South African Class 7B 4-8-0
Encyclopedia
In 1900 the Imperial Military Railways placed twenty-five Cape Class 7 4-8-0
Mastodon steam locomotive
s in service. In that same year, three Cape Class 7 locomotives that had been ordered by the Pretoria-Pietersburg Railway were also placed in service. All these locomotives were taken on to the Central South African Railways
roster at the end of the Second Freedom War in 1902. In 1906 three of these locomotives were sold to the Natal Government Railways
.
In 1912 twenty-six of these twenty-eight locomotives were assimilated into the South African Railways. They were followed in 1913 by the remaining two, that had been leased to Paulings. All but one of these locomotives were renumbered and reclassified to Class 7B. In 1915 one more Cape Class 7 locomotive was obtained from the Rhodesian Railways and erroneously also classified as Class 7B.
and the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek, the Oranje-Vrijstaat Gouvernementspoorwegen (OVGS) and the Nederlandsche-Zuid-Afrikaansche Spoorwegmaatschappij (NZASM) were combined into the Imperial Military Railways (IMR), in the hands of military and civilian staff appointed by the Director of Railways for the South African Field Forces, Lieutenant-colonel E.G.C. Girouard, KCMG, DSO, RE.
Also in 1900, three Cape Class 7 locomotives that had been ordered by the Pretoria-Pietersburg Railway (PPR) were placed in service, also built by Neilson, Reid. Numbered PPR 7 to 9, these were the last locomotives to be obtained by the PPR before it ceased to exist upon its incorporation into the NZASM, which itself was subsequently incorporated into the IMR.
One more locomotive in the group that was eventually to become the South African Railways (SAR) Class 7B, was part of a batch of Cape Class 7 locomotives that was built for the Rhodesian Railways (RR) by Neilson, Reid in 1899 and placed in service in 1900.
All these locomotives were built to the same design as the 1896 to 1898 batch of Class 7 of the Cape Government Railways
(CGR), later to become SAR Class 7A
, with its increased heating capacity and Type ZE bogie-wheeled tenders.
In 1906 three of these locomotives, CSAR 384, 389 and 393, were sold to the Natal Government Railways (NGR) to work on the Harrismith-Bethlehem section in the Orange River Colony
(ORC). They were renumbered NGR 327 to 329.
The first two exceptions, ex IMR 106 and 113, later CSAR 376 and 383 respectively, had been leased to Pauling and Company in 1911 for use on a construction contract and were only returned to the SAR in January 1913. They then received the numbers 1035 and 1040 respectively, which had been reserved for them even though the numbers were not listed in the 1912 renumbering tables.
circa 1915, were both incorrectly classified, possibly as a result of their records getting exchanged in an apparent administrative error.
The table shows all these renumberings except the multiple Rhodesian renumberings of SAR 949, as well as the builder’s works numbers.
During the 1930s many of the Class 7 series locomotives were equipped with superheated boilers and piston valves. On the Class 7C
this conversion was sometimes indicated with an "S" suffix to the class number on the locomotive number plates, but on the rest of the Class 7 family this distinction was rarely applied. The superheated versions could be identified by the position of the chimney on the smokebox, with the chimney displaced forward to provide space behind it in the smokebox for the superheater header.
twenty-nine Class 7 series locomotives were sent to South West Africa
(SWA) to assist the expeditionary forces. Five of these were Class 7B locomotives, numbers 1042 to 1044, 1051 and 1052.
They proved so successful in that territory that more were gradually transferred there in later years. By the time the Class 24
arrived in SWA in 1949, there were still fifty-three Class 7 series locomotives in use there. Most remained there and were only transferred back to South Africa when the Class 32-000
diesel-electric locomotives replaced them in 1961. In South Africa they remained in branch line service, particularly at Tarkastad and Ladysmith and also on the line from Touws River to Ladismith, until they were finally withdrawn in 1972.
and four Class 7A
locomotives were sold to the Zambesi Saw Mills (ZSM) in Northern Rhodesia
(Zambia). The company worked the teak forests that stretched 100 miles (160.9 km) to the northwest of Livingstone
in Northern Rhodesia and it built one of the longest logging railways in the world to serve its sawmill at Mulobezi
. These eight locomotives joined eight ex RR Class 7 locomotives that had been acquired by the ZSM between 1925 and 1956.
