IMR Western Australian 2-8-4T
CSAR Class C 2-8-4T
Western Australian no. 100, November 1901
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
DesignerNeilson, Reid & Company
BuilderNeilson, Reid & Company
Serial number5897-5902
Build date1900
Total produced6
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte2-8-4T (Berkshire)
 • UIC1′D2′n2t
Driver2nd coupled axle
Gauge3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) Cape gauge
Leading dia.25 in (635 mm)
Coupled dia.38 in (965 mm)
Trailing dia.25 in (635 mm)
Wheelbase28 ft (8,534 mm) ​
 • Coupled11 ft 3 in (3,429 mm)
 • Trailing4 ft 6 in (1,372 mm)
Wheel spacing
(Asymmetrical)		1-2: 3 ft 5+1⁄2 in (1,054 mm)
2-3: 3 ft 5+1⁄2 in (1,054 mm)
3-4: 4 ft 4 in (1,321 mm)
Length:
​
 • Over couplers36 ft 1+1⁄2 in (11,011 mm)
Height12 ft 7+1⁄2 in (3,848 mm)
Frame typePlate
Axle load8 LT 5 cwt (8,382 kg) ​
 • Leading6 LT (6,096 kg)
 • Coupled8 LT 5 cwt (8,382 kg)
 • Trailing13 LT (13,210 kg)
Adhesive weight33 LT (33,530 kg)
Loco weight53 LT (53,850 kg)
Fuel typeCoal
Fuel capacity2 LT 7 cwt (2.4 t)
Water cap.2,000 imp gal (9,100 L)
Firebox:​
 • TypeRound-top
 • Grate area16.7 sq ft (1.55 m2)
Boiler:
​
 • Pitch6 ft 7+1⁄2 in (2,019 mm)
 • Diameter4 ft (1,219 mm)
 • Tube plates12 ft 1⁄4 in (3,664 mm)
 • Small tubes167: 1+3⁄4 in (44 mm)
Boiler pressure160 psi (1,103 kPa)
Safety valveRamsbottom
Heating surface1,012.8 sq ft (94.09 m2) ​
 • Tubes919.5 sq ft (85.42 m2)
 • Firebox93.3 sq ft (8.67 m2)
CylindersTwo
Cylinder size17 in (432 mm) bore
21 in (533 mm) stroke
Valve gearStephenson
Valve typeSlide
CouplersJohnston link-and-pin
Performance figures
Tractive effort19,102 lbf (84.97 kN) @ 75%
Career
OperatorsImperial Military Railways
Central South African Railways
Clydesdale Colliery
Ogies Colliery
ClassCSAR Class C
Number in class6
NumbersIMR 100-105, CSAR 203-208
Official nameClass C
NicknamesWestern Australian
Delivered1900
First run1900
Withdrawn1912
The 2nd & 3rd coupled axles had flangeless wheels

The Central South African Railways Class C 2-8-4T of 1900 was a South African steam locomotive from the pre-Union era in Transvaal.

In 1900, during the Second Boer War, the Imperial Military Railways experienced a shortage of locomotives and six 2-8-4T Berkshire type tank locomotives, destined for the Western Australian Government Railways, were diverted to South Africa where they became known as the Western Australians. In 1902, they came onto the roster of the Central South African Railways and were designated Class C.[1][2][3]

The Second Boer War

In 1899, when the Second Boer War broke out, the invading British military forces took control of all railways in the colonies of the Cape of Good Hope and Natal. As possession was obtained, this control was extended to the railways of the Oranje-Vrijstaat Gouwerment-Spoorwegen (OVGS) in the Orange Free State and the Nederlandsche-Zuid-Afrikaansche Spoorweg-Maatschappij (NZASM) in the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (ZAR).[1][4]

On 7 October 1899, Lieutenant-Colonel E.P.C. Girouard KCMG DSO RE, a Canadian serving in the Royal Engineers and, at the time, the President of the Egyptian State Railways, was appointed as Director of Railways for the South African Field Forces.[1][4]

