South African Class 1A 4-8-0

Class of 21 South African 4-8-0 locomotives

28+1⁄2 in (724 mm)Coupled dia.46 in (1,168 mm)Tender wheels30 in (762 mm)Wheelbase50 ft 3+1⁄4 in (15,323 mm) • Engine22 ft 6 in (6,858 mm) • Leading6 ft (1,829 mm) • Coupled12 ft 9 in (3,886 mm) • Tender16 ft 6 in (5,029 mm) • Tender bogie4 ft 6 in (1,372 mm)Length:
• Over couplers57 ft 10 in (17,628 mm)Height12 ft 7+1⁄4 in (3,842 mm)Frame typePlateAxle load14 LT 11 cwt (14,780 kg) • Leading13 LT 12 cwt (13,820 kg) • 1st coupled14 LT 7 cwt (14,580 kg) • 2nd coupled14 LT 11 cwt (14,780 kg) • 3rd coupled13 LT 17 cwt (14,070 kg) • 4th coupled14 LT 6 cwt (14,530 kg) • Tender bogieBogie 1: 20 LT 1 cwt (20,370 kg)
Bogie 2: 20 LT 10 cwt (20,830 kg) • Tender axle10 LT 5 cwt (10,410 kg)Adhesive weight57 LT 1 cwt (57,970 kg)Loco weight70 LT 13 cwt (71,780 kg)Tender weight40 LT 11 cwt (41,200 kg)Total weight111 LT 4 cwt (113,000 kg)Tender typeTJ (2-axle bogies)
TJ, TL, TM permittedFuel typeCoalFuel capacity6 LT (6.1 t)Water cap.3,500 imp gal (15,900 L)Firebox: • TypeBelpaire & combustion chamber • Grate area34 sq ft (3.2 m²)Boiler:
• Pitch7 ft 4+1⁄4 in (2,242 mm) • Diameter5 ft 4+1⁄2 in (1,638 mm) • Tube plates12 ft 1 in (3,683 mm) • Small tubes325: 2 in (51 mm)Boiler pressure190 psi (1,310 kPa)Safety valveRamsbottomHeating surface: • Firebox132 sq ft (12.3 m²) • Tubes2,056 sq ft (191.0 m²) • Total surface2,188 sq ft (203.3 m²)CylindersTwoCylinder size20+1⁄2 in (521 mm) bore
24 in (610 mm) strokeValve gearWalschaertsValve typeMurdoch's D slide
Piston on no. 33CouplersJohnston link-and-pin
AAR knuckle (1930s)

Performance figures
Tractive effort	31,240 lbf (139.0 kN) @ 75%

Career
Operators	Natal Government Railways South African Railways
Class	NGR Class B SAR Class 1A
Number in class	21
Numbers	NGR 13-33 SAR 1289-1309
Delivered	1910
First run	1910
Withdrawn	1974

The leading coupled axle had flangeless wheels

The South African Railways Class 1A 4-8-0 of 1910 was a steam locomotive from the pre-Union era in the Colony of Natal.

In 1910, the Natal Government Railways placed 21 improved Class B 4-8-0 Mastodon type tender locomotives in service. In 1912, when these locomotives were assimilated into the South African Railways, they were renumbered and designated Class 1A.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]

Manufacturer

By 1909, more locomotives were required for goods operation on the lower sections of the Natal mainline and a further 21 locomotives of the Class B 4-8-0 Mastodon design were ordered by the Natal Government Railways (NGR). They were delivered and placed in service in 1910, built by the North British Locomotive Company with Type TJ tenders and numbered in the range from 13 to 33. These locomotives were also officially designated Class B and, since they incorporated various improvements on the locomotives of 1904, they became commonly known as the Class Improved Hendrie B.^[2]^[4]^[5]^[6]

Characteristics

Like their predecessors, they had Belpaire fireboxes with combustion chambers and Walschaerts valve gear. While they were practically identical to the 1904 locomotives in most respects, their boilers had been raised by 1+1⁄4 inches (32 millimetres), which raised the boiler pitch by 1 inch (25 millimetres) to 7 feet 4+1⁄4 inches (2,242 millimetres) and gave a better rake on the sides of the ash pan.^[2]

With one exception, they used Murdoch's D slide valves like the 1904 locomotives. The last locomotive, no. 33, was an experimental locomotive equipped with piston valves.^[1]^[2]

