South African Class NG7 2-6-0
Encyclopedia
In 1902 the Cape Government Railways placed three steam locomotives with a 2-6-0
Mogul wheel arrangement in service on the Hopefield
narrow gauge branch line that was being constructed from Kalbaskraal. A fourth locomotive was ordered in 1911.
In 1912, when these locomotives were assimilated into the South African Railways, they were renumbered with an "NG" prefix to their numbers. When a system of grouping narrow gauge locomotives into classes was eventually introduced somewhere between 1928 and 1930, they were to be classified as Class NG7 but had already been withdrawn from service.
in America in 1901. They were numbered 1 to 3 when they were delivered in 1902. A fourth locomotive, identical to the first three, was ordered from the same manufacturer in 1911 and became CGR number 4 upon delivery in that same year.
in the United States
. They had bar frames and used Stephenson valve gear
.
, with a branch to Vredenburg
. The four locomotives were withdrawn from service when these lines were widened to Cape gauge
in 1926.
2-6-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, usually in a leading truck, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels. This arrangement is commonly called a Mogul...
Mogul wheel arrangement in service on the Hopefield
Hopefield, Western Cape
Hopefield is a settlement in West Coast District Municipality in the Western Cape province of South Africa....
narrow gauge branch line that was being constructed from Kalbaskraal. A fourth locomotive was ordered in 1911.
In 1912, when these locomotives were assimilated into the South African Railways, they were renumbered with an "NG" prefix to their numbers. When a system of grouping narrow gauge locomotives into classes was eventually introduced somewhere between 1928 and 1930, they were to be classified as Class NG7 but had already been withdrawn from service.
Manufacturer
The Cape Government Railways (CGR) ordered three narrow gauge tender locomotives with a 2-6-0 Mogul wheel arrangement from Baldwin Locomotive WorksBaldwin Locomotive Works
The Baldwin Locomotive Works was an American builder of railroad locomotives. It was located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, originally, and later in nearby Eddystone, Pennsylvania. Although the company was very successful as a producer of steam locomotives, its transition to the production of...
in America in 1901. They were numbered 1 to 3 when they were delivered in 1902. A fourth locomotive, identical to the first three, was ordered from the same manufacturer in 1911 and became CGR number 4 upon delivery in that same year.
Characteristics
The locomotives were of a standard type that was being used on the narrow gauge railroads of MaineMaine Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum
The Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Company and Museum is located in Portland, Maine, United States. The organization was founded in 1993 and contains a collection of rolling stock and artifacts from the gauge narrow gauge railroads that ran in the state of Maine in the late 19th century and early...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. They had bar frames and used 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....
.
Service
The first three locomotives were acquired for use during the construction of the narrow gauge branch line from Kalbaskraal to Hopefield. They remained in service on that line after it was completed in 1903 and was joined by the fourth locomotive in 1911. In 1913 the line was extended to to SaldanhaSaldanha, Western Cape
Saldanha, also known as Saldanha Bay, is a town of 22,000 people, located north of Cape Town on the northern shore of Saldanha Bay, in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Its situation as a natural sheltered harbour has led to development as a port for the export of iron ore from Sishen in...
, with a branch to Vredenburg
Vredenburg
Vredenburg is a town of the Cape West Coast in the Western Cape province of South Africa. "Vrede" is Afrikaans for peace. It is the transportation and commercial hub of the West Coast area and administrative center of the Saldanha Bay Local Municipality...
. The four locomotives were withdrawn from service when these lines were widened to Cape gauge
Cape gauge
Cape gauge is a track gauge of between the inside of the rail heads and is classified as narrow gauge. It has installations of around .The gauge was first used by Norwegian engineer Carl Abraham Pihl and the first line was opened in 1862.- Nomenclature :...
in 1926.
Renumbering
In 1912, when the three colonial railways were amalgamated into the South African Railways (SAR), narrow gauge locomotives were included in the SAR’s narrow gauge numbering scheme and were allocated running numbers with an "NG" prefix. The three 1902 locomotives were allocated SAR numbers NG22 to NG24, while the 1911 locomotive became NG35.Narrow gauge classification
A system of grouping narrow gauge locomotives into classes was only adopted at some time between 1928 and 1930. However, these locomotives did not survive in service long enough to become the Class NG7 that had apparently been reserved for them when the classification system was being planned.See also
- The 2-6-0 "Mogul"
- Narrow Gauge locomotive numbering and classification
- List of South African locomotive classes
- Two foot gauge railways in South AfricaTwo foot gauge railways in South AfricaAt the beginning of the twentieth century, two foot narrow gauge railway lines started playing a significant role in transporting various agricultural and mineral produce from locations hardly accessible by road...