Natal Government 4-8-2 Locomotives in South_Africa

Class A (Locobase 2715)

Data from Holland (1972, I), pp. 91-92; and "Class A", Reference 1 in South Aftrican Railways & Harbours 8 - 1941 Locomotive Diagrams NG supplied in August 2013 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange collection. See also "Locomotive for Natal", Engineering News, Volume 23 ( 8 February 1890), p.128; O S Nock, Railways at the Turn of the Century-Volume III of Railways of the World in Color (London: Blandford Press, 1969), plate 154 and p 164.. Works numbers were 2446-2451 in 1888; 2499-2505 in 1889; 2604-2628 in 1890; 2965-2967 in 1892; 3317-3322 in 1895; 3363-3368 in 1896; 3477-3486 in 1897;3556-3567, 3604-3605 in 1898; and 3811-3834 in 1899.

Low-drivered standard engine of the Natal Government system both before and after the 1901 4-10-2Ts described in another entry (Locobase 2714). In both cases, the adoption of so many axles indicated the goal of putting as much power to the rail as the light axle loading would permit. The EN report says that this design was an example of the tendency toward American types of construction. "On the whole," the report pronounced, "it has a serviceable, well-set-up appearance."

Boiler pressure at introduction was 140 psi, but replacement boilers worked at 160 psi as shown.

As Nock wrote in RWC III, such small drivers made them great hill-climbers, which the Natal scarps demanded, but precluded any speedy runs on the flat. They were later modified with Belpaire fireboxes; see Locobase 2908.

Class unknown (Locobase 20760)

Data from The History of the Steam Locomotives that have Served The Electricity Supply Industry in South Africa, Eskom, archived at [], last accessed 23 July 2020. Works number was 3480 in 1892.