Hendrie's steam reverser

They were built with Hendrie’s steam reversers. The Hendrie steam reversing gear consisted of a 5+1⁄2 inches (140 millimetres) diameter steam cylinder and a 5 inches (127 millimetres) diameter oil cylinder, arranged in line on a bracket which was fixed to the main engine frame on the driver's side. The cylinders had a common piston rod which had a slot in the centre, between the cylinders. This slot accommodated a sliding crosshead which engaged with an arm fixed to the reversing shaft.^[2]

By means of a small lever, the driver could admit steam to either end of the steam cylinder, which would open a cataract valve arranged on top of the oil cylinder to allow oil to flow from either end of the oil cylinder to the other. A pointer in the cab would indicate the exact position of the reversing gear and, when the desired position was reached, bringing the hand lever to the central position would close the cataract valve and fix the gear in the forward or reverse position.^[2]

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 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 were only implemented with effect from 1 January 1912.^[3]^[7]

In 1912, these locomotives were renumbered in the range from 1289 to 1309 and designated Class 1A on the South African Railways (SAR).^[1]^[3]^[4]

Service

When new, they were used to haul fast passenger and goods trains between Durban and Pietermaritzburg. In SAR service, they were also used on mainline workings out of Port Elizabeth. In later years they were relegated to shunting, particularly working in Natal but also in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, East London and in Transvaal. None of them was reboilered with a Watson Standard boiler with a round-topped firebox.^[4]^[8]

In their last years, few Class 1 and Class 1A locomotives were still at work. As at April 1973, for example, there were still three working at Mason’s Mill in Pietermaritzburg and one in the Eastern Transvaal, two of them Class 1A. The last Class 1A locomotive was retired by the SAR in November 1974.^[8]

In industrial service, no. 1301 survived longer and was still in service as Apex Mines no. 3 at Greenside in 1984. In 2019, 1301 was donated by Apex Mines to UK based North British Locomotive Preservation Group. It is planned to restore the locomotive at the Wonderboom Transport Museum, Pretoria before repatriating it to the UK.^[9]^[10]

Works numbers and renumbering

Their works numbers, numbering and SAR renumbering are listed in the table.^[1]^[3]^[5]^[11]

NGR Class B 4-8-0 of 1910
SAR Class 1A 4-8-0
Works no.	NGR no.	SAR no.
19051	13	1289
19052	14	1290
19053	15	1291
19054	16	1292
19055	17	1293
19056	18	1294
19057	19	1295
19058	20	1296
19059	21	1297
19060	22	1298
19061	23	1299
19062	24	1300
19063	25	1301
19064	26	1302
19065	27	1303
19066	28	1304
19067	29	1305
19068	30	1306
19069	31	1307
19070	32	1308
19071	33	1309

Preservation

One example has survived into preservation.

Number	Works #	Owner	Current Location
1301	19063	North British Locomotive Preservation Group	Greenside Colliery

Illustration

The main picture shows a Class 1A locomotive with a modified Type TJ tender, while the following picture shows one with a Type TL tender which was rebuilt from a Type TJ tender c. 1930.^[6]

Class 1A no. 1300 with Type TL tender, c. 1930

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Holland, D.F. (1971). Steam Locomotives of the South African Railways. Vol. 1: 1859–1910 (1st ed.). Newton Abbott, England: David & Charles. pp. 99–101. ISBN 978-0-7153-5382-0.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f 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, July 1944. p. 505.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Classification of S.A.R. Engines with Renumbering Lists, issued by the Chief Mechanical Engineer’s Office, Pretoria, January 1912, pp. 7, 12, 15, 44 (Reprinted in April 1987 by SATS Museum, R.3125-6/9/11-1000)
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Paxton, Leith; Bourne, David (1985). Locomotives of the South African Railways (1st ed.). Cape Town: Struik. pp. 34–35. ISBN 0869772112.
^ ^a ^b North British Locomotive Company works list, compiled by Austrian locomotive historian Bernhard Schmeiser
^ ^a ^b South African Railways and Harbours Locomotive Diagram Book, 2’0" & 3’6" Gauge Steam Locomotives, 15 August 1941, as amended
^ The South African Railways - Historical Survey. Editor George Hart, Publisher Bill Hart, Sponsored by Dorbyl Ltd., Published c. 1978, p. 25.
^ ^a ^b Durrant, AE (1989). Twilight of South African Steam (1st ed.). Newton Abbott: David & Charles. p. 54. ISBN 0715386387.
^ NBL Group Aims to Repartiate Scottish-Designed 4-8-0 Steam Railway issue 499 November 2019 page 8
^ North British Group save Hendrie-designed loco in South Africa The Railway Magazine issue 1424 November 2019 page 96
^ Holland, D. F. (1972). Steam Locomotives of the South African Railways. Vol. 2: 1910-1955 (1st ed.). Newton Abbott, England: David & Charles. p. 137. ISBN 978-0-7153-5427-8.

