South African Class 1 4-8-0

Class of locomotives

28+1⁄2 in (724 mm)Coupled dia.45+1⁄2 in (1,156 mm)Tender wheels30 in (762 mm)Wheelbase49 ft 5⁄8 in (14,951 mm) • Engine22 ft 6 in (6,858 mm) • Leading6 ft (1,829 mm) • Coupled12 ft 9 in (3,886 mm) • Tender15 ft 6 in (4,724 mm) • Tender bogie4 ft 6 in (1,372 mm)Length:
• Over couplers56 ft 4+7⁄8 in (17,193 mm)Height12 ft 6+1⁄4 in (3,816 mm)Frame typePlateAxle load14 LT 14 cwt (14,940 kg) • Leading14 LT 2 cwt (14,330 kg) • 1st coupled13 LT 9 cwt (13,670 kg) • 2nd coupled14 LT 14 cwt (14,940 kg) • 3rd coupled13 LT 18 cwt (14,120 kg) • 4th coupled13 LT 18 cwt (14,120 kg) • Tender bogieBogie 1: 18 LT 18 cwt (19,200 kg)
Bogie 2: 19 LT 1 cwt (19,360 kg) • Tender axle9 LT 10 cwt 2 qtr (9,678 kg)Adhesive weight55 LT 19 cwt (56,850 kg)Loco weight70 LT 11 cwt (71,680 kg)Tender weight37 LT 19 cwt (38,560 kg)Total weight108 LT 10 cwt (110,200 kg)Tender typeSH (2-axle bogies)
SH, SK permittedFuel typeCoalFuel capacity6 LT (6.1 t)Water cap.3,225 imp gal (14,700 L)Firebox: • TypeBelpaire with combustion chamber • Grate area34 sq ft (3.2 m²)Boiler:
• Pitch7 ft 3+1⁄4 in (2,216 mm) • Diameter5 ft 4+3⁄4 in (1,645 mm) • Tube plates12 ft 1 in (3,683 mm) • Small tubes325: 2 in (51 mm)Boiler pressure190 psi (1,310 kPa)Safety valveRamsbottomHeating surface: • Firebox132 sq ft (12.3 m²) • Tubes2,056 sq ft (191.0 m²) • Total surface2,188 sq ft (203.3 m²)CylindersTwoCylinder size20+1⁄2 in (521 mm) bore
24 in (610 mm) strokeValve gearWalschaertsValve typeBalanced slideCouplersJohnston link-and-pin
AAR knuckle (1930s)

Performance figures
Tractive effort	31,240 lbf (139.0 kN) @ 75%

Career
Operators	Natal Government Railways South African Railways
Class	NGR Class B SAR Class 1
Number in class	44
Numbers	NGR 275-318 SAR 1245-1288
Nicknames	Hendrie B
Delivered	1904
First run	1904
Withdrawn	1975

The leading coupled axle had flangeless wheels

The South African Railways Class 1 4-8-0 of 1904 was a steam locomotive from the pre-Union era in the Colony of Natal.

In 1904, the Natal Government Railways placed fifty Class B 4-8-0 Mastodon type steam locomotives in service. Six of them were modified to a 4-8-2 Mountain type wheel arrangement in 1906. In 1912, when the remaining 44 4-8-0 locomotives were assimilated into the South African Railways, they were renumbered and designated Class 1.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]

Design

Because of the limited coal and water range of the existing fleet of Natal Government Railways (NGR) tank locomotives as well as the necessity to double- and even triple-head over the worst sections of the mainline, NGR Locomotive Superintendent D.A. Hendrie was tasked to produce a locomotive of greater power and capable of longer distances without refuelling or rewatering to work the mainline's steep 1 in 30 (31⁄3%) gradients.^[1]^[4]^[5]^[6]

His resulting Class B achieved this, being more powerful and with a longer range. When the designs were completed, Hendrie proposed that only five locomotives should be ordered so that they may first be thoroughly tested in service before ordering more. The designs, however, were so well received that the NGR placed an immediate order for fifty locomotives with the North British Locomotive Company (NBL).^[1]

Manufacturer

It does appear as though there was a fair degree of urgency to obtain these locomotives, evidenced on the one hand by the rush to place a large order for an untested locomotive and on the other hand by the fact that construction was accelerated by dividing it equally between NBL's Hyde Park and Queens Park works. The NGR's faith in Hendrie's ability turned out to be well justified, however, considering the fact that some of these locomotives remained in service for over seventy years.^[1]^[7]

