CGR 4th Class 4-4-2

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CGR 4th Class 4-4-2
South African Class 04 4-4-2
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CGR 4th Class 4-4-2 no. 297, c. 1910
Type and origin
Power type Steam
Designer Baldwin Locomotive Works
Builder Baldwin Locomotive Works
Serial number 15338-15343
Model JNR 6600-Class
Build date 1897
Total produced 30
Specifications
Configuration 4-4-2 (Atlantic)
Driver axle 2nd coupled axle
Gauge 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) Cape gauge
Leading dia 28 in (711 mm)
Coupled dia 56 in (1,422 mm)
Trailing dia 33 in (838 mm)
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 • Engine 22 ft 6 in (6,858 mm)
 • Leading 6 ft (1,829 mm)
 • Coupled 6 ft (1,829 mm)
 • Tender 13 ft 3 in (4,039 mm)
 • Tender bogie 4 ft 8 in (1,422 mm)
Length:
 • Over couplers
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Height 12 ft 3 in (3,734 mm)
Frame type Bar
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 • 1st coupled Lua error in Module:Convert at line 1851: attempt to index local 'en_value' (a nil value).
 • 2nd coupled Lua error in Module:Convert at line 1851: attempt to index local 'en_value' (a nil value).
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Tender type 2-axle bogies
Fuel type Coal
Fuel capacity 5 LT 15 cwt (5.8 t)
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Boiler:
 • Pitch
6 ft 11 in (2,108 mm)
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 • Tube plates Lua error in Module:Convert at line 452: attempt to index field 'titles' (a nil value).
 • Small tubes 189: 2 in (51 mm)
 • Firebox type Round-top
Boiler pressure 180 psi (1,241 kPa)
Safety valve Ramsbottom
Firegrate area 30 sq ft (2.8 m2)
Heating surface 1,559.85 sq ft (144.915 m2)
 • Tubes 1,461.7 sq ft (135.80 m2)
 • Firebox 98.15 sq ft (9.118 m2)
Cylinders Two
Cylinder size 16 in (406 mm) bore
22 in (559 mm) stroke
Valve gear Stephenson
Couplers Bell link-and-pin
Performance figures
Tractive effort 13,580 lbf (60.4 kN) @ 75%
Career
Operators Cape Government Railways
South African Railways
Class CGR 4th Class, SAR Class 04
Number in class 6
Numbers 295-300
Nicknames Hatrack
Delivered 1897
First run 1897

The Cape Government Railways 4th Class 4-4-2 of 1897 was a South African steam locomotive from the pre-Union era in the Cape of Good Hope.

In 1897, the Cape Government Railways placed six 4th Class tender locomotives with a 4-4-2 Atlantic type wheel arrangement in service on the section from Kimberley southwards.[1][2]

Manufacturer

In 1896, at the time that an urgent requirement arose on the Cape Government Railways (CGR) for more locomotives for the section of the Western System from Kimberley to the south, locomotive production by the usual British suppliers was being disrupted by strikes, which made delivery time uncertain. At the same time, the steamship companies had suddenly doubled all freight charges to the Cape. The CGR therefore approached locomotive builders in the United States of America.[1][2][3]

Baldwin Locomotive Works, it turned out, had just completed an order for twenty-four 6600-Class 4-4-2 Atlantic type tender locomotives, numbered in the range from 6600 to 6623, for the 3 feet 6 inches (1,067 millimetres) gauge Japanese State Railways. Baldwin offered to produce another six of the same type for the CGR. Since the Japanese locomotive met the requirements of the CGR, the offer was accepted.[1][2][3]

Construction of the six locomotives was completed within sixty days of confirmation of the order. The new doubled freight rates of the steamship companies were circumvented by shipping the locomotives by sailing vessel, which convinced the steamship companies to promptly revert to their previous rates.[1]

Characteristics

The locomotives were designated 4th Class, in spite of being completely unlike any other in this Class on the CGR, and were numbered in the range from 295 to 300. They were the only Atlantic types to see service in South Africa.[4]

They were of typical American design at the time, with bar frames, spacious cabs and high running boards. They had large boilers and large grates which had been designed to burn very poor quality coal. In service, they were found to be free steaming, excellent and smooth runners and low on maintenance costs. These qualities, with their roomy cabs and general handiness, made them popular with the enginemen, who nicknamed them Hatracks.[1][2]

CGR Chief Locomotive Superintendent H.M. Beatty was equally impressed by the sturdy and simple construction and the good steaming qualities of these locomotives. The bar frame allowed the firebox to be placed on top of it and to make it 2 inches (51 millimetres) wider than what would have been possible with a plate frame on Cape gauge. Beatty became a firm believer in bar frames, to the extent that practically all his subsequent locomotive designs had such frames. Plate frames were only used again on locomotives which were acquired on repeat orders for existing locomotive types.[1][2]

Service

When the Union of South Africa was established on 31 May 1910, the three Colonial government railways (CGR, Natal Government Railways 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 required careful planning and was only implemented with effect from 1 January 1912.[5][6]

The six locomotives spent their entire service lives working in the Kimberley region. In 1912, the Baldwin-built Atlantics were considered obsolete by the SAR, designated Class 04 and renumbered by having the numeral "0" prefixed to their existing numbers. In spite of being considered obsolete, they were only scrapped in 1931.[1][2][3][6]

Works numbers

The locomotives were numbered in reverse order of their builder's works numbers. The works numbers, original numbers and renumbering of the CGR 4th Class Atlantics are listed in the table.[1][6]

Illustration

At left below is a Baldwin works photograph of the CGR locomotive, as built, while at right is the Baldwin works picture of the Japanese locomotive. Apart from the headlights, spring buffers and some other minor details, the locomotives are virtually identical.

The main picture of no. 297 in the CGR era and the picture below of no 0298 in the SAR era, show both locomotives with tenders which were enlarged after they entered service.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Espitalier, T.J.; Day, W.A.J. (1944). The Locomotive in South Africa - A Brief History of Railway Development. Chapter II - The Cape Government Railways (Continued). South African Railways and Harbours Magazine, January 1944. pp. 9-12.
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  5. The South African Railways - Historical Survey. Editor George Hart, Publisher Bill Hart, Sponsored by Dorbyl Ltd., Published c. 1978, p. 25.
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 Classification of S.A.R. Engines with Renumbering Lists, issued by the Chief Mechanical Engineer's Office, Pretoria, January 1912, p. 26. (Reprinted in April 1987 by SATS Museum, R.3125-6/9/11-1000)