This article is about one of several different Cape Government Railways locomotive types to be designated "8th Class". For the others, see Cape Government Railways 8th Class locomotives.
CGR 8th Class 4-8-0 1903 South African Classes 8D & 8DW 4-8-0
CGR 8th Class no. 788, SAR Class 8D no. 1223, Bloemfontein, 22 March 1970
Type and origin
♠ Original locomotive, as built ♥ Superheated, outside admission valves ♣ Superheated, inside admission valves, Class 8DW
The South African Railways Class 8D 4-8-0 of 1903 was a steam locomotive from the pre-Union era in the Cape of Good Hope.
In 1903, when the first batch of 8th Class4-8-0 Mastodon type locomotives had been tried and proven successful, the Cape Government Railways placed another 38 8th Class 4-8-0steam locomotives in service, six on the Western System, twenty on the Midland System and twelve on the Eastern System. In 1912, when they were assimilated into the South African Railways, they were renumbered and designated Class 8D.[1][2][3]
Manufacture
Evolution
The first 8th Class locomotive of the Cape Government Railways (CGR) was a 2-8-0 Consolidation type, designed by H.M. Beatty, the Chief Locomotive Superintendent of the CGR from 1896 to 1910. It was later to be designated the South African Railways (SAR) Class 8X.[2]
H.M. Beatty
While these first Schenectady- and ALCO-built 2-8-0 locomotives were being subjected to exhaustive testing on all types of traffic and under varying conditions, some trouble was experienced with the leading two-wheeled pony truck. When designs were prepared at Salt River for a later order for more locomotives, the pony truck was replaced with a four-wheeled bogie.[2]
These 38 locomotives were the second batch of CGR 8th Class locomotives to be built with a 4-8-0 Mastodon type wheel arrangement. In spite of the difference in wheel arrangement, the CGR's new post-7th Class Consolidations and Mastodons were all grouped together into the 8th Class.[1][2]
The locomotives were delivered with Type XE1 tenders and distributed between the CGR's Midland, Eastern and Western systems.
Twenty were allocated to the Midland System, nineteen of them numbered in the range from 366 to 384 and the twentieth numbered 399.
Twelve, numbered in the range from 783 to 794, went to the Eastern System.
Six, numbered in the range from 807 to 812, went to the Western System.[2][6]
Class 8 sub-classes
When the Union of South Africa was established on 31 May 1910, the three Colonial government railways (CGR, Natal Government Railways 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][8]
In 1912, these 38 locomotives were renumbered in the range from 1192 to 1229 and designated Class 8D on the South African Railways (SAR).[6]
These locomotives, together with the rest of the CGR's 8th Class 2-8-0 Consolidations and 8th Class 4-8-0 Mastodons as well as the Class 8-L1 to 8-L3 4-8-0 Mastodon locomotives from the Central South African Railways (CSAR), were grouped into ten different sub-classes by the SAR. The 4-8-0 locomotives became SAR Classes 8 and 8A to 8F and the 2-8-0 locomotives became Classes 8X to 8Z.[9]
Modifications
Superheating
During A.G. Watson's term as the Chief Mechanical Engineer of the SAR from 1929 to 1936, many of the Class 8 to Class 8F locomotives were equipped with superheated boilers, larger bore cylinders and either inside or outside admission piston valves. The outside admission valve locomotives had their cylinder bore increased from 18+1⁄2 inches (470 millimetres) to 19 inches (483 millimetres) and retained their existing SAR classifications, while the inside admission valve locomotives had their cylinder bore increased to 20 inches (508 millimetres) and were reclassified by having a "W" suffix added to their existing SAR classifications.[1][9]
Of the Class 8D locomotives, nine were equipped with superheated boilers, 19 inches (483 millimetres) bore cylinders and outside admission piston valves, while retaining their Class 8D classification.[9]
Fourteen were equipped with superheated boilers, 20 inches (508 millimetres) bore cylinders and inside admission piston valves, and were reclassified to Class 8DW.[9]
Experimental chimney
In the early 1930s engine no. 1197 was fitted with an experimental chimney designed by Watson. A similar chimney, the shape of which earned it a nickname that referred to a night bucket, was also tested on Class 5B no. 726. This experiment did not result in further production.[10]
Service
In SAR service, the 4-8-0 Class 8 family of locomotives served on every system in the country and, in the 1920s, became the mainstay of motive power on many branch lines. Their final days were spent in shunting service and they were all withdrawn by 1972.[1]
Some were sold into industrial service after withdrawal, like no. 1211, which became Puffing Duggie at Grootvlei Proprietary Mines (GVPM).[1][11]
Works numbers
The Class 8D and Class 8DW locomotive builders, works numbers, CGR to SAR renumbering and superheating modifications are listed in the table.[3][4][5][9]
Class 8D 4-8-0 Builders, Works Numbers & Renumbering
Builder
Year
Works No.
CGR No.
CGR System
SAR No.
