South African Class H1 4-8-2T

The South African Railways Class H1 4-8-2T of 1903 was a steam locomotive from the pre-Union era in Transvaal.

This article is about one of several different Central South African Railways locomotive types to be designated "Class E". For the others, see Central South African Railways Class E locomotives.

CSAR Class E 4-8-2T
South African Class H1 4-8-2T
CSAR Modified Class E no. 245,
SAR Class H1 no. 225, c. 1912
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
DesignerNatal Government Railways
(G.W. Reid)
BuilderDübs and Company
Neilson, Reid and Company
Central South African Railways
Serial numberDübs 4088, 4099, 4100
Neilson, Reid 6196, 6206, 6213
ModelConverted Reid Tenwheeler
Build datec. 1903
Total produced6
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte4-8-2T (Mountain)
 • UIC2'D1'n2t
Driver2nd coupled axle
Gauge3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) Cape gauge
Leading dia.25+3⁄4 in (654 mm)
Coupled dia.45 in (1,143 mm)
Trailing dia.25+3⁄4 in (654 mm)
Wheelbase:
 • Engine		30 ft 6 in (9,296 mm)
 • Leading5 ft 4 in (1,626 mm)
 • Coupled12 ft 6 in (3,810 mm)
Length:
​
 • Over couplers37 ft 6 in (11,430 mm)
Height12 ft 6 in (3,810 mm)
Axle load13 LT (13,210 kg)
 • Leading10 LT 4 cwt 2 qtr (10,390 kg)
 • Coupled13 LT (13,210 kg)
 • Trailing6 LT (6,096 kg)
Adhesive weight52 LT (52,830 kg)
Loco weight68 LT (69,090 kg)
Fuel typeCoal
Fuel capacity4 LT (4.1 t)
Water cap.1,880 imp gal (8,550 L)
Firebox typeRound-top
 • Firegrate area21 sq ft (2.0 m2)
Boiler:
​
 • Pitch6 ft 10 in (2,083 mm)
 • Diameter4 ft 7+7⁄8 in (1,419 mm)
 • Tube plates10 ft 4 in (3,150 mm)
 • Small tubes287: 1+3⁄4 in (44 mm)
Boiler pressure175 psi (1,207 kPa)
Safety valveRamsbottom
Heating surface1,494 sq ft (138.8 m2)
 • Tubes1,359 sq ft (126.3 m2)
 • Firebox135 sq ft (12.5 m2)
CylindersTwo
Cylinder size19 in (483 mm) bore
27 in (686 mm) stroke
Valve gearAllan
CouplersJohnston link-and-pin
AAR knuckle (1930s)
Performance figures
Tractive effort28,430 lbf (126.5 kN) @ 75%
Career
OperatorsImperial Military Railways
Central South African Railways
South African Railways
ClassCSAR Class E, SAR Class H1
Number in class6
NumbersCSAR 222, 233, 235, 245, 252
SAR 222–226
NicknamesConverted Reid
Deliveredc. 1903
First runc. 1903
Withdrawn1966
The leading coupled axle had flangeless wheels

In 1902, towards the end of the Second Boer War, the Imperial Military Railways placed 35 4-10-2 tank locomotives in service, built to the specifications of the Reid Tenwheeler of the Natal Government Railways. At the end of the war, these locomotives came onto the roster of the Central South African Railways and were designated its Class E. Six of these locomotives were then converted to 4-8-2 tank locomotives. In 1912, after the establishment of the South African Railways, the five survivors of these six were designated Class H1.[1][2][3][4][5]

Origin

The requirement for a tank locomotive which could haul at least one-and-a-half times as much as a Dübs A 4-8-2T locomotive on the Natal Government Railways (NGR) mainline, resulted in the design of a 4-10-2 tank locomotive by G.W. Reid, the Locomotive Superintendent of the NGR at the end of the 19th century. On the NGR, the locomotive type became known as the Reid Tenwheeler, later designated the NGR Class C 4-10-2T.[1][2][5]

Manufacturers
G.W. Reid

In 1902, during the Second Boer War, the Imperial Military Railways (IMR) of the invading British forces experienced a shortage of locomotives as a result of damage caused during hostilities and the transportation demands which were placed on the Railways by the British Military.[1][2]

Lieutenant-Colonel E.P.C. Girouard KCMG DSO of the Royal Engineers, the Commissioner of Railways for the Transvaal and Orange River Colony, therefore placed urgent orders for 35 locomotives of the NGR's Reid Tenwheeler type. To ensure rapid delivery, the order was split between Dübs and Company, who built engine numbers 220 to 234, and Neilson, Reid and Company, who built numbers 235 to 254.[1][2][6]

Service

Imperial Military Railways

Compared to the NGR versions, the IMR locomotives were more ornate. In true military tradition, the steam domes, chimney caps and boiler bands were of polished brass. A weatherboard was affixed to the coal bunker to offer better protection to the crew when travelling bunker forward.[1]

The practice of polished brasswork was followed on all new IMR locomotives and was continued even after the war, when the IMR became the Central South African Railways (CSAR).[1]

Central South African Railways

At the end of the war, these Reid Tenwheeler locomotives were designated Class E on the CSAR roster.[1]

Six of the Class E locomotives, CSAR numbers 222, 233-235, 245 and 252, were converted to 4-8-2T Mountain type locomotives c. 1903 by removing the fifth pair of coupled wheels and blanking off the resulting opening in the frame. The same modification was also done by the NGR on some of its own Reid Tenwheelers to make them more suitable for yard work.[2][5][7]

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 CSAR) 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.[4][8]

In SAR service, the five survivors of these CSAR 4-8-2 tank locomotives were designated Class H1. The locomotives were used extensively for shunting work in several parts of the country. The Class H1 had a long service life and the last of the Class was only withdrawn from service in 1966.[1][5][7]

Works numbers

The builders, works numbers, rebuilding and renumbering of all 35 original 4-10-2T locomotives are listed in the table.[4][5][7]

References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to South African Class H1 4-8-2T.
  1. Holland, D.F. (1971). Steam Locomotives of the South African Railways. Vol. 1: 1859–1910 (1st ed.). Newton Abbott, England: David & Charles. pp. 95, 123–124, 134–135. ISBN 978-0-7153-5382-0.
  2. 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, June 1944. pp. 424-425.
  3. South African Railways and Harbours Locomotive Diagram Book, 2'0" & 3'6" Gauge Steam Locomotives, 15 August 1941, pp21 & 21A, as amended
  4. Classification of S.A.R. Engines with Renumbering Lists, issued by the Chief Mechanical Engineer's Office, Pretoria, January 1912, pp. 7, 11, 13, 22-23 (Reprinted in April 1987 by SATS Museum, R.3125-6/9/11-1000)
  5. Paxton, Leith; Bourne, David (1985). Locomotives of the South African Railways (1st ed.). Cape Town: Struik. pp. 10–11, 32, 56. ISBN 0869772112.
  6. Neilson, Reid works list, compiled by Austrian locomotive historian Bernhard Schmeiser
  7. Holland, D. F. (1972). Steam Locomotives of the South African Railways. Vol. 2: 1910-1955 (1st ed.). Newton Abbott, England: David & Charles. p. 136. ISBN 978-0-7153-5427-8.
  8. The South African Railways - Historical Survey. Editor George Hart, Publisher Bill Hart, Sponsored by Dorbyl Ltd., Published c. 1978, p. 25.
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