Railway operations ceased at Mulobezi around 1972, whilst operation of the line to Livingstone was taken over by the Zambia Railways in 1973. While most of the Class 7 series locomotives remained at Mulobezi out of use, Class 7A 1021 and Class 7B 1040 were installed at the Livingstone factory to supply steam for curing wood. Number 1040 was still in use in October 1995, when it was found in steam.
4-8-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-8-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and no trailing wheels. The type was nicknamed the Mastodon or Twelve-wheeler in North America....
Mastodon 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 in service. In that same year, three Cape Class 7 locomotives that had been ordered by the Pretoria-Pietersburg Railway were also placed in service. All these locomotives were taken on to the Central South African Railways
Central South African Railways
From 1902 to 1904, the area of power of Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Percy Girouard later also included the lines of The Netherlands-South African Railway Company; together this dominion covered all lines in the Transvaal that belonged to NZASM ....
roster at the end of the Second Freedom War in 1902. In 1906 three of these locomotives were sold to the 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...
.
In 1912 twenty-six of these twenty-eight locomotives were assimilated into the South African Railways. They were followed in 1913 by the remaining two, that had been leased to Paulings. All but one of these locomotives were renumbered and reclassified to Class 7B. In 1915 one more Cape Class 7 locomotive was obtained from the Rhodesian Railways and erroneously also classified as Class 7B.
Background
After the outbreak of the Second Freedom War in 1899, control of all railways in the Cape and Natal Colonies remained in the hands of their civil staff, but now working in co-operation with the invading British military. As possession was obtained of the lines of the Orange Free StateOrange 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...
and the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek, the Oranje-Vrijstaat Gouvernementspoorwegen (OVGS) and the Nederlandsche-Zuid-Afrikaansche Spoorwegmaatschappij (NZASM) were combined into the Imperial Military Railways (IMR), in the hands of military and civilian staff appointed by the Director of Railways for the South African Field Forces, Lieutenant-colonel E.G.C. Girouard, KCMG, DSO, RE.
Manufacturer
Because of the damage caused during hostilities and the demands of the armed forces, a shortage of locomotives developed. In 1900 the IMR placed an order with Neilson, Reid and Company for twenty-five Cape Class 7 locomotives, which were numbered IMR 106 to 130 upon delivery.Also in 1900, three Cape Class 7 locomotives that had been ordered by the Pretoria-Pietersburg Railway (PPR) were placed in service, also built by Neilson, Reid. Numbered PPR 7 to 9, these were the last locomotives to be obtained by the PPR before it ceased to exist upon its incorporation into the NZASM, which itself was subsequently incorporated into the IMR.
One more locomotive in the group that was eventually to become the South African Railways (SAR) Class 7B, was part of a batch of Cape Class 7 locomotives that was built for the Rhodesian Railways (RR) by Neilson, Reid in 1899 and placed in service in 1900.
All these locomotives were built to the same design as the 1896 to 1898 batch of Class 7 of the Cape Government Railways
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:...
(CGR), later to become SAR Class 7A
South African Class 7A 4-8-0
Between 1896 and 1901 the Cape Government Railways placed a second batch of altogether forty-six Class 7 steam locomotives with a 4-8-0 Mastodon wheel arrangement in service on its Midland and Eastern Systems...
, with its increased heating capacity and Type ZE bogie-wheeled tenders.
