CSAR Class F 4-6-4T South African Class F 4-6-4T | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CSAR Class F no. 260, SAR Class F no. 78 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The South African Railways Class F 4-6-4T of 1904 was a steam locomotive from the pre-Union era in Transvaal Colony.
The Union of South Africa is the historical predecessor to the present-day Republic of South Africa. It came into being on 31 May 1910 with the unification of the Cape Colony, the Natal Colony, the Transvaal, and the Orange River Colony. It included the territories that were formerly a part of the South African Republic and the Orange Free State.
The Transvaal Colony was the name used to refer to the Transvaal region during the period of direct British rule and military occupation between the end of the Anglo-Boer War in 1902 when the South African Republic was dissolved, and the establishment of the Union of South Africa in 1910. The physical borders of the Transvaal Colony were not identical to the defeated South African Republic, but was larger. In 1910 the entire territory became the Transvaal Province of the Union of South Africa.
In 1904, the Central South African Railways placed eight Class F tank steam locomotives with a 4-6-4 Baltic type wheel arrangement in service. In 1912, when these locomotives were assimilated into the South African Railways, they were renumbered but retained their Class F classification. [1] [2] [3]
The Central South African Railways (CSAR) was from 1902 to 1910 the operator of public railways in the Transvaal Colony and Orange River Colony in what is now South Africa. During the Anglo-Boer War, as British forces moved into the territory of the Orange Free State and the South African Republic, the Orange Free State Government Railways, the Netherlands-South African Railway Company and the Pretoria-Pietersburg Railway were taken over by the Imperial Military Railways under Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Percy Girouard. After the war had ended, the Imperial Military Railways became the Central South African Railways in July 1902, with Thomas Rees Price as General Manager. With the creation of the Union of South Africa in 1910, the CSAR was merged with the Cape Government Railways and the Natal Government Railways to form the South African Railways.
A steam locomotive is a type of railway locomotive that produces its pulling power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning combustible material – usually coal, wood, or oil – to produce steam in a boiler. The steam moves reciprocating pistons which are mechanically connected to the locomotive's main wheels (drivers). Both fuel and water supplies are carried with the locomotive, either on the locomotive itself or in wagons (tenders) pulled behind.
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of locomotives, 4-6-4 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels and four trailing wheels. In France where the type was first used, it is known as the Baltic while it became known as the Hudson in most of North America.
The first two locomotive types to be designed for the Central South African Railways (CSAR) by P.A. Hyde, who had been appointed as Chief Locomotive Superintendent of the CSAR upon its inception on 1 July 1902, were placed in service in 1904. These were the Class 9 Pacific type passenger locomotive and the Class F 4-6-4 Baltic type tank steam locomotive. [1] [2]
The South African Railways Class 9 4-6-2 of 1904 was a steam locomotive from the pre-Union era in Transvaal Colony.
Orders for these two classes were placed simultaneously with Vulcan Foundry of Newton-le-Willows in England. The eight Class F locomotives were delivered in 1904, numbered in the range from 260 to 267. [1] [2]
The Vulcan Foundry Limited was an English locomotive builder sited at Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire.
Since the Class F and the Class 9 were designed and built simultaneously, there were many similarities between them. Apart from the tank locomotive's slightly smaller coupled wheels of 54 inches (1,372 millimetres) diameter compared to 57 inches (1,448 millimetres) on the Class 9, many parts were made interchangeable, including their boilers, cylinders and valve motion. They had bar frames, Stephenson valve gear and used saturated steam. [1] [2] [4]
The Stephenson valve gear or Stephenson link or shifting link is a simple design of valve gear that was widely used throughout the world for all kinds of steam engines. It is named after Robert Stephenson but was invented by his employees.
The locomotive had electric headlights, powered by a steam turbine and generator which were fitted between the chimney and the headlight on top of the smokebox. [2]
In common with the CSAR's Classes 8 and 9, the Class F suffered from fractures in the bar frames, particularly between the cylinders and the leading coupled wheels. The problem was overcome by fitting 1⁄2 inch (13 millimetres) thick flitch plates on each side of the frame at this point. [2]
When the Union of South Africa was established on 31 May 1910, the three Colonial government railways (Cape Government Railways, Natal Government Railways and CSAR) 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] [5]
In 1912, these locomotives retained their Class F designation, but were renumbered in the range from 78 to 85. [3] [4] [6]
At the time when the Class F locomotives were ordered, the suburban services on the Reef were being worked by 46 Tonner Class B tank locomotives which had been inherited from the Nederlandsche-Zuid-Afrikaansche Spoorweg-Maatschappij (NZASM) via the Imperial Military Railways (IMR). Since the loads were fast becoming too heavy for them, the Class F was designed and ordered as a replacement, intended for the suburban passenger services between Springs and Randfontein. [1] [4]
Hyde considered the Class F and the Class 9 as two of his most successful designs for the CSAR. The tank locomotives were very attractive in appearance, with double red lining on their black livery. The IMR tradition of polished copper-capped chimneys, brass domes and boiler bands was continued on the CSAR. The locomotives were always maintained in immaculate condition while in service and became affectionately known as the Chocolate Boxes. [1] [4]
The last of the Class F was withdrawn from service by 1931. [4]
The main picture is a Vulcan Foundry builder's photograph of Class F no. 260. The following pictures show the locomotive in service.
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