South African Class 1B 4-8-2
Encyclopedia
In 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. In 1912, when those six were assimilated into the South African Railways, they were renumbered and classified as Class 1B.
(NBL) were delivered in 1904.
es and used saturated steam. While the boiler was not pitched very high, Hendrie had still managed to extend the firebox sideways over the trailing driving 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 combustion chamber.
This dry combustion chamber
pre-dated the Gaines type, which was practically identical, by four years. The Gaines type was introduced in the United States in 1908 and became widely used on American locomotives.
Between 1926 and 1928 new locomotives replaced the Class 1B on main line passenger service in Natal. Their trailing trucks were then removed and since they were once again identical to their sister Class 1 4-8-0
"Mastodon" types, they were all reclassified to Class 1.
and Pietermaritzburg
. These locomotives opened up a new era on the NGR, where the tank locomotive was at last withdrawn from main line working.
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
. Although gradual withdrawal from service already commenced in 1935, half of the Class were still in capital stock by March 1972, the last one only being written off in 1975.
In industrial service, number 1443 survived even longer and was still in service as Gledhow Sugar Mill’s number 1, "Chaka", in 1984.
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 fifty Class Hendrie B locomotives with a 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....
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
4-8-2
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-8-2 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle...
Mountain wheel arrangement. In 1912, when those six were assimilated into the South African Railways, they were renumbered and classified as Class 1B.
Design
At the time that D.A. Hendrie was appointed as the Locomotive Superintendent of the Natal Government Railways (NGR), it had a large fleet of tank locomotives, but all with a limited coal and water range. It was also often necessary to double and even triple head them over the worst sections of the main line with its steep 1 in 30 gradients. Hendrie was therefore tasked to produce a locomotive of greater power and capable of longer distances without refuelling or rewatering. His resulting Hendrie B achieved this and fifty such locomotives that the NGR ordered from 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) were delivered in 1904.
Characteristics
They had plate frames, Walschaerts valve gear with “D” valves, Belpaire fireboxBelpaire firebox
The Belpaire firebox is a type of firebox used on steam locomotives. It was invented by Alfred Belpaire of Belgium. It has a greater surface area at the top of the firebox, improving heat transfer and steam production...
es and used saturated steam. While the boiler was not pitched very high, Hendrie had still managed to extend the firebox sideways over the trailing driving 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 combustion chamber.
This dry combustion chamber
Combustion chamber
A combustion chamber is the part of an engine in which fuel is burned.-Internal combustion engine:The hot gases produced by the combustion occupy a far greater volume than the original fuel, thus creating an increase in pressure within the limited volume of the chamber...
pre-dated the Gaines type, which was practically identical, by four years. The Gaines type was introduced in the United States in 1908 and became widely used on American locomotives.
The first Mountain
In 1906 six of them, numbers 319 to 324, were modified to a 4-8-2 wheel arrangement by having a rear trailing bissel truck added below the cab to give smoother operation when hauling fast passenger trains. This turned them into the NGR’s Class Altered Hendrie B, the first 4-8-2 Mountain type tender locomotives in the world. In 1912, when these six Mountains were taken onto the South African Railways (SAR) roster, they were renumbered 1440 to 1445 and classified as Class 1B.Modifications
Beginning in 1907 these locomotives were equipped with steam reversing gear, also designed by Hendrie. All Hendrie’s locomotives also came equipped with piston tail rods, but since they were difficult and costly to maintain, especially when used in conjunction with superheated steam, they were removed in 1925.Between 1926 and 1928 new locomotives replaced the Class 1B on main line passenger service in Natal. Their trailing trucks were then removed and since they were once again identical to their sister Class 1 4-8-0
South African Class 1 4-8-0
In 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...
"Mastodon" types, they were all reclassified to Class 1.
Service
When new, they were placed in service hauling all the fast passenger 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...
. These locomotives opened up a new era on the NGR, where the tank locomotive was at last withdrawn from main line working.
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:...
. Although gradual withdrawal from service already commenced in 1935, half of the Class were still in capital stock by March 1972, the last one only being written off in 1975.
In industrial service, number 1443 survived even longer and was still in service as Gledhow Sugar Mill’s number 1, "Chaka", in 1984.
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 1A 4-8-0South African Class 1A 4-8-0In 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.-Manufacturer:...
- Tender locomotive numbering and classification
- The 4-8-2 "Mountain"
- The 4-8-0 "Mastodon"
- List of South African locomotive classes