Transfers and renumberings
After the cessation of hostilities on 1 June 1902, the IMR was transferred to civil control on 1 July 1902 and renamed the Central South African Railways (CSAR). The IMR and PPR Class 7 locomotives were renumbered CSAR 373 to 397 and CSAR 398 to 400 respectively.In 1906 three of these locomotives, CSAR 384, 389 and 393, were sold to the Natal Government Railways (NGR) to work on the Harrismith-Bethlehem section in the Orange River Colony
Orange River Colony
The Orange River Colony was the British colony created after this nation first occupied and then annexed the independent Orange Free State in the Second Boer War...
(ORC). They were renumbered NGR 327 to 329.
SAR classification
When all of these locomotives, with three exceptions, were assimilated into the newly established SAR in 1912, they were renumbered SAR 1032 to 1034, 1036 to 1039 and 1041 to 1058 and reclassified to Class 7B.The first two exceptions, ex IMR 106 and 113, later CSAR 376 and 383 respectively, had been leased to Pauling and Company in 1911 for use on a construction contract and were only returned to the SAR in January 1913. They then received the numbers 1035 and 1040 respectively, which had been reserved for them even though the numbers were not listed in the 1912 renumbering tables.
Classification errors
Two locomotives that returned to South Africa from RhodesiaRhodesia
Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
circa 1915, were both incorrectly classified, possibly as a result of their records getting exchanged in an apparent administrative error.
- IMR 110, the third exception mentioned above, would have become CSAR 380 in 1902, but never did since it had already been transferred, as replacement for a damaged locomotive, to the Beira and Mashonaland and Rhodesia Railways (BMR) at Umtali in March 1901, where it was renumbered to MR 19. When it was eventually sold back to South Africa and was taken onto the SAR roster in 1915, it was incorrectly classified as a Class 7DSouth African Class 7D 4-8-0Between 1899 and 1903 the Rhodesian Railways placed fifty-two Cape Class 7 4-8-0 Mastodon steam locomotives in service. One more was obtained from the Imperial Military Railways in March 1901 as replacement for a locomotive that was damaged beyond local repair abilities during delivery.In May 1915...
instead of a 7B and was renumbered 1355. - In 1915 the sole ex RR locomotive mentioned earlier was brought onto the SAR’s Class 7B roster as SAR 949. It had started its service life as RR 1 and was renumbered twice. In the 1901 Rhodesian renumbering it was renumbered to MR 8 on the BMR. In the 1906 Rhodesian renumbering it was renumbered again, this time to 63 on the Rhodesia Railways Northern Extensions (RRM, operating north and east of Bulawayo). This locomotive was part of the same batch of ex RR locomotives that became SAR Class 7DSouth African Class 7D 4-8-0Between 1899 and 1903 the Rhodesian Railways placed fifty-two Cape Class 7 4-8-0 Mastodon steam locomotives in service. One more was obtained from the Imperial Military Railways in March 1901 as replacement for a locomotive that was damaged beyond local repair abilities during delivery.In May 1915...
and it was therefore incorrectly classified as a Class 7B.
The table shows all these renumberings except the multiple Rhodesian renumberings of SAR 949, as well as the builder’s works numbers.
