CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1889

CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1889
to South African Class 03 4-4-0 1889

CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 no. 114 of 1889
Type and origin
Power type Steam
Designer Cape Government Railways
Builder Dübs and Company
Serial number 2486-2497, 2536-2547
Build date 1888-1889
Total produced 24
Specifications
Configuration 4-4-0 "American"
Gauge 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) Cape gauge
Leading wheel
diameter		 28 in (711 mm)
Driver diameter 49 in (1,240 mm)
Wheelbase 7 ft (2.134 m) coupled
4 ft 8 in (1.422 m) bogie
18 ft 4 1⁄2 in (5.601 m) engine
10 ft (3.048 m) tender
37 ft 9 1⁄2 in (11.519 m) total
Length 45 ft 8 1⁄2 in (13.932 m) over couplers
Height 12 ft (3.658 m)
Axle load 10 12⁄20 long tons (10.8 t) per driver
Weight on drivers 21 4⁄20 long tons (21.5 t)
Locomotive weight 30 17⁄20 long tons (31.3 t) w/o
Tender weight 27 long tons (27.4 t) w/o
Locomotive and tender
combined weight		 57 17⁄20 long tons (58.8 t) w/o
Tender type Three-axle, 37 in (940 mm) wheels
Fuel type Coal
Fuel capacity 3 long tons (3.0 t)
Water capacity 1,950 imp gal (8,900 l; 2,340 US gal)
Boiler 3 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1.130 m) inside diameter
10 ft 4 1⁄2 in (3.162 m) length inside
6 ft 1 in (1.854 m) pitch
Boiler pressure 150 psi (1,000 kPa)
Firegrate area 13 sq ft (1.208 m2)
Heating surface:
– Tubes		 689 sq ft (64.010 m2)
– Firebox 74.5 sq ft (6.92 m2)
– Total 763.5 sq ft (70.93 m2)
Cylinders Two
Cylinder size 15 in (381 mm) bore
22 in (559 mm) stroke
Valve gear Stephenson
Performance figures
Tractive effort 11,365 lbf (51 kN) at 75% pressure
Career
Operator(s) Cape Government Railways
South African Railways
Class CGR 3rd Class, SAR Class 03
Number in class 24
Number(s) 93-116
Delivered 1889
First run 1889 [1][2]

The CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 of 1889 is a South African steam locomotive from the pre-Union era in the Cape Colony.

In 1889 the Cape Government Railways placed twenty-four 3rd Class tender locomotives with a 4-4-0 American type wheel arrangement in service. They were intended for passenger service on the Cape Western System.[1]

Manufacturer

Michael Stephens, who had succeeded Mr. Thornton in 1885 as the Locomotive Superintendent of the Western System of the Cape Government Railways (CGR), drew up detailed designs for a new 3rd Class passenger locomotive for the Western System and placed an order for twenty-four of these locomotives with Dübs and Company in Glasgow. The locomotives, built in two batches of twelve, were delivered early in 1889 and numbered in the range from 93 to 116.[1][2]

These were the first stock locomotives to be built in quantity to detailed designs prepared in the Cape Colony, following the experimental 3rd Class 4-4-0 and 4th Class 4-6-0TT locomotives of 1884.[1]

Service

Cape Government Railways

The locomotives were, at the time, modern and up to date with latest practices and were possibly the most efficient engines in the country. As was usual practice with passenger locomotives on the CGR, they were painted green and had polished brass domes. They were placed in service on the easier sections of the Western System and were used on all types of traffic. On the section between Beaufort West and Kimberley they worked passenger trains successfully, in spite of the poor quality coal from the colliery at Viljoensdrif.[1]

During the Second Boer War from 1899 to 1902 at least one of these locomotives, no. 108, had armour plating fitted to protect the engine and crew from Boer small-arms fire. A photograph below shows no. 108 in armour plating derailed at Kraaipan on 12 October 1899.

By 1904 six of them were transferred to the Midland System and renumbered in the range from 405 to 410. Here they were employed on the line between Port Elizabeth and Uitenhage.[1]

South African Railways

The Union of South Africa was established on 31 May 1910, in terms of the South Africa Act. One of the clauses in the Act required that the three Colonial Government railways, the CGR, the Natal Government Railways and the Central South African Railways, also be united under one single administration to control and administer the railways, ports and harbours of the Union. While the South African Railways (SAR) came into existence in 1910, the actual classification and renumbering of all the rolling stock of the three constituent railways required careful planning and was only implemented with effect from 1 January 1912.[3][4]

All twenty-four locomotives survived to be taken onto the SAR roster in 1912. They were considered obsolete, designated Class 03 and renumbered by having the numeral 0 prefixed to their existing numbers. In SAR service they continued to work on the Uitenhage line on the Midland System and on shunting and light duties on the Western System. Some of them survived until 1923.[2][4]

Works numbers

The works numbers, original numbers and renumberings of the Cape 3rd Class of 1889 are set out in the table.[1][4]

Sides illustrated

The main picture shows no. 114 near Bulawayo in Southern Rhodesia, c. 1900, working on the line from the Cape Colony through the Bechuanaland Protectorate. The following pictures illustrate both sides of the 3rd Class locomotives of 1889.

See also

References

 
 

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  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Holland, D.F. (1971). Steam Locomotives of the South African Railways, Volume 1: 1859-1910 (1st ed.). Newton Abbott, Devon: David & Charles. pp. 37–39. ISBN 978-0-7153-5382-0.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Paxton, Leith; Bourne, David (1985). Locomotives of the South African Railways (1st ed.). Cape Town: Struik. p. 17. ISBN 0869772112.
  3. ↑ The South African Railways - Historical Survey. Editor George Hart, Publisher Bill Hart, Sponsored by Dorbyl Ltd., Published c. 1978, p. 25.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Classification of S.A.R. Engines with Renumbering Lists, issued by the Chief Mechanical Engineer’s Office, Pretoria, January 1912, p. 25. (Reprinted in April 1987 by SATS Museum, R.3125-6/9/11-1000)