4-10-2 Steam Locomotives in South Africa

Imperial Military+ Railways


Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class IMG H/E/H1 (Locobase 11693)

Data from South African Class H1 4-8-2T" in Wikipedia at [], last accessed 13 July 2023.; and "Heavy Side Tank Locomotives for the Natal Government Railway", Railway Age, Volume XXXV [35], No 3 (15 January 1903), p 78, Dubs works numbers were 4088, 4099-4100 and Neilson, Reid & Company works numbers were 6196, 6206, 7213.

Wikipedia explains that these engines were part of a 25-engine addition to the original "Reid Ten-wheelers" described in Locobase 2714 Purchased by the Imperial Military Railways, the class became the E class in the Central South African Railways (CSAR) at the end of the Boer War. In 1912,

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
ClassIMG H/E/H1
Locobase ID11693
RailroadImperial Military+ Railways
CountrySouth Africa
Whyte4-10-2T
Number in Class35
Road Numbers
Gauge3'6"
Number Built35
Builderseveral
Year1901
Valve GearAllan
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m)
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)30.50 / 9.30
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)24.75 / 7.54
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)27,440 / 12,447
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)122,752 / 55,679
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)154,224 / 69,955
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)2259 / 8.56
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT) 4.40 / 4
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)41 / 20.50
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)45 / 1143
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)175 / 1210
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)19" x 27" / 483x686
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)32,219 / 14614.31
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 3.81
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)287 - 1.75" / 44
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)10.33 / 3.15
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)149 / 13.84
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)21.50 / 2
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)1494 / 138.80
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)1494 / 138.80
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume168.62
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation3763
Same as above plus superheater percentage3763
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area26,075
Power L13317
Power MT297.87

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