these locomotives were taken over by the Imperial Military Railways and after the war they were renumbered into the Central South African Railways roster. In 1912, when they were assimilated into the South African Railways, they were renumbered and reclassified to Class 6E.
, both according to the specifications of Michael Stephens, the Chief Locomotive Superintendent of the CGR’s Western System at the time, and under the supervision of CGR Locomotive Superintendent H.M. Beatty. Whereas the Class 7 was conceived primarily as a goods locomotive, the Class 6 was intended to be its fast passenger service counterpart.
The first ten Class 6 locomotives of the Oranje-Vrijstaat Gouwermentspoorwegen (OVGS) were purchased from the CGR, followed by orders for twenty-four new Class 6 locomotives directly from the manufacturers between 1895 and 1898.
A final order for six more were placed with Sharp, Stewart and Company in 1898. Three of these had been delivered and numbered OVGS 96 to 98, when British forces invaded the Orange Free State
during the Second Freedom War (the Second Boer War) and the OVGS was taken over by the Imperial Military Railways (IMR). When the other three arrived, they were therefore numbered 370 to 372 on the IMR roster.
These six locomotives were delivered with larger cabs than their predecessors and with Type XE bogie-wheeled tenders. The first three locomotives retained their OVGS numbers until the war ended in 1902, when they were renumbered into the Central South African Railways (CSAR) roster. The other three locomotives retained their IMR running numbers and all six were reclassified to CSAR Class 6-L3.
es. This conversion improved their performance tremendously. The three Class 6E locomotives that were renumbered 601 to 603 had undergone this modification.
During the 1930s many of them were modified once again when the CME of the SAR at the time, A.G. Watson, reboilered them with round-topped fireboxes again, but without changing their classifications.
In Cape Town they held a monopoly over the suburban services until electrification arrived in 1928, and on the Reef they also worked these services between Randfontein and Springs until the loads became too heavy for them. They were employed on branch lines all over the country, Natal excluded, and practically every big station and many smaller ones had its quota of these handy locomotives to work the local passenger, goods and shunting services.
Like the Class 7, the Class 6 family gave good service for many years. By the time the last ones were retired in 1973, the Class 6 series had achieved a service life of eighty years, a performance that can be matched by few, if any, other locomotive classes world wide.
Orange Free State
The Orange Free State was an independent Boer republic in southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, and later a British colony and a province of the Union of South Africa. It is the historical precursor to the present-day Free State province...
during the Second Freedom War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
, these locomotives were taken over by the Imperial Military Railways and after the war they were renumbered into the Central South African Railways roster. In 1912, when they were assimilated into the South African Railways, they were renumbered and reclassified to Class 6E.
Manufacturer
The Class 6 was designed at the Salt River works of the Cape Government Railways (CGR) at the same time as the Class 7South African Class 7 4-8-0
In 1892 the Cape Government Railways placed six Class 7 steam locomotives with a 4-8-0 Mastodon wheel arrangement in service and between 1892 and 1893 another thirty-two were acquired. They were initially placed in service on the Cape Midland System, but were later distributed between the Cape...
, both according to the specifications of Michael Stephens, the Chief Locomotive Superintendent of the CGR’s Western System at the time, and under the supervision of CGR Locomotive Superintendent H.M. Beatty. Whereas the Class 7 was conceived primarily as a goods locomotive, the Class 6 was intended to be its fast passenger service counterpart.
The first ten Class 6 locomotives of the Oranje-Vrijstaat Gouwermentspoorwegen (OVGS) were purchased from the CGR, followed by orders for twenty-four new Class 6 locomotives directly from the manufacturers between 1895 and 1898.
A final order for six more were placed with Sharp, Stewart and Company in 1898. Three of these had been delivered and numbered OVGS 96 to 98, when British forces invaded the Orange Free State
Orange Free State
The Orange Free State was an independent Boer republic in southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, and later a British colony and a province of the Union of South Africa. It is the historical precursor to the present-day Free State province...
during the Second Freedom War (the Second Boer War) and the OVGS was taken over by the Imperial Military Railways (IMR). When the other three arrived, they were therefore numbered 370 to 372 on the IMR roster.
These six locomotives were delivered with larger cabs than their predecessors and with Type XE bogie-wheeled tenders. The first three locomotives retained their OVGS numbers until the war ended in 1902, when they were renumbered into the Central South African Railways (CSAR) roster. The other three locomotives retained their IMR running numbers and all six were reclassified to CSAR Class 6-L3.
Class 6 sub-classes
When these six locomotives were assimilated into the newly established South African Railways (SAR) in 1912, they were reclassified to Class 6E and renumbered 598 to 603. These locomotives, together with the CGR’s Class 6 locomotives and the Class 6-L1 and 6-L2 locomotives that were inherited by the CSAR from the OVGS via the IMR, were grouped into altogether fourteen sub-classes by the SAR. The 4-6-0 locomotives became SAR Classes 6, 6A to 6D, 6F to 6H and 6J to 6L, the 2-6-2 locomotives became Class 6Y and the 2-6-4 locomotives became Class 6Z.Modifications
In the CSAR era several of their Class 6-L1 to 6-L3 locomotives, including some of the ex OVGS locomotives, had been modified by P.A Hyde, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the CSAR, by having their round top fireboxes replaced with larger 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. This conversion improved their performance tremendously. The three Class 6E locomotives that were renumbered 601 to 603 had undergone this modification.
During the 1930s many of them were modified once again when the CME of the SAR at the time, A.G. Watson, reboilered them with round-topped fireboxes again, but without changing their classifications.