Delivered in 1904, the Class B 4-8-0 Mastodon type was the first tender locomotive to be placed in service by the NGR apart from the single home-built 4-6-2TT engine Havelock of 1888. Fifty were built, those numbered in the range from 275 to 299 at the NBL Hyde Park works and those numbered in the range from 300 to 324 at the NBL Queens Park works.^[1]^[2]^[4]^[6]

The type SH tender was introduced along with these locomotives. It rode on two-axle bogies and had a capacity of 6 long tons (6.1 tonnes) coal and 3,225 imperial gallons (14,700 litres) water.^[6]

Characteristics

Combustion chamber

Even though the boiler was not pitched very high, Hendrie had still managed to extend the Belpaire firebox sideways over the trailing coupled wheels, with the result that the grate was almost on a level with the bottom of the boiler shell. To prevent the fire from entering the lower row of tubes, Hendrie arranged a vertical firewall towards the front of the grate, which also created a dry combustion chamber.^[2]^[4]

This combustion chamber pre-dated the Gaines type, which was practically identical, by four years. The Gaines type was introduced in the United States of America in 1908 and became widely used on American locomotives. The firebox, of which the external dimensions were 9 feet 6 inches (2,896 millimetres) long and 6 feet (1,829 millimetres) wide, was arranged with finger bars and drop grates with a hopper-type ashpan.^[1]^[2]

Valve gear

The cylinders were arranged outside the 1+3⁄8 inches (35 millimetres) thick plate frames, with the flat D type balanced slide valves arranged above the cylinders and actuated by Walschaerts valve gear, the first time that this type of motion was used in Natal.^[2]

Electric headlight

Shortly after engine no. 275 had run its trials on 25 October 1904, it was fitted with a Pyle National Electric headlight which consisted of a self-contained turbine and dynamo and an arc lamp, placed on top of the smokebox in front of the chimney and supported by two brackets. The headlight proved so successful that it gradually replaced the old huge oil-burning lamps, which had been in use for over fifty years, on all mainline locomotives.^[1]^[2]

Performance

Compared to the Reid Tenwheeler, the Class B was able to haul 7.5% more load and, on average, ran 26,000 miles (41,843 kilometres) more before requiring repairs.^[2]

Modifications

Six of the locomotives, those numbered in the range from 319 to 324, were modified to 4-8-2 Mountain types in 1906, but retained their Class B designation on the NGR.^[1]

Another locomotive, no. 280, was equipped with steam reversing gear in 1907, also to Hendrie's design. The steam reverser proved to be an unqualified success and was soon adopted as standard equipment on the rest of the Class. It was fitted to all engines which were subsequently designed by Hendrie and remained the standard reverser on South African steam locomotives well into the 1940s.^[1]^[2]

South African Railways

When the Union of South Africa was established on 31 May 1910, the three Colonial government railways (Cape Government Railways, NGR and Central South African Railways) were united under a single administration to control and administer the railways, ports and harbours of the Union. Although the South African Railways and Harbours came into existence in 1910, the actual classification and renumbering of all the rolling stock of the three constituent railways were only implemented with effect from 1 January 1912.^[3]^[8]

In 1912, the remaining 44 Mastodon types were renumbered in the range from 1245 to 1288 and designated Class 1 on the South African Railways (SAR). Upon their renumbering onto the SAR roster, the six modified 4-8-2 Mountain types were classified separately from the rest as Class 1B.^[1]^[3]^[4]^[9]

Service

The locomotives were placed in service hauling all the fast passenger and goods trains between Durban and Pietermaritzburg and were the first locomotives to accomplish a return working of this service within a day, with the same crewmen. These locomotives opened up a new era on the NGR, where the tank locomotive was at last withdrawn from mainline working. Later, in SAR service, these locomotives were also used on mainline workings out of Port Elizabeth.^[1]^[2]^[4]

In their later years they were relegated to shunting, particularly working in Natal but also in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, East London and in Transvaal. Although their gradual withdrawal from service already commenced in 1935, half of the Class were still in capital stock by March 1972, with the last one only being written off in 1975.^[4]^[5]

In industrial service, two of the locomotives survived even longer and were still in service in 1984.^[5]

SAR no. 1252 as Randfontein Estates Gold Mine no. 4.
SAR no. 1277 as Apex Mines no. 2 at Greenside.