External links

Media related to South African Class 1A (4-8-0) at Wikimedia Commons

Locomotives of Natal

4' 8½" gauge

Natal 0-4-0ST Durban
Natal 0-4-0WT Natal
Natal 4-4-0T Perseverance

3' 6" gauge

Durban's Congella
Durban's Edward Innes
Durban's John Milne
Durban's Sir Albert

2' gauge

Locomotives of South Africa

Steam

7' ¼" gauge	East London 0-4-0VB Table Bay 0-4-0ST Table Bay 0-4-0T Table Bay 0-4-0WT
Standard gauge	Cape 0-4-0T Blackie Cape 0-4-2 Cape 2-4-0T CGR 0-4-0ST Aid Natal 0-4-0ST Durban Natal 0-4-0WT Natal Natal 4-4-0T Perseverance
Cape gauge Tank engines	CGR 0-4-0ST 1873 CGR 0-4-0ST 1874 CGR 0-4-0ST 1881 CGR 0-4-0ST 1881 Coffee Pot CGR 0-6-0ST CGR 0-6-0T CGR 2-6-0ST 1900 CGR 2-6-0ST 1902 CGR 1st Class 0-4-0ST 1875 CGR 1st Class 0-4-0ST 1876 CGR 1st Class 2-6-0ST CGR 1st Class 4-4-0T CGR 2nd Class 4-4-0T CGR 3rd Class 2-6-0T CGR Railmotor CSAR Class C CSAR Class E CSAR Rack 4-6-4RT CSAR Railmotor Durban's Congella Durban's Edward Innes Durban's John Milne Durban's Sir Albert Port Elizabeth 0-4-0ST Kowie Railway 0-6-0T Kowie Railway 4-4-0T Metropolitan & Suburban 4-6-2T NGR 2-6-0T Durban & Pietermaritzburg NGR Class I 2-6-2T NGR Class K 0-4-0ST NGR Class K 0-6-0ST NGR Class K 2-6-0T NZASM 10 Tonner NZASM 13 Tonner NZASM 14 Tonner NZASM 18 Tonner NZASM 19 Tonner NZASM 32 Tonner NZASM 40 Tonner PPR 26 Tonner PPR 35 Tonner Portuguese SAR Class A SAR Class B SAR Class C SAR Class C1 SAR Class C2 SAR Class D SAR Class E SAR Class F SAR Class G SAR Class H SAR Class H1 SAR Class H2 SAR Class J SAR Class K SAR Railmotor SAR Dock 0-4-0ST SAR Dock 0-4-0T SWA 2-8-0T
Cape gauge Tender engines	CGR 1st Class 2-6-0 1876 BP CGR 1st Class 2-6-0 1876 Kitson CGR 1st Class 2-6-0 1879 CGR 1st Class 2-6-0 1891 CGR 1st Class 4-4-0 CGR 1st Class 4-4-0TT CGR 2nd Class 2-6-2TT CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1883 CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1884 CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1889 CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1898 CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1901 CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1903 CGR 4th Class 4-4-2 CGR 4th Class 4-6-0TT 1880 CGR 4th Class 4-6-0TT 1882 CGR 4th Class 4-6-0TT 1882 Joy CGR 4th Class 4-6-0TT 1884 CGR 5th Class 4-6-0 1890 CGR 5th Class 4-6-0 1891 NGR Havelock NGR Class I SAR Class Exp 1 SAR Class Exp 2 SAR Class Exp 3 SAR Class Exp 4 SAR Class Exp 5 SAR Class Exp 6 SAR Class S SAR Class S1 SAR Class S2 SAR Class 1 SAR Class 1A SAR Class 1B SAR Class 2 SAR Class 2C SAR Class 3 SAR Class 3A SAR Class 3B SAR Class 4 SAR Class 4A SAR Class 5 SAR Class 5A SAR Class 5B SAR Class 6 SAR Class 6A SAR Class 6B SAR Class 6C SAR Class 6D SAR Class 6E SAR Class 6F SAR Class 6G SAR Class 6H SAR Class 6J SAR Class 6K SAR Class 6L SAR Class 6Y SAR Class 6Z SAR Class 7 SAR Class 7A SAR Class 7B SAR Class 7C SAR Class 7D SAR Class 7E SAR Class 7F SAR Class 8 SAR Class 8A SAR Class 8B SAR Class 8C SAR Class 8D SAR Class 8E SAR Class 8F SAR Class 8R SAR Class 8X SAR Class 8Y SAR Class 8Z SAR Class 9 SAR Class 10 SAR Class 10A SAR Class 10B SAR Class 10C SAR Class 10D SAR Class 11 SAR Class 12 SAR Class 12A SAR Class 12B SAR Class 13 SAR Class 14 SAR Class 14A SAR Class 14B SAR Class 14C 1st SAR Class 14C 2nd SAR Class 14C 3rd SAR Class 14C 4th SAR Class 15 SAR Class 15A SAR Class 15B SAR Class 15C SAR Class 15CA SAR Class 15E SAR Class 15F SAR Class 16 SAR Class 16A SAR Class 16B SAR Class 16C SAR Class 16D SAR Class 16DA 1928 SAR Class 16DA 1930 SAR Class 16E SAR Class 17 SAR Class 18 SAR Class 19 SAR Class 19A SAR Class 19B SAR Class 19C SAR Class 19D SAR Class 20 SAR Class 21 SAR Class 23 SAR Class 24 SAR Class 25 SAR Class 25NC SAR Class 26 SAR Katanga SWA 2-8-0
Cape gauge Articulated engines	CGR Fairlie CGR Kitson-Meyer SAR Class FC SAR Class FD SAR Class GA SAR Class GB SAR Class GC SAR Class GCA SAR Class GD SAR Class GDA SAR Class GE SAR Class GEA SAR Class GF SAR Class GG SAR Class GH SAR Class GK SAR Class GL SAR Class GM SAR Class GMA SAR Class GO SAR Class HF SAR Class KM SAR Class MA SAR Class MB SAR Class MC SAR Class MC1 SAR Class MD SAR Class ME SAR Class MF SAR Class MG SAR Class MH SAR Class MJ SAR Class MJ1 SAR Class U
2' 6" gauge	Cape Copper John King & Miner Cape Copper Britannia Cape Copper Caledonia Cape Copper Clara Cape Copper Condenser Cape Copper Scotia Namaqua Copper Pioneer Walvis Bay 2-4-2T Hope
2' & 600mm gauges	ACR Class NG-G16A CGR NG 0-4-0T CGR NG 0-6-0T CGR NG 4-6-2T CGR Type A 2-6-4T CGR Type C 0-4-0T NGR Class N 4-6-2T SAR Dutton SAR NG 0-4-0T SAR Class NG1 SAR Class NG2 SAR Class NG3 SAR Class NG4 SAR Class NG5 SAR Class NG6 SAR Class NG7 SAR Class NG8 SAR Class NG9 SAR Class NG10 SAR Class NG-G11 SAR Class NG-G12 SAR Class NG-G13 SAR Class NG-G14 SAR Class NG15 SAR Class NG-G16 SWA Class Ha SWA Class Hb SWA Class Hc SWA Class Hd SWA Jung SWA Zwillinge