| Works No. |
IMR No. |
PPR No. |
CSAR No. |
BMR or RRM No. |
NGR No. |
SAR No. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5677 | RRM 63 | 949 | ||||
| 5835 | 128 | 373 | 1032 | |||
| 5836 | 129 | 374 | 1033 | |||
| 5837 | 130 | 375 | 1034 | |||
| 5813 | 106 | 376 | Pauling | 1035 | ||
| 5814 | 107 | 377 | 1036 | |||
| 5815 | 108 | 378 | 1037 | |||
| 5816 | 109 | 379 | 1038 | |||
| 5817 | 110 | MR 19 | 1355 Class 7D South African Class 7D 4-8-0 Between 1899 and 1903 the Rhodesian Railways placed fifty-two Cape Class 7 4-8-0 Mastodon steam locomotives in service. One more was obtained from the Imperial Military Railways in March 1901 as replacement for a locomotive that was damaged beyond local repair abilities during delivery.In May 1915... |
|||
| 5818 | 111 | 381 | 1058 | |||
| 5819 | 112 | 382 | 1039 | |||
| 5820 | 113 | 383 | Pauling | 1040 | ||
| 5826 | 119 | 384 | 327 | 1055 | ||
| 5822 | 115 | 385 | 1041 | |||
| 5823 | 116 | 386 | 1042 | |||
| 5824 | 117 | 387 | 1043 | |||
| 5825 | 118 | 388 | 1044 | |||
| 5830 | 123 | 389 | 328 | 1056 | ||
| 5827 | 120 | 390 | 1045 | |||
| 5828 | 121 | 391 | 1046 | |||
| 5829 | 122 | 392 | 1047 | |||
| 5821 | 114 | 393 | 329 | 1057 | ||
| 5831 | 124 | 394 | 1048 | |||
| 5832 | 125 | 395 | 1049 | |||
| 5833 | 126 | 396 | 1050 | |||
| 5834 | 127 | 397 | 1051 | |||
| 5904 | 7 | 398 | 1052 | |||
| 5905 | 8 | 399 | 1053 | |||
| 5906 | 9 | 400 | 1054 | |||
Class 7 sub-classes
Other Class 7 locomotives that came onto the SAR roster from the Colonial and other railways in the region, namely the CGR, the NGR, some from the RR and, in 1925, from the New Cape Central Railways (NCCR), were grouped into six different sub-classes by the SAR, becoming SAR Classes 7, 7A and 7C to 7F.Modifications
During their CSAR days, many of these locomotives were equipped with larger cabs and one, CSAR 381, later SAR 1058, was reboilered. The reboilered locomotive was reportedly also equipped with Drummond tubes in its firebox, but according to a note on a published dimensional drawing of the "Class 7B reboilered, CSAR", these were found to be unsatifactory and were soon removed.During the 1930s many of the Class 7 series locomotives were equipped with superheated boilers and piston valves. On the Class 7C
South African Class 7C 4-8-0
In 1902 the Cape Government Railways placed its last ten Class 7 4-8-0 Mastodon steam locomotives in service on the Cape Eastern System. In 1912, when all these locomotives were assimilated into the South African Railways, they were renumbered and reclassified to Class 7C.-Manufacturer:The last of...
this conversion was sometimes indicated with an "S" suffix to the class number on the locomotive number plates, but on the rest of the Class 7 family this distinction was rarely applied. The superheated versions could be identified by the position of the chimney on the smokebox, with the chimney displaced forward to provide space behind it in the smokebox for the superheater header.
Government railways
In SAR service, the Class 7 series worked on every system in the country. During the South West African Campaign in World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
twenty-nine Class 7 series locomotives were sent to South West Africa
South West Africa
South-West Africa was the name that was used for the modern day Republic of Namibia during the earlier eras when the territory was controlled by the German Empire and later by South Africa....
(SWA) to assist the expeditionary forces. Five of these were Class 7B locomotives, numbers 1042 to 1044, 1051 and 1052.
They proved so successful in that territory that more were gradually transferred there in later years. By the time the Class 24
South African Class 24 2-8-4
In 1949 and 1950 the South African Railways placed one hundred Class 24 branch line steam locomotives with a 2-8-4 Berkshire wheel arrangement in service.-Design:...
arrived in SWA in 1949, there were still fifty-three Class 7 series locomotives in use there. Most remained there and were only transferred back to South Africa when the Class 32-000
South African Class 32-000
Between November 1959 and November 1961 the South African Railways placed one hundred and fifteen Class 32-000 GE U18C1 diesel-electric locomotives in service in South West Africa.- Manufacturer :...
diesel-electric locomotives replaced them in 1961. In South Africa they remained in branch line service, particularly at Tarkastad and Ladysmith and also on the line from Touws River to Ladismith, until they were finally withdrawn in 1972.