SAR Model
Neilson Reid
1903
6325
807
Western
1192
Class 8DW
Neilson Reid
1903
6326
808
Western
1193
Neilson Reid
1903
6327
809
Western
1194
Neilson Reid
1903
6328
810
Western
1195
Neilson Reid
1903
6329
811
Western
1196
Superheated
Neilson Reid
1903
6330
812
Western
1197
Class 8DW
Neilson Reid
1902
6284
366
Midland
1198
Class 8DW
Neilson Reid
1902
6285
367
Midland
1199
Neilson Reid
1902
6286
368
Midland
1200
Superheated
Neilson Reid
1902
6287
369
Midland
1201
Neilson Reid
1902
6288
370
Midland
1202
Class 8DW
Neilson Reid
1902
6289
371
Midland
1203
Neilson Reid
1902
6290
372
Midland
1204
Neilson Reid
1902
6291
373
Midland
1205
Class 8DW
Neilson Reid
1902
6292
374
Midland
1206
Class 8DW
Neilson Reid
1902
6293
375
Midland
1207
Class 8DW
Neilson Reid
1902
6294
376
Midland
1208
Class 8DW
Neilson Reid
1902
6295
377
Midland
1209
Neilson Reid
1903
6303
378
Midland
1210
Neilson Reid
1903
6304
379
Midland
1211
Class 8DW
Neilson Reid
1903
6305
380
Midland
1212
Class 8DW
Neilson Reid
1903
6308
381
Midland
1213
Superheated
NBL
1903
15833
382
Midland
1214
Superheated
NBL
1903
15834
383
Midland
1215
NBL
1903
15835
384
Midland
1216
Class 8DW
NBL
1903
15836
399
Midland
1217
Superheated
Neilson Reid
1902
6296
783
Eastern
1218
Neilson Reid
1902
6297
784
Eastern
1219
Class 8DW
Neilson Reid
1902
6298
785
Eastern
1220
Neilson Reid
1902
6299
786
Eastern
1221
Class 8DW
Neilson Reid
1903
6306
787
Eastern
1222
Neilson Reid
1902
6300
788
Eastern
1223
Superheated
Neilson Reid
1903
6307
789
Eastern
1224
Superheated
Neilson Reid
1902
6301
790
Eastern
1225
Superheated
Neilson Reid
1903
6331
791
Eastern
1226
Class 8DW
Neilson Reid
1903
6332
792
Eastern
1227
Neilson Reid
1903
6333
793
Eastern
1228
Neilson Reid
1903
6334
794
Eastern
1229
Superheated
Illustration
The main picture shows reboilered and modified SAR Class 8D no. 1223 at the Bloemfontein locomotive depot on 22 March 1970. In the second picture below, the same locomotive is depicted before the modification.
No. 1197 at East London with an experimental night bucket chimney, c. 1931
Still unmodified ex CGR (Eastern System) no. 788, SAR no. 1223, at Fort Beaufort, Eastern Cape, c. 1936
Ex CGR (Eastern System) no. 788, SAR no. 1223, here modified to superheating, c. 1970
Ex SAR Class 8DW no. 1211, GVPM Puffing Duggie, Chamdor, 2 February 2009
^ abcdePaxton, Leith; Bourne, David (1985). Locomotives of the South African Railways (1st ed.). Cape Town: Struik. pp. 48–49. ISBN0869772112.
^ abcdefHolland, D.F. (1971). Steam Locomotives of the South African Railways. Vol. 1: 1859–1910 (1st ed.). Newton Abbott, England: David & Charles. pp. 63–64. ISBN978-0-7153-5382-0.
^ abcClassification of S.A.R. Engines with Renumbering Lists, issued by the Chief Mechanical Engineer's Office, Pretoria, January 1912, pp. 9, 12, 15, 42-43 (Reprinted in April 1987 by SATS Museum, R.3125-6/9/11-1000)
^ abNeilson, Reid works list, compiled by Austrian locomotive historian Bernhard Schmeiser
^ abNorth British Locomotive Company works list, compiled by Austrian locomotive historian Bernhard Schmeiser
^ abHolland, D. F. (1972). Steam Locomotives of the South African Railways. Vol. 2: 1910-1955 (1st ed.). Newton Abbott, England: David & Charles. p. 139. ISBN978-0-7153-5427-8.
^The South African Railways - Historical Survey. Editor George Hart, Publisher Bill Hart, Sponsored by Dorbyl Ltd., Published c. 1978, p. 25.
^ abcdeSouth African Railways and Harbours Locomotive Diagram Book, 2'0" & 3'6" Gauge Steam Locomotives, 15 August 1941, as amended
^SAR Mechanical Department. Experimental Chimney. Class 5B Engine no. 726. SAR Mechanical Department Drawing Office Pretoria, Drawing L-7503, 7 October 1931.
^Middleton, John N. (2002). Railways of Southern Africa Locomotive Guide - 2002 (as amended by Combined Amendment List 4, January 2009) (2nd, Dec 2002 ed.). Herts, England: Beyer-Garratt Publications. pp. 14, 19.