South African Class D 2-6-4T
Encyclopedia
Between 1898 and 1900 the Pretoria-Pietersburg Railway placed six 2-6-4T tank steam locomotive
s in service. During the Second Freedom War, the Transvaal government took possession of the railway and it became part of the Nederlandsche-Zuid-Afrikaansche Spoorwegmaatschappij
until the Imperial Military Railways took over all railway operations in the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek.
At the end of the war these locomotives were taken onto the roster of the Central South African Railways
, renumbered and reclassified to Class D. In 1912, when these locomotives were assimilated into the South African Railways, later renamed Spoornet and then Transnet Freight Rail, they were renumbered once again, but retained their Class D classification.
. At the time these locomotives were amongst the most advanced designs yet to be seen in South Africa. They had Walschaerts valve gear and were the first South African locomotives to be equipped with Belpaire firebox
es.
They were delivered in 1898. On the PPR they were known as 55 Tonners. They were to be numbered 1 to 6, but only five of them went into service since one, number 5, was lost at sea. Number 6 was therefore renumbered to 5 to rectify the gap in the numbering sequence and a replacement for the lost locomotive was ordered from Beyer, Peacock. When this locomotive was delivered in 1900, it became the new number 6.
Of these locomotives, number 1 was the only one to be named. It bore the name “President Kruger” in cast brass plates on the tank sides.
As a result of the outbreak of the war, the ZAR government took possession of the PPR and its rolling stock in October 1899. The line was then worked by the Nederlandsche-Zuid-Afrikaansche Spoorwegmaatschappij (NZASM).
While Girouard largely left control of the Cape Government Railways
(CGR) and the Natal Government Railways
(NGR) in the hands of the civilian staff, the railway lines of the Oranje-Vrijstaat Gouwermentspoorwegen (OVGS) in the Orange Free State
and of the PPR and the NZASM in the ZAR came under the IMR’s control as possession was obtained of their lines.
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. During the Second Freedom War, the Transvaal government took possession of the railway and it became part of the Nederlandsche-Zuid-Afrikaansche Spoorwegmaatschappij
Netherlands-South African Railway Company
The Netherlands-South African Railway Company or NZASM was established in August 1884 in the Transvaal, and funded by Dutch, German and Transvaal capitalists....
until the Imperial Military Railways took over all railway operations in the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek.
At the end of the war these locomotives were taken onto the roster of 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 ....
, renumbered and reclassified to Class D. In 1912, when these locomotives were assimilated into the South African Railways, later renamed Spoornet and then Transnet Freight Rail, they were renumbered once again, but retained their Class D classification.
The Pretoria-Pietersburg Railway Company
The Pretoria-Pietersburg Railway (PPR) was a private railway that operated between Pretoria West via Warmbad and Nylstroom to Pietersburg, constructed under a concession granted by the government of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (ZAR) to Hendrik Jacobus Schoeman on 30 October 1895. Construction commenced in 1897 and the line was opened to traffic as far as Nylstroom by 1 July 1898. Pietersburg was reached on 31 May 1899.Manufacturer
In 1897 the PPR ordered six 2-6-4T tank locomotives from Beyer, Peacock and CompanyBeyer, Peacock and Company
Beyer, Peacock and Company was an English railway Locomotive manufacturer with a factory in Gorton, Manchester. Founded by Charles Beyer and Richard Peacock, it traded from 1854 until 1966...
. At the time these locomotives were amongst the most advanced designs yet to be seen in South Africa. They had Walschaerts valve gear and were the first South African locomotives to be equipped with Belpaire firebox
Belpaire 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.
They were delivered in 1898. On the PPR they were known as 55 Tonners. They were to be numbered 1 to 6, but only five of them went into service since one, number 5, was lost at sea. Number 6 was therefore renumbered to 5 to rectify the gap in the numbering sequence and a replacement for the lost locomotive was ordered from Beyer, Peacock. When this locomotive was delivered in 1900, it became the new number 6.
Of these locomotives, number 1 was the only one to be named. It bore the name “President Kruger” in cast brass plates on the tank sides.
Imperial Military Railways
At the outbreak of the Second Freedom War (1899 to 1902), the control of all railways in the Cape of Good Hope and Natal Colonies was taken over by the invading British military. It was operated by the Imperial Military Railways (IMR), established on 7 October 1899 with the appointment of Lieutenant Colonel E.G.C. Girouard, KCMG, DSO, RE, as Director of Railways for the South African Field Forces.As a result of the outbreak of the war, the ZAR government took possession of the PPR and its rolling stock in October 1899. The line was then worked by the Nederlandsche-Zuid-Afrikaansche Spoorwegmaatschappij (NZASM).
While Girouard largely left control 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) and 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) in the hands of the civilian staff, the railway lines of the Oranje-Vrijstaat Gouwermentspoorwegen (OVGS) in 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...
and of the PPR and the NZASM in the ZAR came under the IMR’s control as possession was obtained of their lines.
Central South African Railways
Hostilities ceased on 1 June 1902. On 1 July 1902 the IMR was transferred to civilian control and became the Central South African Railways (CSAR), and these six locomotives were taken onto its roster, classified as the CSAR’s Class D and renumbered 209 to 214.South African Railways
When the three colonial railroads, the CGR, the NGR and the CSAR, were amalgamated into the South African Railways (SAR) in 1912, these six Class D locomotives became the SAR’s Class D and were renumbered 56 to 61. Their works numbers and renumberings are shown in the table below.| Works no. |
Year built |
PPR no. |
CSAR no. |
SAR no. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3943 | 1897 | 1 | 209 | 56 |
| 3944 | 1897 | 2 | 210 | 57 |
| 3945 | 1897 | 3 | 211 | 58 |
| 3946 | 1897 | 4 | 212 | 59 |
| 3948 | 1897 | 5 | 213 | 61 |
| 4127 | 1900 | 6 | 214 | 60 |
Service
In SAR service the Class D was used on suburban traffic on the Witwatersrand and in the Western Cape. They were withdrawn from service by 1930.See also
- Tank locomotive numbering and classification
- The 2-6-4 "Adriatic"
- List of South African locomotive classes