Electric

Amcoal Class E38

Gas-electric

SAR Gas-electric

Diesel

Cape gauge Diesel-electric	PRASA Class Afro 4000 SAR Class DS SAR Class DS1 SAR Class 31-000 SAR Class 32-000 SAR Class 32-200 SAR Class 33-000 SAR Class 33-200 SAR Class 33-400 SAR Class 34-000 SAR Class 34-200 SAR Class 34-400 SAR Class 34-500 SAR Class 34-600 SAR Class 34-800 SAR Class 34-900 SAR Class 35-000 SAR Class 35-200 SAR Class 35-400 SAR Class 35-600 TFR Class 35-800 SAR Class 36-000 SAR Class 36-200 SAR Class 37-000 Spoornet Class 39-000 TFR Class 39-200 TFR Class 43-000 TFR Class 44-000 TFR Class 45-000
2' gauge Diesel-electric	SAR Class 91-000
Cape gauge Diesel-hydraulic	SAR Class 61-000
Cape gauge Electro-diesel	Spoornet Class 38-000

v t e South African steam locomotive tenders
Cape gauge	Type CL Type CZ Type ET Type ET1 Type EW Type EW1 Type EW2 Type FT Type GT Type HT Type JT Type JT1 Type JV Type KT Type LP Type MP Type MP1 Type MR Type MS Type MT Type MT1 Type MT2 Type MX Type MY Type MY1 Type SH Type SK Type TJ Type TL Type TM Type WE Type WG Type X-17 Type X-20 Type XC Type XC1 Type XD Type XE Type XE1 Type XF Type XF1 Type XF2 Type XJ Type XM Type XM1 Type XM2 Type XM3 Type XM4 Type XP1 Type XS Type YB Type YC Type YE Type YE1 Type ZA Type ZB Type ZC Type ZE
List of South African locomotive classes South African locomotive history