South African Class 10 4-6-2

In 1904 the Central South African Railways placed fifteen Class 10 steam locomotives with a 4-6-2 Pacific wheel arrangement in service. In 1912, when they were assimilated into the South African Railways, they were renumbered but retained their Class 10 classification.^[4][5]

Manufacturer

Fifteen 4-6-2 Pacific type passenger locomotives, designed by Central South African Railways (CSAR) Chief Locomotive Superintendent P.A. Hyde, were ordered from the North British Locomotive Company (NBL) and delivered in 1904, numbered 650 to 664. They had plate frames, wide Belpaire fireboxes, outside admission piston valves and Walschaerts valve gear, and were superheated.^[5][6]

They were classified as Class 10 by the CSAR, a classification that they retained when they were assimilated into the newly established South African Railways (SAR) in 1912 and renumbered 732 to 746.^[4][5][6]

Features

At the time, the Class 10 was of an extremely advanced design. At 7 feet 4 inches (2.235 metres) above rail level, its boiler centre line was higher than that of any other locomotive in service in South Africa at the time.^[5]

They were to form the basis for further development of the Pacific type that was to become the standard express passenger steam locomotive type in South Africa. They were handsome locomotives with their appearance enhanced by the use of planished steel plates for covering the boiler and cylinder lagging, and they were equipped with two whistles of different tones and a steam turbine generator to power the "Edwards" headlight.^[7]

Modifications

Two of the locomotives were later modified by the SAR. Number 745 was equipped with 1 inch (25.4 millimetres) larger diameter tyres on its coupled wheels, while number 746 was altered to suit a Type MP1 tender as well as the other listed permissible tender types. While the Type MP1 tender had the same coal capacity as the Type XM2 that the locomotives were delivered with, it had a 250 imperial gallons (1,100 litres) larger water capacity.^[3]

The rest of the fleet remained unmodified and, unlike their Class 10A, 10B and 10C successors, were never reboilered with Watson Standard boilers.^[3]

Service

The Class 10 was designed for use on the newly laid 80 pounds per yard (40 kilograms per metre) track of the CSAR, and it was placed in service hauling the fast passenger trains out of Johannesburg to Volksrust on the Natal line and to Klerksdorp on the Cape line. In later years some were relocated to work in the Noupoort area, while the rest were relegated to suburban work on the lines from Germiston to Kliprivier and the Springs-Nigel-Heidelberg branch, or for pick-up work on the Braamfontein-Klerksdorp line.^[5][6]

In 1961 they went to Port Elizabeth, initially to be used on the Uitenhage suburban and finally as shunters, until they were scrapped between 1971 and 1972, after about 68 years in service.^[5][6]

Gallery

The main picture shows SAR 738 (ex CSAR 656) at Sydenham Loco depot in Port Elizabeth.

See also

• South African Class 10A 4-6-2
• South African Class 10B 4-6-2
• South African Class 10C 4-6-2
• South African Class 10D 4-6-2
• Tender locomotive numbering and classification
• The 4-6-2 "Pacific"
• List of South African locomotive classes

References

1. ^ North British Locomotive Company works list, compiled by Austrian locomotive historian Bernhard Schmeiser
2. ^ North British Locomotive Co. (from J. Lambert)
3. ^ ^{a b c} South African Railways and Harbours Locomotive Diagram Book, 2’0” & 3’6” Gauge Steam Locomotives, 15 August 1941, p12, as amended
4. ^ ^{a b c} Classification of S.A.R. Engines with Renumbering Lists, issued by the Chief Mechanical Engineer’s Office, Pretoria, January 1912, pp. 9, 12, 14, 34 (Reprinted in April 1987 by SATS Museum, R.3125-6/9/11-1000)
5. ^ ^{a b c d e f} Paxton, Leith; Bourne, David (1985). Locomotives of the South African Railways (1st ed.). Cape Town: Struik. pp. 51-52. ISBN 0869772112. 
6. ^ ^{a b c d} Durrant, A E (1989). Twilight of South African Steam (1st ed.). Newton Abbott, London: David & Charles. p. 8. ISBN 0715386387. 
7. ^ Holland, D.F. (1971). Steam Locomotives of the South African Railways, Volume 1: 1859-1910 (1st ed.). Newton Abbott, Devon: David & Charles. pp. 129-130. ISBN 0715353829.