South African Class 1A 4-8-0
Encyclopedia
In 1910 the Natal Government Railways
placed twenty-one Improved Hendrie B 4-8-0
tender locomotives in service. In 1912, when these locomotives were assimilated into the South African Railways, they were renumbered and classified as Class 1A.
(NBL) and placed in service in 1910, numbered NGR 13 to 33. Since they incorporated various improvements, they became known as the Class Improved Hendrie B.
Like their predecessors, they had Belpaire fireboxes and Walschaerts valve gear. Their boilers had been raised by 1.25 inches (31.8 mm), raising the boiler centre line to 7 foot to give a better rake on the sides of the ash pan. They were built with Hendrie’s steam reversers and, like the earlier Hendrie B locomotives, all but one used slide valves. The exception was the last locomotive, number 33, which was fitted with piston valves.
In 1912, when these "Mastodons" were taken onto the roster of the South African Railways (SAR), they were renumbered 1289 to 1309 and classified as Class 1A.
and Pietermaritzburg
. In SAR service they were also used on main line workings out of Port Elizabeth. In later years they were relegated to shunting, particularly working in Natal but also in Cape Town
, Port Elizabeth, East London and in the Transvaal
.
In their last years, however, few Class 1 and Class 1A locomotives were still at work. As at April 1973, for example, there were still three working at Mason’s Mill in Pietermaritzburg and one in the Eastern Transvaal, two of them Class 1A. The last Class 1A was retired in November 1974.
In industrial service, number 1301 survived even longer and was still in service in 1984 as Apex Mines number 3 at Greenside.
Natal government railways
The Natal Government Railways was formed in January 1877 in the Colony of Natal.In 1877 the Natal Government Railways acquired the Natal Railway Company for the sum of £40,000, gaining the line from the Point to Durban and from Durban to Umgeni...
placed twenty-one Improved Hendrie B 4-8-0
4-8-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-8-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and no trailing wheels. The type was nicknamed the Mastodon or Twelve-wheeler in North America....
tender locomotives in service. In 1912, when these locomotives were assimilated into the South African Railways, they were renumbered and classified as Class 1A.
Manufacturer
By 1909 more locomotives were required for goods operation on the lower sections of the Natal main line and a further twenty-one locomotives of the Class Hendrie B 4-8-0 design were ordered by the Natal Government Railways (NGR). They were delivered by the North British Locomotive CompanyNorth British Locomotive Company
The North British Locomotive Company was created in 1903 through the merger of three Glasgow locomotive manufacturing companies; Sharp Stewart and Company , Neilson, Reid and Company and Dübs and Company , creating the largest locomotive manufacturing company in Europe.Its main factories were...
(NBL) and placed in service in 1910, numbered NGR 13 to 33. Since they incorporated various improvements, they became known as the Class Improved Hendrie B.
Like their predecessors, they had Belpaire fireboxes and Walschaerts valve gear. Their boilers had been raised by 1.25 inches (31.8 mm), raising the boiler centre line to 7 foot to give a better rake on the sides of the ash pan. They were built with Hendrie’s steam reversers and, like the earlier Hendrie B locomotives, all but one used slide valves. The exception was the last locomotive, number 33, which was fitted with piston valves.
In 1912, when these "Mastodons" were taken onto the roster of the South African Railways (SAR), they were renumbered 1289 to 1309 and classified as Class 1A.
Service
When new, they were used to haul fast passenger and goods trains between DurbanDurban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
and Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg is the capital and second largest city in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It was founded in 1838, and is currently governed by the Msunduzi Local Municipality. Its "purist" Zulu name is umGungundlovu, and this is the name used for the district municipality...
. In SAR service they were also used on main line workings out of Port Elizabeth. In later years they were relegated to shunting, particularly working in Natal but also in Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, Port Elizabeth, East London and in the Transvaal
Transvaal Province
Transvaal Province was a province of the Union of South Africa from 1910 to 1961, and of its successor, the Republic of South Africa, from 1961 until the end of apartheid in 1994 when a new constitution subdivided it.-History:...
.
In their last years, however, few Class 1 and Class 1A locomotives were still at work. As at April 1973, for example, there were still three working at Mason’s Mill in Pietermaritzburg and one in the Eastern Transvaal, two of them Class 1A. The last Class 1A was retired in November 1974.
In industrial service, number 1301 survived even longer and was still in service in 1984 as Apex Mines number 3 at Greenside.
See also
- South African Class 1 4-8-0South African Class 1 4-8-0In 1904 the Natal Government Railways placed fifty Class Hendrie B 4-8-0 Mastodon steam locomotives in service. Six of them were modified to a 4-8-2 Mountain wheel arrangement in 1906...
- South African Class 1B 4-8-2South African Class 1B 4-8-2In 1904 the Natal Government Railways placed fifty Class Hendrie B locomotives with a 4-8-0 Mastodon wheel arrangement in service. Of these, six were modified in 1906 to Class Altered Hendrie B locomotives, the first in the world with a 4-8-2 Mountain wheel arrangement...
- Tender locomotive numbering and classification
- The 4-8-0 "Mastodon"
- List of South African locomotive classes