- South African Class 15F 4-8-2
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South African Class 15F 4-8-2 2940 "Lynette" at speed on the Johannesburg-Magaliesburg line, 6 April 1992 Power type Steam Designer South African Railways Builder Berliner Maschinenbau
Henschel and Son
North British Locomotive Company
Beyer, Peacock and CompanyOrder number BP 1554, 1555[1] Serial number Berliner 10820-10826[2]
Henschel 23932-23945[3]
NBL 24463-24506, 25536-25595, 25941-26040[4]
BP 7082-7111[1]Model Class 15F Build date 1938-1946 Total produced 255 Configuration 4-8-2 "Mountain" Gauge 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) Cape gauge Leading wheel
diameter30 in (762 mm) Driver diameter 60 in (1,520 mm) Trailing wheel
diameter34 in (864 mm) Wheelbase Total: 65 ft 6.3125 in (19.972 m)
Engine:
6 ft 10 in (2.083 m) pilot
15 ft 9 in (4.801 m) coupled
35 ft 8 in (10.871 m) total
Tender:
6 ft 2 in (1.880 m) bogie
20 ft 5 in (6.223 m) totalLength 73 ft 5.9375 in (22.401 m) Height 12 ft 11.5 in (3.950 m) Frame Bar frame Axle load 18.1 long tons (18.4 t) on 2nd & 3rd drivers (2902-3056)
18.75 long tons (19.1 t) on 2nd & 3rd drivers (3057-3156)Weight on drivers 70.7 long tons (71.8 t) (2902-3056)
74.5 long tons (75.7 t) (3057-3156)Locomotive weight 106.6 long tons (108.3 t) (2902-2915 & 2917-2922)
108.25 long tons (110.0 t) (2916)
113.05 long tons (114.9 t) (2923-3056)
113.3 long tons (115.1 t) (3057-3156)Tender weight Type JT:
66,416 lb (30.1 t) empty
69.4 long tons (70.5 t) w/o
Type ET:
67,648 lb (30.7 t) empty
69.4 long tons (70.5 t) w/oTender type 2902-3056: JT - JT, JV permitted
* 2 axle bogies
* Wheels 34 in (864 mm) dia
* Length 30 ft 9.0625 in (9.374 m)
3057-3156: ET - ET, EW permitted
* 2 axle bogies
* Wheels 34 in (864 mm) dia
* Length 30 ft 9.4375 in (9.384 m)Fuel type Coal Fuel capacity 14 long tons (14.2 t) Water capacity Type JT: 6,000 imp gal (27,000 l)
Type ET: 5,620 imp gal (25,500 l)Boiler 6 ft 2.25 in (1.886 m) int dia
22 ft 6 in (6.858 m) int length
9 ft 2.5 in (2.807 m) pitchBoiler pressure 210 psi (1,450 kPa) Firegrate area 63 sq ft (5.853 m2) Heating surface:
Tubes136 tubes 2.5 in (63.5 mm) ext dia
36 tubes 5.5 in (140 mm) ext dia
3,168 sq ft (294.317 m2)Heating surface:
Flues26 sq ft (2.415 m2) Heating surface:
Firebox206 sq ft (19.138 m2) Heating surface:
Total3,400 sq ft (315.870 m2) Superheater area 676 sq ft (62.802 m2) Cylinders Two Cylinder size 24 in (610 mm) bore
28 in (711 mm) strokeValve gear Walschaerts Tractive effort 42,340 lbf (188.3 kN) at 75% boiler pressure[5] Locomotive brakes Pre-war models: Steam
Post-war models: VacuumCareer South African Railways Class Class 15F Number in class 255 Number 2902–3156 Delivered 1938-1946 First run 1938 Disposition Retired The Class 15F was the most numerous steam locomotive class in South African Railways service. Between 1938 and 1946 two hundred and fifty-five of these steam locomotives with a 4-8-2 Mountain wheel arrangement were placed in service.[5][6]
Contents
Manufacturers
The Class 15F 4-8-2 steam locomotive was designed by W.A.J Day, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the South African Railways (SAR) from 1936 to 1939, and was built in four batches by four locomotive manufacturers in Germany and the United Kingdom over a period of eight years spanning World War II.[7]
- The first twenty-one were built in Germany in 1938. Seven were delivered by Berliner Maschinenbau, numbered 2902 to 2908, and fourteen by Henschel and Son, numbered 2909 to 2922.[3]
- Another forty-four were built by the North British Locomotive Company (NBL) of Glasgow in 1938. They were delivered in 1939, numbered 2923 to 2966.[4]
- Locomotive building was interrupted by World War II, but because of a critical motive power shortage that developed in South Africa during the war, manufacturing of the Class 15F was resumed even before hostilities had ceased. In 1944 production started on thirty locomotives by Beyer, Peacock and Company (BP), delivered later that same year and numbered 2967 to 2996.[1]
