South African Class 7C 4-8-0
Encyclopedia
In 1902 the Cape Government Railways placed its last ten Class 7 4-8-0
Mastodon steam locomotive
s 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.
(CGR) were ten for the Cape Eastern System. They were built by Neilson, Reid and Company in 1901, and delivered and placed in service in 1902 with running numbers 759 to 768.
These locomotives differed from all previous Class 7 models in having a large commodious cab with double windows on each side, similar to those that were fitted to the ex Central South African Railways
(CSAR) Class 7B
locomotives. This afforded greater protection for the crew. They were more than 4 long tons (4.1 t) heavier than the original Class 7
locomotives and they also had larger diameter boilers with a higher boiler pressure, while their power was further improved by their increased cylinder diameter.
Other Class 7 locomotives that came onto the SAR roster from the other Colonial railways in the region, namely the CSAR, the Natal Government Railways
(NGR), some from the Rhodesian Railways (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, 7B and 7D to 7F.
twenty-nine Class 7 series locomotives were sent to South West Africa
(SWA) to assist the expeditionary forces. Three of these were Class 7C locomotives, numbers 1065 to 1067.
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particularly at Tarkastad and Ladysmith and also on the line from Touws River to Ladismith, until they were finally withdrawn in 1972.
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 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 the Class 7 locomotives to be ordered by the Cape Government RailwaysCape 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) were ten for the Cape Eastern System. They were built by Neilson, Reid and Company in 1901, and delivered and placed in service in 1902 with running numbers 759 to 768.
These locomotives differed from all previous Class 7 models in having a large commodious cab with double windows on each side, similar to those that were fitted to the ex 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 ....
(CSAR) Class 7B
South African Class 7B 4-8-0
In 1900 the Imperial Military Railways placed twenty-five Cape Class 7 4-8-0 Mastodon steam locomotives 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...
locomotives. This afforded greater protection for the crew. They were more than 4 long tons (4.1 t) heavier than the original Class 7
South 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...
locomotives and they also had larger diameter boilers with a higher boiler pressure, while their power was further improved by their increased cylinder diameter.
Class 7 sub-classes
When these locomotices were assimilated into the newly established South African Railways (SAR) in 1912, they were renumbered SAR 1059 to 1068 and reclassified to Class 7C.Other Class 7 locomotives that came onto the SAR roster from the other Colonial railways in the region, namely the CSAR, 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...
(NGR), some from the Rhodesian Railways (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, 7B and 7D to 7F.
Modifications
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 not applied consistently. 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.Service
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. Three of these were Class 7C locomotives, numbers 1065 to 1067.
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.
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 7B 4-8-0South African Class 7B 4-8-0In 1900 the Imperial Military Railways placed twenty-five Cape Class 7 4-8-0 Mastodon steam locomotives 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...
- 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