Industrial
In 1966 two Class 7B locomotives, numbers 1037 and 1040, as well as two 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...
and four Class 7A
South African Class 7A 4-8-0
Between 1896 and 1901 the Cape Government Railways placed a second batch of altogether forty-six Class 7 steam locomotives with a 4-8-0 Mastodon wheel arrangement in service on its Midland and Eastern Systems...
locomotives were sold to the Zambesi Saw Mills (ZSM) in Northern Rhodesia
Northern Rhodesia
Northern Rhodesia was a territory in south central Africa, formed in 1911. It became independent in 1964 as Zambia.It was initially administered under charter by the British South Africa Company and formed by it in 1911 by amalgamating North-Western Rhodesia and North-Eastern Rhodesia...
(Zambia). The company worked the teak forests that stretched 100 miles (160.9 km) to the northwest of Livingstone
Livingstone, Zambia
Livingstone or Maramba is a historic colonial city and present capital of the Southern Province of Zambia, a tourism centre for the Victoria Falls lying north of the Zambezi River, and a border town with road and rail connections to Zimbabwe on the other side of the Falls...
in Northern Rhodesia and it built one of the longest logging railways in the world to serve its sawmill at Mulobezi
Mulobezi
Mulobezi is a small town in the Southern Province of Zambia, and the centre of its timber industry. Timber extends into Southern Province with which the town is economically linked....
. These eight locomotives joined eight ex RR Class 7 locomotives that had been acquired by the ZSM between 1925 and 1956.
Railway operations ceased at Mulobezi around 1972, whilst operation of the line to Livingstone was taken over by the Zambia Railways in 1973. While most of the Class 7 series locomotives remained at Mulobezi out of use, Class 7A 1021 and Class 7B 1040 were installed at the Livingstone factory to supply steam for curing wood. Number 1040 was still in use in October 1995, when it was found in steam.
Gallery
The main picture shows SAR Class 7B 1056 (ex IMR 123, ex CSAR 389, ex NGR 328) at Voorbaai, Mosselbaai, on 4 September 1997.See also
- South African Class 7 4-8-0South African Class 7 4-8-0In 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...
- South African Class 7A 4-8-0South African Class 7A 4-8-0Between 1896 and 1901 the Cape Government Railways placed a second batch of altogether forty-six Class 7 steam locomotives with a 4-8-0 Mastodon wheel arrangement in service on its Midland and Eastern Systems...
- South African Class 7C 4-8-0South African Class 7C 4-8-0In 1902 the Cape Government Railways placed its last ten Class 7 4-8-0 Mastodon steam locomotives in service on the Cape Eastern System. In 1912, when all these locomotives were assimilated into the South African Railways, they were renumbered and reclassified to Class 7C.-Manufacturer:The last of...
- South African Class 7D 4-8-0South African Class 7D 4-8-0Between 1899 and 1903 the Rhodesian Railways placed fifty-two Cape Class 7 4-8-0 Mastodon steam locomotives in service. One more was obtained from the Imperial Military Railways in March 1901 as replacement for a locomotive that was damaged beyond local repair abilities during delivery.In May 1915...
- South African Class 7E 4-8-0South African Class 7E 4-8-0In 1899 the New Cape Central Railway placed one Cape Class 7 4-8-0 Mastodon steam locomotive in service. Another three were commissioned in 1900, two more in 1903 and another one in 1904...
- South African Class 7F 4-8-0South African Class 7F 4-8-0In 1913 the New Cape Central Railway placed three Cape Class 7 4-8-0 Mastodon steam locomotives in service. In 1925, when the New Cape Central Railway was amalgamated into the South African Railways, these three locomotives were renumbered and reclassified to Class 7F.-New Cape Central Railway:The...
- Tender locomotive numbering and classification
- The 4-8-0 "Mastodon"
- List of South African locomotive classes