South African Class NG9 4-6-0
Encyclopedia
During 1915 and 1916 the South African Railways placed six steam locomotives with a 4-6-0
wheel arrangement in service on the Langkloof narrow gauge line. When a system of grouping narrow gauge locomotives into classes was eventually introduced somewhere between 1928 and 1930, they were classified as Class NG9.
in 1914, the usual British locomotive suppliers were hard pressed to satisfy British requirements at the time, let alone those of other parts of the world. As a result, the South African Railways (SAR) placed an order with the Baldwin Locomotive Works
in America In 1915 for six narrow gauge locomotives with a 4-6-0 wheel arrangement. The six locomotives were all built by August 1915 and were delivered to the SAR in 1915 and 1916, numbered NG42 to NG47.
built Type B
locomotives that were delivered to the Cape Government Railways
(CGR) in 1903, except that they were equipped with Walschaerts valve gear. They were erected at the Uitenhage
workshops.
The first two locomotives, numbers NG42 and NG43, were withdrawn from service in 1929. In that same year numbers NG44 and NG46 were transferred to Upington to work on the branch line to Kakamas. The last remaining one of these locomotives on the Avontuur line, number NG45, was relieved from line work and retained at Humewood Road in Port Elizabeth for yard duties until 1939 when it, too, was transferred to Upington.
(CFM) of Angola
.
They were numbered 111 to 113 on the CFM, apparently not in the same order as their old SAR running numbers, and were placed in service on the Ramal da Chibía, a 600 millimetres (23.6 in) gauge branch line across 116 kilometres (72 mi) from Sá da Bandeira (now Lubango
) to Chiange
.
This branch was opened in two stages in 1949 and 1953. It is believed the three locomotives also worked on the main line from Moçâmedes (now Namibe
) to Sá da Bandeira, until that line was regauged to Cape gauge
in the mid 1950s.
They were possibly retired at about this time, being replaced on the branch line by 60 Series 0-8-2T locomotives that were released by the regauging of the main line. In later years these 0-8-2T locomotives were equipped with the NG9 tenders to increase their wood and water carrying capacity.
The Class NG9 locomotives were observed dumped at the Sá da Bandeira shops by 1969, without their tenders, and at the time appeared as if they had been in that condition for some time. The branch line itself was closed in 1970.
4-6-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles in a leading truck, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels. This wheel arrangement became the second-most popular...
wheel arrangement in service on the Langkloof narrow gauge line. When a system of grouping narrow gauge locomotives into classes was eventually introduced somewhere between 1928 and 1930, they were classified as Class NG9.
Manufacturer
Due to the outbreak of 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...
in 1914, the usual British locomotive suppliers were hard pressed to satisfy British requirements at the time, let alone those of other parts of the world. As a result, the South African Railways (SAR) placed an order with the Baldwin Locomotive Works
Baldwin 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 1915 for six narrow gauge locomotives with a 4-6-0 wheel arrangement. The six locomotives were all built by August 1915 and were delivered to the SAR in 1915 and 1916, numbered NG42 to NG47.
Characteristics
The locomotives were very similar to the BagnallW.G. Bagnall
W. G. Bagnall was a locomotive manufacturer from Stafford, England. It was founded in 1875 by William Gordon Bagnall and ceased trading in 1962 when it was taken over by English Electric Co Ltd. The company was located at the Castle Engine Works, in Castle Town, Stafford...
built Type B
South African Class NG8 4-6-0
In 1903 the Cape Government Railways placed six "Type B" 4-6-0 steam locomotives in service on the Avontuur narrow gauge line in the Langkloof. In 1912, when these locomotives were assimilated into the South African Railways, they were renumbered with an "NG" prefix to their numbers.A further three...
locomotives that were delivered to 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) in 1903, except that they were equipped with Walschaerts valve gear. They were erected at the Uitenhage
Uitenhage
Uitenhage is a South African town with 275,185 inhabitants in the Eastern Cape Province. It is well known for the Volkswagen factory located there, which is the biggest car factory on the African continent. The town's name is pronounced by English speakers and in Afrikaans...
workshops.
Service
They were placed in service on the Langkloof line between Port Elizabeth and Avontuur in the Eastern Cape, where they all remained in service until 1929, although some were at one time also employed to help out on the line from Kalbaskraal to Saldanha in the Western Cape.The first two locomotives, numbers NG42 and NG43, were withdrawn from service in 1929. In that same year numbers NG44 and NG46 were transferred to Upington to work on the branch line to Kakamas. The last remaining one of these locomotives on the Avontuur line, number NG45, was relieved from line work and retained at Humewood Road in Port Elizabeth for yard duties until 1939 when it, too, was transferred to Upington.
Classification
The system of grouping narrow gauge locomotives into classes was only adopted by the SAR somewhere between 1928 and 1930 and at that point these locomotives were classified as Class NG9.Angola
Three of the six locomotives, numbers NG44, NG45 and NG46, survived in SAR service until April 1951, when they were sold to the Caminhos de Ferro de MoçâmedesMoçâmedes Railway
The Moçâmedes Railway is a 907 km railway line in Angola, between Namibe and Menongue in Cuando Cubango province....
(CFM) of Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
.
They were numbered 111 to 113 on the CFM, apparently not in the same order as their old SAR running numbers, and were placed in service on the Ramal da Chibía, a 600 millimetres (23.6 in) gauge branch line across 116 kilometres (72 mi) from Sá da Bandeira (now Lubango
Lubango
Lubango is the capital city of the Angolan province of Huíla. Its last known population was 100,757. Until 1975, the city's official name was Sá da Bandeira.-Portuguese rule:...
) to Chiange
Chiange
Chiange is a town and municipality in Huíla Province in Angola.It is terminus of a branch of the southern railway network, junctioning at Dongo....
.
This branch was opened in two stages in 1949 and 1953. It is believed the three locomotives also worked on the main line from Moçâmedes (now Namibe
Namibe
Namibe is the capital city of Namibe Province in Angola. It is a coastal desert city located in southwestern Angola and was founded in 1840 by the Portuguese rulers of the territory. The city's current population is 132,900...
) to Sá da Bandeira, until that line was regauged 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 the mid 1950s.
They were possibly retired at about this time, being replaced on the branch line by 60 Series 0-8-2T locomotives that were released by the regauging of the main line. In later years these 0-8-2T locomotives were equipped with the NG9 tenders to increase their wood and water carrying capacity.
The Class NG9 locomotives were observed dumped at the Sá da Bandeira shops by 1969, without their tenders, and at the time appeared as if they had been in that condition for some time. The branch line itself was closed in 1970.
Gallery
See also
- The 4-6-0 "Ten-wheeler"
- 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...