Works numbers and renumbering

Their works numbers, numbering, SAR reclassification and renumbering are listed in the table.^[1]

NGR Class B 4-8-0 of 1904
SAR Class 1 4-8-0
Works no.	NGR no.	SAR Class	SAR no.
16370	275	Class 1	1245
16371	276	Class 1	1246
16372	277	Class 1	1247
16373	278	Class 1	1248
16374	279	Class 1	1249
16375	280	Class 1	1250
16376	281	Class 1	1251
16377	282	Class 1	1252
16378	283	Class 1	1253
16379	284	Class 1	1254
16380	285	Class 1	1255
16381	286	Class 1	1256
16382	287	Class 1	1257
16383	288	Class 1	1258
16384	289	Class 1	1259
16385	290	Class 1	1260
16386	291	Class 1	1261
16387	292	Class 1	1262
16388	293	Class 1	1263
16389	294	Class 1	1264
16390	295	Class 1	1265
16391	296	Class 1	1266
16392	297	Class 1	1267
16393	298	Class 1	1268
16394	299	Class 1	1269
16395	300	Class 1	1270
16396	301	Class 1	1271
16397	302	Class 1	1272
16398	303	Class 1	1273
16399	304	Class 1	1274
16400	305	Class 1	1275
16401	306	Class 1	1276
16402	307	Class 1	1277
16403	308	Class 1	1278
16404	309	Class 1	1279
16405	310	Class 1	1280
16406	311	Class 1	1281
16407	312	Class 1	1282
16408	313	Class 1	1283
16409	314	Class 1	1284
16410	315	Class 1	1285
16411	316	Class 1	1286
16412	317	Class 1	1287
16413	318	Class 1	1288
16414	319	Class 1B	1440
16415	320	Class 1B	1441
16416	321	Class 1B	1442
16417	322	Class 1B	1443
16418	323	Class 1B	1444
16419	324	Class 1B	1445

Preservation

Only two of these engines survive.

Number	Works nmr	THF / Private	Leaselend / Owner	Current Location	Outside South Africa	?
1247	NBL / 16372	THF	Museum	Bloemfontein Locomotive Depot
1276	NBL / 16401	Private	RSSA - Trust	Hilton (Station)

Illustration

The main picture shows NGR Class B no. 275, later SAR Class 1 no. 1245, as delivered. The Belpaire firebox is markedly longer than usual as a result of the combustion chamber.

NGR no. 277, SAR no. 1247, at Mason's Mill, Pietermaritzburg, 29 March 1979
NGR no. 282, SAR no. 1252, REGM no. 4, at SANRASM, 6 June 2011
NGR no. 307, SAR no. 1277, at Delmas Colliery, Hawerklip, May 1977

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to South African Class 1 4-8-0.

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l Holland, D.F. (1971). Steam Locomotives of the South African Railways. Vol. 1: 1859–1910 (1st ed.). Newton Abbott, England: David & Charles. pp. 99–101. ISBN 978-0-7153-5382-0.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Espitalier, T.J.; Day, W.A.J. (1944). The Locomotive in South Africa - A Brief History of Railway Development. Chapter III - Natal Government Railways (Continued). South African Railways and Harbours Magazine, July 1944. pp. 504-505.
^ ^a ^b ^c Classification of S.A.R. Engines with Renumbering Lists, issued by the Chief Mechanical Engineer’s Office, Pretoria, January 1912, pp. 7, 12, 15, 43-44 (Reprinted in April 1987 by SATS Museum, R.3125-6/9/11-1000)
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Paxton, Leith; Bourne, David (1985). Locomotives of the South African Railways (1st ed.). Cape Town: Struik. pp. 34–35. ISBN 0869772112.
^ ^a ^b ^c Durrant, AE (1989). Twilight of South African Steam (1st ed.). Newton Abbott: David & Charles. p. 54. ISBN 0715386387.
^ ^a ^b ^c South African Railways & Harbours/Suid Afrikaanse Spoorweë en Hawens (15 Aug 1941). Locomotive Diagram Book/Lokomotiefdiagramboek, 2'0" & 3'6" Gauge/Spoorwydte, Steam Locomotives/Stoomlokomotiewe. SAR/SAS Mechanical Department/Werktuigkundige Dept. Drawing Office/Tekenkantoor, Pretoria.
^ North British Locomotive Company works list, compiled by Austrian locomotive historian Bernhard Schmeiser
^ The South African Railways - Historical Survey. Editor George Hart, Publisher Bill Hart, Sponsored by Dorbyl Ltd., Published c. 1978, p. 25.
^ Holland, D. F. (1972). Steam Locomotives of the South African Railways. Vol. 2: 1910-1955 (1st ed.). Newton Abbott, England: David & Charles. p. 137. ISBN 978-0-7153-5427-8.

