CGR 2nd Class 2-6-2TT 1875

The CGR 2nd Class 2-6-2TT of 1875 is a South African steam locomotive from the pre-Union era in the Cape Colony.

The first locomotives to enter service on the new 3 feet 6 inches Cape gauge mainlines of the Cape Government Railways were 2-6-2 Prairie type side-tank engines that were delivered between 1875 and 1879. Four-wheeled tenders were also acquired and the locomotives could be operated in either a tank or tank-and-tender engine configuration, as circumstances demanded. These locomotives were later designated the Cape 2nd Class.^[1][2]

Cape Government Railways

In 1872 the Cape Government took over the operation of all railways in the Cape Colony and established the Cape Government Railways (CGR). Shortly before, it had been decided to adopt the narrower 3 feet 6 inches gauge instead of the existing standard gauge for all further railway expansions, since it would decrease the cost of construction through the difficult terrain inland from the three major ports at Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and East London. The 3 feet 6 inches gauge is still known as Cape gauge.^[1][3]

Since the whole operational area within the Colony was so vast, the CGR was divided into three semi-autonomous systems. The Cape Eastern System was based in East London, with A.E. Schmid as Resident Engineer and J.D. Tilney as Locomotive Superintendent. The Cape Midland System was based in Port Elizabeth, with D. Jackson Scott as Resident Engineer and Mr. Edwards as Locomotive Superintendent. The Cape Western System was based in Cape Town, with W.G. Brounger as Resident Engineer as well as Consulting Engineer for the whole CGR and Michael Stephens as Locomotive Superintendent.^[3]

Manufacturers

The first Cape gauge mainline locomotives to enter service on the CGR were delivered in 1875. An order for six 2-6-2T Prairie type locomotives was placed with Robert Stephenson and Company, followed by a separate order for six four-wheeled tenders. The Stephenson locomotives were numbered W1 and W2 for the Cape Western system and M7 to M10 for the Midland System.^[2]

Four more locomotives were ordered from the Avonside Engine Company at the same time. Two of the Avonside locomotives went to the Midland System, numbered M5 and M6. The other two were intended for the Eastern System, but they were lost at sea during delivery when the ship Memento sank off East London on 5 February 1876.^[2]

These were followed by nineteen more, all with tenders, ordered from three manufacturers.

• Four were delivered from Kitson and Company in 1876 and were numbered in the range from E17 to E20 for the Eastern system.
• Four were delivered from Avonside Engine Company in 1876 and 1878, numbered in the range from E21 to E24 for the Eastern system.
• Nine more were delivered from Robert Stephenson in 1878 and 1879, numbered in the range from M25 to M33 for the Midland system.
• The last two were delivered from Avonside Engine Company in 1879, numbered E25 and E26 for the Eastern system.^[2]

When a locomotive classification system was introduced by the CGR, these locomotives became the Cape 2nd Class.^[1]

Characteristics

While all the locomotives were delivered with tenders, they could be operated with or without the tenders as circumstances demanded. In practice they were used in the tank engine configuration while performing shunting or short-distance work and in the tank-and-tender configuration when an increased coal and water supply was required during mainline work.^[1]

The locomotives were equipped with Clarke’s chain brakes. The braking system proved to be unsatisfactory, since breaking of the chain was not uncommon. In one instance this resulted in a bad accident with loss of life while a train was descending the Hex River rail pass.^[1]

Service

One of these locomotives is known to have been named, number W1 "Byron". All of them were renumbered on occasion when the CGR altered its locomotive numbering systems circa 1886, 1888, 1890 and 1896.^[1][2]

By 1904 only three of them were still in service and being employed on shunting and construction tasks. By 1912, when locomotive classification and renumbering was implemented on the newly established South African Railways, none of these 2nd Class locomotives remained in service.^[2]

Works numbers and renumbering

The builders, works numbers, year built, original numbers and known renumbering of the Cape 2nd Class of 1875 are shown in the table.^[1][2]

Configurations illustrated

The photographs illustrate the locomotive in various configurations.

• 

  CGR 2nd Class no. W2 of the Cape Western System, without tender or "front porch railings", c. 1899

• 

  With tender, balloon chimney and "front porch railings", Grahamstown Station, c. 1880

See also

• CGR 2nd Class 4-4-0T 1882
• List of South African locomotive classes
• South African locomotive history
• The 2-6-2 "Prairie"

