South African Class C2 4-6-4T

This article is about one of two different Natal Government Railways locomotive types to be designated "Class H". For the other NGR Class H locomotive, see South African Class C1 4-6-2T.

NGR Class H 4-6-4T
South African Class C2 4-6-4T

300px NGR Class H 4-6-4T no. 39 arriving at Port Shepstone with the afternoon train from Durban, c. 1905

Type and origin Power type Steam Designer Kitson and Company Builder Robert Stephenson and Company Natal Government Railways Serial number 2487 Model NGR Class H Build date 1896 Total produced 1

Specifications Configuration 4-6-4T (Baltic) Driver axle 2nd coupled axle Gauge 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) Cape gauge Leading dia Coupled dia 39 in (991 mm) Trailing dia Wheelbase  • Leading 5 ft (1,524 mm)  • Coupled 7 ft 9 in (2,362 mm)  • Trailing 5 ft (1,524 mm) Wheel spacing (Assymetrical) 1-2: 2-3: Length:  • Over couplers Height Frame type Plate Axle load  • Leading  • 1st coupled  • 2nd coupled  • 3rd coupled  • Trailing Adhesive weight Loco weight Fuel type Coal Fuel capacity 2 LT (2.0 t) Water cap Boiler:  • Pitch 5 ft 7 in (1,702 mm)  • Diameter  • Tube plates  • Small tubes 130:  • Firebox type Round-top Boiler pressure 145 psi (1,000 kPa) Safety valve Ramsbottom Firegrate area 11 sq ft (1.0 m2) Heating surface 669 sq ft (62.2 m2)  • Tubes 611 sq ft (56.8 m2)  • Firebox 58 sq ft (5.4 m2) Cylinders Two Cylinder size 14 in (356 mm) bore 21 in (533 mm) stroke Valve gear Stephenson Couplers Bell link-and-pin

Performance figures Tractive effort 11,480 lbf (51.1 kN) @ 75%

Career Operators Natal Government Railways South African Railways Class NGR Class H, SAR Class C2 Number in class 1 Numbers NGR 21, renumbered 39 SAR 86 Delivered 1896 First run 1896 Withdrawn 1931

The South African Railways Class C2 4-6-4T of 1896 was a steam locomotive from the pre-Union era in the Natal Colony.

Between 1879 and 1885, the Natal Government Railways placed thirty-seven 4-6-0 tank steam locomotives in service, which were later designated Class G. In 1896, one of them was rebuilt to the first known 4-6-4T Baltic type locomotive, later designated Class H. In 1912, when this rebuilt engine was assimilated into the South African Railways, it was renumbered and became its only Class C2 locomotive.

Manufacturers

The Natal Government Railways (NGR) Class G 4-6-0T tank locomotives, sometimes known as the K&S Class after their builders, Kitson and Stephenson, were delivered between 1879 and 1884. They had plate frames and used Stephenson valve gear.

Rebuilding

In 1896, George William Reid, who succeeded William Milne as Locomotive Superintendent of the NGR on 1 July of that year, rebuilt one of the Stephenson-built batch of 1882, no. 21, to a 4-6-4T wheel arrangement. In the process, the frame had to be extended to accommodate the trailing bogie and the coal bunker could be enlarged to a capacity of 2 long tons (2.0 tonnes).

File:G.W.Reid.jpg

G.W. Reid

The locomotive was rebuilt for use in shuttle service on the South Coast line where, at the time, no turntable or triangle was available at the terminus. The modification was done to enable the locomotive to run equally well chimney or bunker forward.

This locomotive was the first known in the world to have a 4-6-4T Baltic type wheel arrangement. The NGR later renumbered it to no. 39, but it remained known as a K&S type in NGR service, until a classification system was introduced at some stage between 1904 and 1908 and it was designated the NGR Class H.

The rebuilding resulted in a heavier locomotive, with its weight increased from 29 long tons 2 hundredweight (29.6 tonnes) to 33 long tons 2 hundredweight (33.6 tonnes). It had an 8 feet 11 inches (2,718 millimetres) longer wheelbase and was longer over the couplers. A larger coal bunker increased its fuel carrying capacity from 1 long ton (1.0 tonne) to 2 long tons (2.0 tonnes), while larger water tanks increased its capacity from . The operating pressure of its boiler was reduced from 175 to 145 pounds per square inch (1,207 to 1,000 kilopascals).

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 required careful planning and was only implemented with effect from 1 January 1912.

In 1912, this locomotive became the sole Class C2 engine on the South African Railways and was renumbered 86.

Service

The Class C2 remained in use on branchline work on the South Coast line and was later relegated to shunting work, until it was withdrawn from service in 1931.

Illustration

• Class C2 86 (4-6-4T) NGR 39 Playing Cards.jpg

  SAR Class C2 no. 86, as depicted on a SAR Museum playing card