While Girouard largely left control of the two colonial railways in the hands of their civilian staff, the railways of the two Boer Republics were worked under the title of Imperial Military Railways (IMR), with civilian and military personnel appointed by him.[1][4]

Origin and manufacturer

The damage which was inflicted on the railways during hostilities and the trans­portation demands of the British military led to a shortage of locomotives. To alleviate the shortage, a shipment of six new K class tank locomotives with a 2-8-4T Berkshire type wheel arrangement were diverted to the IMR in South Africa. They had been built for the Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR) by Neilson, Reid & Company in 1900.[1][2]

Characteristics

Their cylinders were inclined and arranged outside the 7⁄8-inch thick (22-millimetre) plate frames. The steam chests were arranged between the frames and the unbalanced slide valves were actuated by Stephenson valve gear through rocker shafts.[2]

Service

Imperial Military Railways

The IMR numbered the locomotives in the range from 100 to 105 and, since they were not classified, they became commonly known as the Western Australians.[1]

Central South African Railways

Peace was declared on 1 June 1902 and, on 1 July 1902, the railways were handed back to civilian authority. The IMR was transformed into the Central South African Railways (CSAR), which took control of all railways in the Transvaal and the Orange Free State. Girouard remained on as Commissioner of Railways and the NZASM went into liquidation.[4]

Mr. P.A. Hyde was appointed as Chief Locomotive Superintendent of the CSAR. One of the first steps to be taken was to classify and renumber all the locomotive stock, with tank locomotives classified alphabetically and tender locomotives numerically. Since the classification was done in increasing order of weight, the Western Australians were designated Class C, after the NZASM 40 Tonner (Class A) and 46 Tonner (Class B). The Western Australians were renumbered in the range from 203 to 208.[2][1]

The locomotives were not popular with the crews. As a result of their small coupled wheels and short connecting rods, they were found to ride roughly at speed. In addition, the footplate was cramped since the large side tanks, with a water capacity of 2,000 imperial gallons (9,100 litres), protruded into the cab. The CSAR therefore decided to use them as shunting engines until they were either disposed of or scrapped.[2][3]

By 1912, after the South African Railways (SAR) was established, these locomotives were considered obsolete and were not included in the SAR classification and renumbering list, but recommended for scrapping even though they were still less than twelve years old.[1][3]

Industry

Three of the locomotives did survive, however, two having been sold in 1904 to Clydesdale Collieries at Coalbrook in the northern Orange Free State and one to Ogies Colliery near Witbank. At Clydesdale, no. 204 was reboilered in 1939 and its boiler pressure raised from 160 to 180 pounds per square inch (1,100 to 1,200 kilopascals) in the process. It survived at the colliery until 1972.[2][3][5]

Works numbers

The CSAR Class C works numbers, renumbering and disposition are listed in the table.[1][5]

Illustration

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to CSAR Class C 2-8-4T.
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Holland, D.F. (1971). Steam Locomotives of the South African Railways. Vol. 1: 1859–1910 (1st ed.). Newton Abbott, England: David & Charles. pp. 122–123, 126. ISBN 978-0-7153-5382-0.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Espitalier, T.J.; Day, W.A.J. (1945). The Locomotive in South Africa - A Brief History of Railway Development. Chapter VI - Imperial Military Railways and C.S.A.R. (Continued). South African Railways and Harbours Magazine, January 1945. pp. 11-16.
  3. 1 2 3 4 South African 2-8-4T, The Locomotive Magazine, August 1955, p.142
  4. 1 2 3 4 The South African Railways - Historical Survey. Editor George Hart, Publisher Bill Hart, Sponsored by Dorbyl Ltd., Published c. 1978, pp. 22-23.
  5. 1 2 Dulez, Jean A. (2012). Railways of Southern Africa 150 Years (Commemorating One Hundred and Fifty Years of Railways on the Sub-Continent – Complete Motive Power Classifications and Famous Trains – 1860–2011) (1st ed.). Garden View, Johannesburg, South Africa: Vidrail Productions. pp. 33–34. ISBN 9 780620 512282.
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