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: CGR 2nd Class 2-6-2T 1875

Locomotives of South Africa Steam Brunel gauge HBEL 0-4-0 HBTB 0-4-0T HBTB 0-4-0WT HBTB 0-4-0ST Broad gauge CGR Aid CGR Blackie CGR 0-4-2 CGR 2-4-0T NRC Durban NRC Natal NRC Perseverance Cape gauge Tank CGR Coffee Pot CGR 040 1873 CGR 040 1874 CGR 060 1876 CGR 060 1902 CGR 260 1900 CGR 260 1902 CGR 1st 040 1875 CGR 1st 440 1875 CGR 1st 040 1876 CGR 1st 260 1876 CGR 2nd 1882 CGR 3rd 1900 CGR RM CSAR C CSAR E CSAR Rack CSAR RM Dbn Congella Dbn Edward Innes Dbn John Milne Dbn Sir Albert HBPE 040 Kowie 060 Kowie 440 M&S 462 NGR Dbn & Pmb NGR I 262 NGR K 040 NGR K 060 NGR K 260 NZASM 10T NZASM 14T NZASM 18T NZASM 19T NZASM 32T NZASM 40T PPR 26T PPR 35T SAR RM SAR 0-4-0ST SAR 040 69 SAR A SAR B SAR C SAR C1 SAR C2 SAR D SAR E SAR F SAR G SAR H SAR H1 SAR H2 SAR J SAR K SWA 2-8-0T Cape gauge Tender CGR 1st 260 1876 BP CGR 1st 260 1876 K CGR 1st 260 1879 CGR 1st 440 1879 CGR 1st 1881 CGR 1st 1891 CGR 2nd 1875 CGR 3rd 1883 CGR 3rd 1884 CGR 3rd 1889 CGR 3rd 1898 CGR 3rd 1901 CGR 3rd 1903 CGR 4th 1880 CGR 4th 1882 CGR 4th 1884 CGR 4th 1897 CGR 5th 1890 CGR 5th 1891 NGR Havelock NGR I 260 Exp-1 Exp-2 Exp-3 Exp-4 Exp-5 Exp-6 SAR S SAR S1 SAR S2 SAR 1 SAR 1A SAR 1B SAR 2 SAR 2C SAR 3 SAR 3A SAR 3B SAR 4 SAR 4A SAR 5 SAR 5A SAR 5B SAR 6 SAR 6A SAR 6B SAR 6C SAR 6D SAR 6E SAR 6F SAR 6G SAR 6H SAR 6J SAR 6K SAR 6L SAR 6Y SAR 6Z SAR 7 SAR 7A SAR 7B SAR 7C SAR 7D SAR 7E SAR 7F SAR 8 SAR 8A SAR 8B SAR 8C SAR 8D SAR 8E SAR 8F SAR 8X SAR 8Y SAR 8Z SAR 9 SAR 10 SAR 10A SAR 10B SAR 10C SAR 10D SAR 11 SAR 12 SAR 12A SAR 12B SAR 13 SAR 14 SAR 14A SAR 14B SAR 14C SAR 15 SAR 15A SAR 15B SAR 15C SAR 15CA SAR 15E SAR 15F SAR 16 SAR 16A SAR 16B SAR 16C SAR 16D SAR 16DA SAR 16E SAR 17 SAR 18 SAR 19 SAR 19A SAR 19B SAR 19C SAR 19D SAR 20 SAR 21 SAR 23 SAR 24 SAR 25 SAR 25NC SAR 26 SWA 2-8-0 Cape gauge Articulated CGR Fairlie CGR Kitson-Meyer SAR FC SAR FD SAR GA SAR GB SAR GC SAR GCA SAR GD SAR GDA SAR GE SAR GEA SAR GF SAR GG SAR GH SAR GK SAR GL SAR GM SAR GMA SAR GO SAR HF SAR KM SAR MA SAR MB SAR MC SAR MC1 SAR MD SAR ME SAR MF SAR MG SAR MH SAR MJ SAR MJ1 SAR U 2ft 6in gauge CCC 1871 CCC Britannia CCC Caledonia CCC Clara CCC Condenser CCC Scotia NCC Pioneer 2ft & 600mm gauges ACR NG-G16A CGR NG 060 CGR NG 462 CGR A CGR C NGR N SAR 040 1899 SAR NG1 SAR NG2 SAR NG3 SAR NG4 SAR NG5 SAR NG6 SAR NG7 SAR NG8 SAR NG9 SAR NG10 SAR NG-G11 SAR NG-G12 SAR NG-G13 SAR NG-G14 SAR NG15 SAR NG-G16 SWA Ha SWA Hb SWA Hc SWA Hd SWA Jung SWA Zwillinge Diesel -electric SAR DS SAR DS1 SAR 31-000 SAR 32-000 SAR 32-200 SAR 33-000 SAR 33-200 SAR 33-400 SAR 34-000 SAR 34-200 SAR 34-400 SAR 34-500 SAR 34-600 SAR 34-800 SAR 34-900 SAR 35-000 SAR 35-200 SAR 35-400 SAR 35-600 SAR 36-000 SAR 36-200 SAR 37-000 SN 39-000 TFR 39-200 TFR 43-000 SAR 91-000 Afro4000 -hydraulic SAR 61-000 Electro-diesel SN 38-000 Electric SAR ES SAR ES1 Exp-AC SAR 1E SAR 2E SAR 3E SAR 4E SAR 5E-S1 SAR 5E-S2 SAR 5E-S3 SAR 5E1-S1 SAR 5E1-S2 SAR 5E1-S3 SAR 5E1-S4 SAR 5E1-S5 SAR 6E SAR 6E1-S1 SAR 6E1-S2 SAR 6E1-S3 SAR 6E1-S4 SAR 6E1-S5 SAR 6E1-S6 SAR 6E1-S7 SAR 6E1-S8 SAR 6E1-S9 SAR 6E1-S10 SAR 6E1-S11 SAR 7E SAR 7E1 SAR 7E2-S1 SAR 7E2-S2 SAR 7E3-S1 SAR 7E3-S2 SN 7E4 SAR 8E SAR 9E-S1 SAR 9E-S2 SAR 10E SAR 10E1-S1 SAR 10E1-S2 SAR 10E2 SAR 11E SAR 12E SN 14E SN 14E1 TFR 15E SN 16E SN 17E SN 18E-S1 TFR 18E-S2 TFR 19E TFR 20E TFR 21E E38 List of South African locomotive classes Rail transport in South Africa