Locomotives of Natal

4' 8½" gauge

Natal 0-4-0ST Durban
Natal 0-4-0WT Natal
Natal 4-4-0T Perseverance

3' 6" gauge

Durban's Congella
Durban's Edward Innes
Durban's John Milne
Durban's Sir Albert

2' gauge

Locomotives of South Africa

Steam

7' ¼" gauge	East London 0-4-0VB Table Bay 0-4-0ST Table Bay 0-4-0T Table Bay 0-4-0WT
Standard gauge	Cape 0-4-0T Blackie Cape 0-4-2 Cape 2-4-0T CGR 0-4-0ST Aid Natal 0-4-0ST Durban Natal 0-4-0WT Natal Natal 4-4-0T Perseverance
Cape gauge Tank engines	CGR 0-4-0ST 1873 CGR 0-4-0ST 1874 CGR 0-4-0ST 1881 CGR 0-4-0ST 1881 Coffee Pot CGR 0-6-0ST CGR 0-6-0T CGR 2-6-0ST 1900 CGR 2-6-0ST 1902 CGR 1st Class 0-4-0ST 1875 CGR 1st Class 0-4-0ST 1876 CGR 1st Class 2-6-0ST CGR 1st Class 4-4-0T CGR 2nd Class 4-4-0T CGR 3rd Class 2-6-0T CGR Railmotor CSAR Class C CSAR Class E CSAR Rack 4-6-4RT CSAR Railmotor Durban's Congella Durban's Edward Innes Durban's John Milne Durban's Sir Albert Port Elizabeth 0-4-0ST Kowie Railway 0-6-0T Kowie Railway 4-4-0T Metropolitan & Suburban 4-6-2T NGR 2-6-0T Durban & Pietermaritzburg NGR Class I 2-6-2T NGR Class K 0-4-0ST NGR Class K 0-6-0ST NGR Class K 2-6-0T NZASM 10 Tonner NZASM 13 Tonner NZASM 14 Tonner NZASM 18 Tonner NZASM 19 Tonner NZASM 32 Tonner NZASM 40 Tonner PPR 26 Tonner PPR 35 Tonner Portuguese SAR Class A SAR Class B SAR Class C SAR Class C1 SAR Class C2 SAR Class D SAR Class E SAR Class F SAR Class G SAR Class H SAR Class H1 SAR Class H2 SAR Class J SAR Class K SAR Railmotor SAR Dock 0-4-0ST SAR Dock 0-4-0T SWA 2-8-0T
Cape gauge Tender engines	CGR 1st Class 2-6-0 1876 BP CGR 1st Class 2-6-0 1876 Kitson CGR 1st Class 2-6-0 1879 CGR 1st Class 2-6-0 1891 CGR 1st Class 4-4-0 CGR 1st Class 4-4-0TT CGR 2nd Class 2-6-2TT CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1883 CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1884 CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1889 CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1898 CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1901 CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1903 CGR 4th Class 4-4-2 CGR 4th Class 4-6-0TT 1880 CGR 4th Class 4-6-0TT 1882 CGR 4th Class 4-6-0TT 1882 Joy CGR 4th Class 4-6-0TT 1884 CGR 5th Class 4-6-0 1890 CGR 5th Class 4-6-0 1891 NGR Havelock NGR Class I SAR Class Exp 1 SAR Class Exp 2 SAR Class Exp 3 SAR Class Exp 4 SAR Class Exp 5 SAR Class Exp 6 SAR Class S SAR Class S1 SAR Class S2 SAR Class 1 SAR Class 1A SAR Class 1B SAR Class 2 SAR Class 2C SAR Class 3 SAR Class 3A SAR Class 3B SAR Class 4 SAR Class 4A SAR Class 5 SAR Class 5A SAR Class 5B SAR Class 6 SAR Class 6A SAR Class 6B SAR Class 6C SAR Class 6D SAR Class 6E SAR Class 6F SAR Class 6G SAR Class 6H SAR Class 6J SAR Class 6K SAR Class 6L SAR Class 6Y SAR Class 6Z SAR Class 7 SAR Class 7A SAR Class 7B SAR Class 7C SAR Class 7D SAR Class 7E SAR Class 7F SAR Class 8 SAR Class 8A SAR Class 8B SAR Class 8C SAR Class 8D SAR Class 8E SAR Class 8F SAR Class 8R SAR Class 8X SAR Class 8Y SAR Class 8Z SAR Class 9 SAR Class 10 SAR Class 10A SAR Class 10B SAR Class 10C SAR Class 10D SAR Class 11 SAR Class 12 SAR Class 12A SAR Class 12B SAR Class 13 SAR Class 14 SAR Class 14A SAR Class 14B SAR Class 14C 1st SAR Class 14C 2nd SAR Class 14C 3rd SAR Class 14C 4th SAR Class 15 SAR Class 15A SAR Class 15B SAR Class 15C SAR Class 15CA SAR Class 15E SAR Class 15F SAR Class 16 SAR Class 16A SAR Class 16B SAR Class 16C SAR Class 16D SAR Class 16DA 1928 SAR Class 16DA 1930 SAR Class 16E SAR Class 17 SAR Class 18 SAR Class 19 SAR Class 19A SAR Class 19B SAR Class 19C SAR Class 19D SAR Class 20 SAR Class 21 SAR Class 23 SAR Class 24 SAR Class 25 SAR Class 25NC SAR Class 26 SAR Katanga SWA 2-8-0
Cape gauge Articulated engines	CGR Fairlie CGR Kitson-Meyer SAR Class FC SAR Class FD SAR Class GA SAR Class GB SAR Class GC SAR Class GCA SAR Class GD SAR Class GDA SAR Class GE SAR Class GEA SAR Class GF SAR Class GG SAR Class GH SAR Class GK SAR Class GL SAR Class GM SAR Class GMA SAR Class GO SAR Class HF SAR Class KM SAR Class MA SAR Class MB SAR Class MC SAR Class MC1 SAR Class MD SAR Class ME SAR Class MF SAR Class MG SAR Class MH SAR Class MJ SAR Class MJ1 SAR Class U
2' 6" gauge	Cape Copper John King & Miner Cape Copper Britannia Cape Copper Caledonia Cape Copper Clara Cape Copper Condenser Cape Copper Scotia Namaqua Copper Pioneer Walvis Bay 2-4-2T Hope
2' & 600mm gauges	ACR Class NG-G16A CGR NG 0-4-0T CGR NG 0-6-0T CGR NG 4-6-2T CGR Type A 2-6-4T CGR Type C 0-4-0T NGR Class N 4-6-2T SAR Dutton SAR NG 0-4-0T SAR Class NG1 SAR Class NG2 SAR Class NG3 SAR Class NG4 SAR Class NG5 SAR Class NG6 SAR Class NG7 SAR Class NG8 SAR Class NG9 SAR Class NG10 SAR Class NG-G11 SAR Class NG-G12 SAR Class NG-G13 SAR Class NG-G14 SAR Class NG15 SAR Class NG-G16 SWA Class Ha SWA Class Hb SWA Class Hc SWA Class Hd SWA Jung SWA Zwillinge

