South African Class Exp 5 2-8-2

South African Class Exp 5 2-8-2
ex CGR 9th Class 2-8-2

CGR 9th Class 840, circa 1906
SAR Class Experimental 5 948
Type and origin
Power type Steam
Designer Cape Government Railways
Builder Kitson and Company
Serial number 4341 [1]
Model CGR 9th Class [2]
Build date 1906
Total produced 1
Specifications
Configuration 2-8-2 "Mikado"
Gauge 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) Cape gauge
Leading wheel
diameter		 28.5 in (724 mm)
Driver diameter 54 in (1,370 mm)
Trailing wheel
diameter		 33 in (838 mm)
Wheelbase Total: 55 ft 1.25 in (16.796 m)
Engine:
14 ft 7 in (4.445 m) coupled
29 ft 9 in (9.068 m) total
Tender:
4 ft 7 in (1.397 m) bogie
16 ft 1 in (4.902 m) total
Length 63 ft 0.375 in (19.212 m)
Height 12 ft 10 in (3.912 m)
Frame Bar frame
Axle load 14.15 long tons (14.4 t) on 1st driver
Weight on drivers 54.75 long tons (55.6 t)
Locomotive weight 72.325 long tons (73.5 t)
Tender weight 39.7 long tons (40.3 t)
Locomotive and tender
combined weight		 111.675 long tons (113.5 t)
Tender type 2 axle bogies
34 in (864 mm) wheels
Fuel type Coal
Fuel capacity 7.5 long tons (7.6 t)
Water capacity 3,000 imp gal (14,000 l)
Boiler 5 ft 6.375 in (1.686 m) inside diameter
17 ft (5.182 m) inside length
7 ft 3 in (2.210 m) pitch
Boiler pressure 180 psi (1,240 kPa)
Firegrate area 33.1 sq ft (3.075 m2)
Heating surface:
– Tubes		 203 tubes 2.25 in (57.1 mm) diameter
2,032.8 sq ft (188.853 m2)
– Firebox 129.7 sq ft (12.050 m2)
– Total 2,162.5 sq ft (200.903 m2)
Cylinders Two
Cylinder size 20 in (508 mm) bore
28 in (711 mm) stroke
Valve gear Stephenson
Performance figures
Tractive effort 28,000 lbf (125 kN) at 75% pressure
Career
Operator(s) Cape Government Railways
South African Railways [1]
Class CGR 9th Class Mikado
SAR Class Exp 5 [2]
Number in class 1
Number(s) CGR 840, SAR 948 [2][3]
Delivered 1906
First run 1906
Withdrawn 1930 [4]

The South African Class Experimental 5 2-8-2 of 1906 is a South African steam locomotive from the pre-Union era in the Cape Colony.

In 1906 the Cape Government Railways placed a single experimental 9th Class steam locomotive with a 2-8-2 Mikado type wheel arrangement in service. In 1912, when this locomotive was assimilated into the South African Railways, it was renumbered and classified as Class Experimental 5.[1][2][4]

Manufacturer

The Cape 9th Class Mikado type steam locomotive was designed by H.M. Beatty, the Locomotive Superintendent of the Cape Government Railways (CGR) from 1896 to 1910. It was a larger version of his 9th Class of 1903, also built with a bar frame and Stephenson’s link motion valve gear, and also using saturated steam. The locomotive was delivered by Kitson and Company in 1906 and was numbered 840.[1][2][4]

Characteristics

At the time it was considered as a big advance in motive power. It was a large locomotive and on the CGR it was exceeded in size only by the Kitson-Meyer that entered service in 1904.[1]

With this locomotive Beatty overcame his aversion to boiler centre lines that exceeded twice the Cape gauge track width of 3 feet 6 inches (1.067 metres) above the railhead, by raising the centre line to 7 feet 3 inches (2.210 metres). The locomotive was larger than its predecessor Cape 9th Class in all respects, with a longer boiler that had a bigger girth, larger diameter pistons with a longer stroke, larger diameter driving wheels, a larger firebox, and a tender with a larger fuel and water capacity. The design was, however, never repeated and the Cape 9th Class Mikado remained unique.[1]

Service

The locomotive was placed in service on the Cape Western System, working on the mainline between Touws River and Prince Albert Road in the Karoo. It was found to be too heavy for the rails, however, and was soon transferred to the section between Beaufort West and De Aar, where heavier rail was in use.[1][2][4]

The Union of South Africa was established on 31 May 1910, in terms of the South Africa Act, enacted by the Parliament of the United Kingdom. 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.[2][5]

In 1912 the locomotive was classified as Class Experimental 5 and renumbered to 948 on the SAR. It was later transferred to Braamfontein and was withdrawn from service by 1930.[4]

See also

References

  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. p. 72. ISBN 978-0-7153-5382-0.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Classification of S.A.R. Engines with Renumbering Lists, issued by the Chief Mechanical Engineer’s Office, Pretoria, January 1912, pp. 9, 12, 15, 37 (Reprinted in April 1987 by SATS Museum, R.3125-6/9/11-1000)
  3. ↑ Holland, D.F. (1972). Steam Locomotives of the South African Railways, Volume 2: 1910-1955 (1st ed.). Newton Abbott, Devon: David & Charles. p. 140. ISBN 978-0-7153-5427-8.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Paxton, Leith; Bourne, David (1985). Locomotives of the South African Railways (1st ed.). Cape Town: Struik. p. 83. ISBN 0869772112.
  5. ↑ The South African Railways - Historical Survey. Editor George Hart, Publisher Bill Hart, Sponsored by Dorbyl Ltd., Published c. 1978, p. 25.