Service
The Class 6 series of locomotives were introduced primarily as passenger locomotives, but when the class became displaced by larger and more powerful locomotive classes, it literally became a “Jack-of-all-trades” that proved itself as one of the most useful and successful locomotive classes ever to be designed at the Salt River shops. It went on to see service in all parts of the country except Natal and was used on all types of traffic.In Cape Town they held a monopoly over the suburban services until electrification arrived in 1928, and on the Reef they also worked these services between Randfontein and Springs until the loads became too heavy for them. They were employed on branch lines all over the country, Natal excluded, and practically every big station and many smaller ones had its quota of these handy locomotives to work the local passenger, goods and shunting services.
Like the Class 7, the Class 6 family gave good service for many years. By the time the last ones were retired in 1973, the Class 6 series had achieved a service life of eighty years, a performance that can be matched by few, if any, other locomotive classes world wide.
Renumberings
The Class 6E locomotives were renumbered twice, first from the OVGS and IMR rosters to the CSAR roster and in 1912 into the SAR roster. The table reflects these renumberings as well as their works numbers.| Works no. |
OVGS no. |
IMR no. |
CSAR no. |
SAR no. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4464 | 96 | 333 | 601 | |
| 4465 | 97 | 334 | 598 | |
| 4466 | 98 | 335 | 599 | |
| 4467 | 370 | 370 | 600 | |
| 4468 | 371 | 371 | 602 | |
| 4469 | 372 | 372 | 603 | |
See also
- South African Class 6 4-6-0South African Class 6 4-6-0In 1893 and 1894 the Cape Government Railways placed forty Class 6 4-6-0 steam locomotives in service, twenty-two on its Western System and eighteen on its Midland System. In 1897 ten of them were sold to the Oranje-Vrijstaat Gouwermentspoorwegen. At the end of the Second Boer War in 1901, these...
- South African Class 6A 4-6-0South African Class 6A 4-6-0In 1896 and 1897 the Cape Government Railways placed a second batch of fifty Class 6 4-6-0 steam locomotives in service, forty-one on its Western System, six on its Midland System and three on its Eastern System. During the Second Freedom War four were transferred to the Imperial Military Railways...
- South African Class 6B 4-6-0South African Class 6B 4-6-0In 1897 and 1898 the Cape Government Railways placed a third batch of fifty-five Class 6 4-6-0 steam locomotives in service, thirty-two on its Western System, twenty-one on its Midland System and two on its Eastern System. During the Second Freedom War seven were transferred to the Imperial...
- South African Class 6C 4-6-0South African Class 6C 4-6-0Between 1896 and 1898 the Oranje-Vrijstaat Gouwermentspoorwegen placed twenty-four new Cape Class 6 steam locomotives with a 4-6-0 wheel arrangement in service...
- South African Class 6D 4-6-0South African Class 6D 4-6-0In 1898 a fourth batch of thirty-three Class 6 4-6-0 steam locomotives were placed in service by the Cape Government Railways. In 1912, when they were assimilated into the South African Railways, they were renumbered and reclassified to Class 6D....
- South African Class 6F 4-6-0South African Class 6F 4-6-0In 1900 two redesigned Class 6 4-6-0 steam locomotives were placed in service by the Cape Government Railways. In 1912, when they were assimilated into the South African Railways, they were renumbered and reclassified to Class 6F.-Manufacturers:...
- South African Class 6G 4-6-0South African Class 6G 4-6-0In 1901 eight redesigned Class 6 4-6-0 steam locomotives were placed in service by the Cape Government Railways. In 1912, when they were assimilated into the South African Railways, they were renumbered and reclassified to Class 6G.-Manufacturer:...
- South African Class 6H 4-6-0South African Class 6H 4-6-0In 1901 twenty-one Class 6 4-6-0 steam locomotives were placed in service by the Cape Government Railways, built to the older Class 6 designs with plate frames...
- South African Class 6J 4-6-0South African Class 6J 4-6-0In 1902 fourteen Class 6 bar framed steam locomotives with a 4-6-0 wheel arrangement were placed in service by the Cape Government Railways. In 1912, when they were assimilated into the South African Railways, they were renumbered and reclassified to Class 6J....
- South African Class 6K 4-6-0South African Class 6K 4-6-0In 1901 ten American built Class 6 bar framed steam locomotives with a 4-6-0 wheel arrangement were placed in service by the Cape Government Railways. In 1912, when they were assimilated into the South African Railways, they were renumbered and reclassified to Class 6K.-Manufacturer:The Class 6 was...
- South African Class 6L 4-6-0South African Class 6L 4-6-0In 1904 the Cape Government Railways placed its last two Class 6 4-6-0 bar framed steam locomotives in service. In 1912, when they were assimilated into the South African Railways, they were renumbered and reclassified to Class 6L.-Manufacturer:...
- South African Class 6Y 2-6-2South African Class 6Y 2-6-2In 1903 the Cape Government Railways placed two Class 6 steam locomotives with a 2-6-2 Prairie wheel arrangement in service. In 1912, when they were assimilated into the South African Railways, they were renumbered and reclassified to Class 6Y.-Manufacture:...
- South African Class 6Z 2-6-4South African Class 6Z 2-6-4In 1901 the Cape Government Railways placed four Class 6 steam locomotives with a 2-6-2 Prairie wheel arrangement in service, that were soon modified to a 2-6-4 Adriatic wheel arrangement. In 1902 another four locomotives were placed in service, built with the 2-6-4 wheel arrangement. These latter...
- Tender locomotive numbering and classification
- The 4-6-0 "Ten-wheeler"
- List of South African locomotive classes