South African Class Hd 2-8-2
Encyclopedia
In 1912 the German administration in Deutsch-Südwest-Afrika, now Namibia
, acquired three Class Hd locomotives with a 2-8-2 Mikado wheel arrangement to lease to the Otavi Mining and Railway Company
for use on the line from Swakopmund to Karibib. When these locomotives were taken onto the roster of the South African Railways after World War I, they retained their German classification and running numbers, but with an "SW" prefix to their numbers.
When a system of grouping narrow gauge locomotives into classes was eventually introduced by the South African Railways between 1928 and 1930, they were reclassified as Class NG5 along with similar locomotives that were placed in service by the South African Railways in 1922.
in Germany in 1912. They were designated Class Hd, numbered 40 to 42, and leased to the Otavi Mining and Railway Company for use on the section between Swakopmund and Karibib.
The German "Hd" classification identified the locomotive type as the fourth class to have been built for DSWA by Henschel.
The locomotives were superheated, with Walschaerts valve gear, piston valves and outside plate frames. They were equipped for trains with air brakes, which at the time was not yet used in South Africa. Since they were to be used across the Namib Desert, they were equipped with dust covers to protect the motion. Their leading and trailing carrying wheels were arranged as radial axles to allow for sideways motion of the wheels with respect to the locomotive frame, since the locomotive did not have separate bogie trucks.
locomotives of the SAR, which were numbered NG40 and NG41.
In SAR service they were also equipped with vacuum train brakes.
in 1960. Since they were unsuitable for use on the narrow gauge line in the Langkloof, all six of the 1922 vintage Class NG5 locomotives were sold as scrap in 1962.
Two of the 1912 vintage ex Class Hd locomotives were preserved. Number 40 was plinthed on the Usakos
station platform, while number 41 was plinthed outside Otjiwarongo Railway Station
.
that were issued on 2 August 1985 to commemorate the narrow gauge locomotives that pioneered railways in the territory. The stamp design was by the noted stamp designer and artist Koos van Ellinckhuijzen
.
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
, acquired three Class Hd locomotives with a 2-8-2 Mikado wheel arrangement to lease to the Otavi Mining and Railway Company
Otavi Mining and Railway Company
The Otavi Mining and Railway Company was a railway and mining company in German South-West Africa...
for use on the line from Swakopmund to Karibib. When these locomotives were taken onto the roster of the South African Railways after World War I, they retained their German classification and running numbers, but with an "SW" prefix to their numbers.
When a system of grouping narrow gauge locomotives into classes was eventually introduced by the South African Railways between 1928 and 1930, they were reclassified as Class NG5 along with similar locomotives that were placed in service by the South African Railways in 1922.
Manufacturer
Three narrow gauge 2-8-2 Mikado steam locomotives were built for the German administration in Deutsch-Südwest-Afrika (DSWA) by Henschel and SonHenschel & Son
Henschel & Son was a German company, situated in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicles and weapons....
in Germany in 1912. They were designated Class Hd, numbered 40 to 42, and leased to the Otavi Mining and Railway Company for use on the section between Swakopmund and Karibib.
The German "Hd" classification identified the locomotive type as the fourth class to have been built for DSWA by Henschel.
The locomotives were superheated, with Walschaerts valve gear, piston valves and outside plate frames. They were equipped for trains with air brakes, which at the time was not yet used in South Africa. Since they were to be used across the Namib Desert, they were equipped with dust covers to protect the motion. Their leading and trailing carrying wheels were arranged as radial axles to allow for sideways motion of the wheels with respect to the locomotive frame, since the locomotive did not have separate bogie trucks.
South African Railways
After World War I, when the former German colony came under South African administration and all railway operations in South West Africa (SWA) were taken over by the South African Railways (SAR), these locomotives retained their German Hd classification and running numbers, but with an "SW" prefix to the numbers. This was to prevent confusion with the two Class NG1South African Class NG1 0-4-0T
In 1900 the British War Office placed two Sirdar class 0-4-0T narrow gauge tank steam locomotives in service near Germiston. At the end of the Second Freedom War the locomotives were sold to a farmer, who used it on a firewood line out of Pienaarsrivier until the line and locomotives were taken...
locomotives of the SAR, which were numbered NG40 and NG41.
In SAR service they were also equipped with vacuum train brakes.
Reclassification
A system of grouping narrow gauge locomotives into classes was only adopted by the SAR somewhere between 1928 and 1930 and at that point these three locomotives, along with six similar locomotives that were placed in service by the SAR in SWA in 1922, were all classified as Class NG5. They retained their original German running numbers, but the SW prefix was done away with since the two Class NG1 locomotives with duplicate running numbers were at the time being withdrawn from service.Service
They remained in service in SWA for their entire working lives, until they were all withdrawn from service when the SWA system was regauged to Cape gaugeCape gauge
Cape gauge is a track gauge of between the inside of the rail heads and is classified as narrow gauge. It has installations of around .The gauge was first used by Norwegian engineer Carl Abraham Pihl and the first line was opened in 1862.- Nomenclature :...
in 1960. Since they were unsuitable for use on the narrow gauge line in the Langkloof, all six of the 1922 vintage Class NG5 locomotives were sold as scrap in 1962.
Two of the 1912 vintage ex Class Hd locomotives were preserved. Number 40 was plinthed on the Usakos
Usakos
Usakos is a city on the banks of river Khan, 140 kilometres north-east of Swakopmund in the Erongo Region of Namibia. It is located on the B2 , the main road between the Walvis Bay and Johannesburg. The town has 3,000 inhabitants and owns of land...
station platform, while number 41 was plinthed outside Otjiwarongo Railway Station
Otjiwarongo Railway Station
Otjiwarongo Railway Station is a railway station serving the town of Otjiwarongo in Namibia. It is part of the TransNamib Railway....
.
Commemoration
A postage stamp depicting the Class Hd was one of a set of four commemorative South West African postage stampsPostage stamps and postal history of South West Africa
The story of the postage stamps and postal history of Namibia, formerly known as South West Africa , begins with the South African Armed Forces defeat of the Imperial German Army in the colony of German South West Africa in 1915.-South African stamps:...
that were issued on 2 August 1985 to commemorate the narrow gauge locomotives that pioneered railways in the territory. The stamp design was by the noted stamp designer and artist Koos van Ellinckhuijzen
Koos van Ellinckhuijzen
JJ Koos van Ellinckhuijzen is a Namibian artist. He is most noted for his work on Namibian and South West African postage stamps. He has exhibited in both Namibia and the US. Adelheid Lilienthal, in Art in Namibia has noted the scientific accuracy of his designs, their clean lines and his use of...
.
See also
- South African Class NG5 2-8-2South African Class NG5 2-8-2In 1922 the South African Railways placed six narrow gauge steam locomotives with a 2-8-2 Mikado wheel arrangement in service on the Otavi branch in South West Africa...
- South African Class NG15 2-8-2
- The 2-8-2 "Mikado"
- Narrow Gauge locomotive numbering and classification
- List of South African locomotive classes