Electric

Amcoal Class E38

Gas-electric

SAR Gas-electric

Diesel

Cape gauge Diesel-electric	PRASA Class Afro 4000 SAR Class DS SAR Class DS1 SAR Class 31-000 SAR Class 32-000 SAR Class 32-200 SAR Class 33-000 SAR Class 33-200 SAR Class 33-400 SAR Class 34-000 SAR Class 34-200 SAR Class 34-400 SAR Class 34-500 SAR Class 34-600 SAR Class 34-800 SAR Class 34-900 SAR Class 35-000 SAR Class 35-200 SAR Class 35-400 SAR Class 35-600 TFR Class 35-800 SAR Class 36-000 SAR Class 36-200 SAR Class 37-000 Spoornet Class 39-000 TFR Class 39-200 TFR Class 43-000 TFR Class 44-000 TFR Class 45-000
2' gauge Diesel-electric	SAR Class 91-000
Cape gauge Diesel-hydraulic	SAR Class 61-000
Cape gauge Electro-diesel	Spoornet Class 38-000

v t e South African steam locomotive tenders
Cape gauge	Type CL Type CZ Type ET Type ET1 Type EW Type EW1 Type EW2 Type FT Type GT Type HT Type JT Type JT1 Type JV Type KT Type LP Type MP Type MP1 Type MR Type MS Type MT Type MT1 Type MT2 Type MX Type MY Type MY1 Type SH Type SK Type TJ Type TL Type TM Type WE Type WG Type X-17 Type X-20 Type XC Type XC1 Type XD Type XE Type XE1 Type XF Type XF1 Type XF2 Type XJ Type XM Type XM1 Type XM2 Type XM3 Type XM4 Type XP1 Type XS Type YB Type YC Type YE Type YE1 Type ZA Type ZB Type ZC Type ZE
List of South African locomotive classes South African locomotive history