Namaqualand 0-4-0WT Condenser

The Namaqualand 0-4-0WT Condenser of 1886 is a South African steam locomotive from the pre-Union era in the Cape Colony.

Between 1886 and 1888 three well-tank condensing locomotives with a 0-4-0 wheel arrangement were placed in service by the Cape Copper Mining Company on its two foot six inch gauge Namaqualand Railway between Port Nolloth and O'okiep in the Cape Colony.^[1] They were the first condensing steam locomotives to enter service in South Africa.

Namaqualand Railway

The Namaqualand Railway was constructed between 1869 and 1876 by the Cape Copper Mining Company, restructured as the Cape Copper Company in 1888. The 93 ¹⁄₂ miles (150 kilometres) long line from Port Nolloth on the West Coast to the copper mines around O'okiep was initially exclusively mule-powered, but in 1871 two 0-6-0T locomotives named John King and Miner were acquired by the mining company on an experimental basis. Their use appears to have been restricted mainly to the coastal section of the railway and by July 1887 both of them were permanently out of service.^[1]

The Kitson condensers

Between 1886 and 1888 three 0-4-0 well-tank condensing locomotives were acquired from Kitson and Company. They were named John Taylor, Juanita and Jackal respectively, and like the earlier 0-6-0T locomotives they were operated with tenders due to the scarcity of water along the line. The tenders for the first two locomotives seem to have been acquired separately.^[1]

The condenser was mounted overhead in a roof-like frame containing copper coils that formed an atmospheric radiator. Condensed steam was fed back for re-use into the large water tank underneath the locomotive's copper boiler. To protect the motion and bearings as well as working parts of the valve gear above the running boards from wind-blown sand, the locomotive was equipped with sheet-metal casing above and below the running boards, with the centre part of the bottom encasement hinged to allow access to the motion.^[1]

The builder's picture of the locomotive shows it without a cab and with only a spectacle plate for crew protection, but in photographs of the locomotives in service they have cab roofs installed beneath the overhead condensing coils.^[1]

The engine John Taylor

The first condensing locomotive, no. 1 named John Taylor after a director of the Cape Copper Mining Company, was built in 1886 with Kitson works number T198 and was delivered in mid-1886. It commenced trial runs in July 1886 and entered service on the 22 miles (35 kilometres) section from Port Nolloth to Abbevlaack in August 1886.^[1]

The engine Juanita

Engine no. 2 named Juanita was also built in 1886, with Kitson works number T220, and was delivered in March 1887. When it entered service, the duties of the two condensing locomotives were extended to Anenous, a distance of 47 ¹⁄₂ miles (76 kilometres) from Port Nolloth, and possibly all the way to Steinkopf at 59 miles (95 kilometres). Gross train weights, excluding tenders, for the section to Anenous were 67 tons up and 155 tons down with 34 trucks in a train.^[1]

The engine Jackal

Engine no. 3 named Jackal, built in 1888 with Kitson works number T234, was delivered in December of that year and entered service in January 1889. Unlike the other two, it was delivered with a tender. In May 1894 the engine Jackal took the record for the fastest run between O'okiep and Port Nolloth, hauling a one-coach special in just under four hours at an average speed of about 23 miles per hour (37 kilometres per hour).^[1]

Service

After the arrival of their successor tender locomotives from 1890, it was possible to introduce a through steam-hauled service from the coast to O'okiep from 15 May 1893. The condensing locomotives were then relegated to lesser duties, mainly ballast, sand clearing and other work trains. They also served as standby power to cover breakdowns and overhauls of the new mainline locomotives.^[1]

From December 1896 one of them was allocated to O'okiep for shunting and local work, including service as construction locomotive while the Nababeep branchline was being built, and then as branchline power after the line was opened in late 1898 or early 1899. The locomotives were rotated occasionally and all three had service spells as the O'okiep engine, but by 1910 they were no longer used on the Nababeep line since the trains had become too heavy.^[1]

As a result of the poor quality of water in the region and tough working conditions, the three locomotives suffered major problems with their fireboxes and tubes and replacements were required fairly frequently. As an example, the engine Juanita required a new boiler and firebox in 1895, just eight years after entering service. The condensing system was also never successful due to the high ambient temperatures in the region.^[1]

They remained in service on lower section traffic on the mainline until at least 1899. At some stage between then and late 1906, after they were replaced on mainline service, their condensing equipment was removed, they lost their tenders and they were equipped with more substantial cabs and extended coal bunkers. According to the Cape Copper Company annual report on the year ending 30 April 1916, all three locomotives were still in service at that time.^[1]

Modifications illustrated

The following pictures serve to illustrate the Condensers in service as well as some of the modifications done to them.

• 

  A condenser with tender working a company picnic train at O'okiep, c. 1890

• 

  Possibly John Taylor with cab roof installed and motion exposed, c. 1886

• 

  Jackal modified to non-condensing with extended bunker and altered cab, c. 1920

See also

• List of South African locomotive classes
• South African locomotive history
• The 0-4-0 wheel arrangement

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: CCC 0-4-0T Condenser

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