South African Class C1 4-6-2T
Encyclopedia
Between 1879 and 1885 the Natal Government Railways
Natal government railways
The Natal Government Railways was formed in January 1877 in the Colony of Natal.In 1877 the Natal Government Railways acquired the Natal Railway Company for the sum of £40,000, gaining the line from the Point to Durban and from Durban to Umgeni...

 placed thirty-seven 4-6-0T tank steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...

s in service. In 1901 one of them was rebuilt to a 4-6-2T locomotive and in 1912, when it was assimilated into the South African Railways, it was renumbered and reclassified to Class C1. During 1912 four more of these 4-6-2T locomotives were built from surplus material in the Durban workshops.

Manufacturers

The NGR Class K&S 4-6-0T tank locomotives, so named after their builders, Kitson and Company and Robert Stephenson and Company
Robert Stephenson and Company
Robert Stephenson and Company was a locomotive manufacturing company founded in 1823. It was the first company set up specifically to build railway engines.- Foundation and early success :...

, were delivered between 1879 and 1884. They had plate frames and used Stephenson valve gear. In 1901 W. Milne, who was appointed as Locomotive Superintendent of the NGR in 1877, rebuilt one of the Kitson batch of 1882, number 25, to a 4-6-2T wheel arrangement. The NGR later renumbered this locomotive to 38, but it remained known as a K&S class in NGR service.

The rebuilding resulted in a heavier locomotive, with its weight increased from 29.1 long tons (29.6 t) to 38.6 long tons (39.2 t). It had a 5 feet (1.524 m) longer wheelbase and was 2 in 9 in (0.8382 m) longer over the buffers. A larger coal bunker increased its fuel carrying capacity from 1 long tons (1 t) to 2.25 long tons (2.3 t) and larger water tanks increased its capacity from 700 to 1070 imp gal (3,182.3 to 4,864.3 l). It was also equipped with a larger boiler, with the operating pressure reduced from 175 pound per square inch.

Renumbering

When the three colonial railroads were amalgamated into the South African Railways (SAR) in 1912, this locomotive became the SAR’s Class C1 and was renumbered 77. The rebuilt locomotive ran well and gave such good service that, also in 1912, the SAR built a further four Class C1 locomotives in the Durban workshops, mostly from spare parts and surplus material. These four were numbered 325 to 328.

Service

The Class C1 was used on branch line work and for shunting at various depots, until it was withdrawn from service in 1931.

See also

  • South African Class C 4-6-0T
    South African Class C 4-6-0T
    Between 1879 and 1885 the Natal Government Railways placed thirty-seven 4-6-0T tank steam locomotives in service. In 1912, when fifteen of these locomotives were assimilated into the South African Railways, they were renumbered and reclassified to Class C....

  • South African Class C2 4-6-4T
    South African Class C2 4-6-4T
    Between 1879 and 1885 the Natal Government Railways placed thirty-seven 4-6-0T tank steam locomotives in service. In 1896 one of them was rebuilt to a 4-6-4T locomotive and in 1912, when it was assimilated into the South African Railways, this locomotive was renumbered and reclassified to the sole...

  • Tank locomotive numbering and classification
  • The 4-6-2 "Pacific"
  • List of South African locomotive classes
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