- In 1945 sixty were built and delivered by NBL, numbered 2997 to 3056.[4]
- The final batch of one hundred Class 15Fs were built by NBL in 1946 and 1947 and delivered between 1946 and 1948, numbered 3057 to 3156.[4]
The table shows the Class 15F running numbers, builders, years built and works numbers.[1][3][4][6]
Class 15F 4-8-2
Builders & Works Numbers
SAR No.Builder Year Works
No.2902 Berliner 1938 10820 2903 Berliner 1938 10821 2904 Berliner 1938 10822 2905 Berliner 1938 10823 2906 Berliner 1938 10824 2907 Berliner 1938 10825 2908 Berliner 1938 10826 2909 Henschel 1938 23932 2910 Henschel 1938 23933 2911 Henschel 1938 23934 2912 Henschel 1938 23935 2913 Henschel 1938 23936 2914 Henschel 1938 23937 2915 Henschel 1938 23938 2916 Henschel 1938 23939 2917 Henschel 1938 23940 2918 Henschel 1938 23941 2919 Henschel 1938 23942 2920 Henschel 1938 23943 2921 Henschel 1938 23944 2922 Henschel 1938 23945 2923 NBL 1938 24463 2924 NBL 1938 24464 2925 NBL 1938 24465 2926 NBL 1938 24466 2927 NBL 1938 24467 2928 NBL 1938 24468 2929 NBL 1938 24469 2930 NBL 1938 24470 2931 NBL 1938 24471 2932 NBL 1938 24472 2933 NBL 1938 24473 2934 NBL 1938 24474 2935 NBL 1938 24475 2936 NBL 1938 24476 2937 NBL 1938 24477 2938 NBL 1938 24478 2939 NBL 1938 24479 2940 NBL 1938 24480 2941 NBL 1938 24481 2942 NBL 1938 24482 2943 NBL 1938 24483 2944 NBL 1938 24484 2945 NBL 1938 24485 2946 NBL 1938 24486 2947 NBL 1938 24487 2948 NBL 1938 24488 2949 NBL 1938 24489 2950 NBL 1938 24490 2951 NBL 1938 24491 2952 NBL 1938 24492 2953 NBL 1938 24493 2954 NBL 1938 24494 2955 NBL 1938 24495 2956 NBL 1938 24496 2957 NBL 1938 24497 2958 NBL 1938 24498 2959 NBL 1938 24499 2960 NBL 1938 24500 2961 NBL 1938 24501 2962 NBL 1938 24502 2963 NBL 1938 24503 2964 NBL 1938 24504 2965 NBL 1938 24505 2966 NBL 1938 24506 2967 BP 1944 7082 2968 BP 1944 7083 2969 BP 1944 7084 2970 BP 1944 7085 2971 BP 1944 7086 2972 BP 1944 7087 2973 BP 1944 7088 2974 BP 1944 7089 2975 BP 1944 7090 2976 BP 1944 7091 2977 BP 1944 7092 2978 BP 1944 7093 2979 BP 1944 7094 2980 BP 1944 7095 2981 BP 1944 7096 2982 BP 1944 7097 2983 BP 1944 7098 2984 BP 1944 7099 2985 BP 1944 7100 2986 BP 1944 7101 2987 BP 1944 7102 2988 BP 1944 7103 2989 BP 1944 7104 2990 BP 1944 7105 2991 BP 1944 7106 2992 BP 1944 7107 2993 BP 1944 7108 2994 BP 1944 7109 2995 BP 1944 7110 2996 BP 1944 7111 2997 NBL 1945 25536 2998 NBL 1945 25537 2999 NBL 1945 25538 3000 NBL 1945 25539 3001 NBL 1945 25540 3002 NBL 1945 25541 3003 NBL 1945 25542 3004 NBL 1945 25543 3005 NBL 1945 25544 3006 NBL 1945 25545 3007 NBL 1945 25546 3008 NBL 1945 25547 3009 NBL 1945 25548 3010 NBL 1945 25549 3011 NBL 1945 25550 3012 NBL 1945 25551 3013 NBL 1945 25552 3014 NBL 1945 25553 3015 NBL 1945 25554 3016 NBL 1945 25555 3017 NBL 1945 25556 3018 NBL 1945 25557 3019 NBL 1945 25558 3020 NBL 1945 25559 3021 NBL 1945 25560 3022 NBL 1945 25561 3023 NBL 1945 25562 3024 NBL 1945 25563 3025 NBL 1945 25564 3026 NBL 1945 25565 3027 NBL 1945 25566 3028 NBL 1945 25567 3029 NBL 1945 25568 3030 NBL 1945 25569 3031 NBL 1945 25570 3032 NBL 1945 25571 3033 NBL 1945 25572 3034 NBL 1945 25573 3035 NBL 1945 25574 3036 NBL 1945 25575 3037 NBL 1945 25576 3038 NBL 1945 25577 3039 NBL 1945 25578 3040 NBL 1945 25579 3041 NBL 1945 25580 3042 NBL 1945 25581 3043 NBL 1945 25582 3044 NBL 1945 25583 3045 NBL 1945 25584 3046 NBL 1945 25585 3047 NBL 1945 25586 3048 NBL 1945 25587 3049 NBL 1945 25588 3050 NBL 1945 25589 3051 NBL 1945 25590 3052 NBL 1945 25591 3053 NBL 1945 25592 3054 NBL 1945 25593 3055 NBL 1945 25594 3056 NBL 1945 25595 3057 NBL 1946 25941 3058 NBL 1946 25942 3059 NBL 1946 25943 3060 NBL 1946 25944 3061 NBL 1946 25945 3062 NBL 1946 25946 3063 NBL 1946 25947 3064 NBL 1946 25948 3065 NBL 1946 25949 3066 NBL 1946 25950 3067 NBL 1946 25951 3068 NBL 1946 25952 3069 NBL 1946 25953 3070 NBL 1946 25954 3071 NBL 1946 25955 3072 NBL 1946 25956 3073 NBL 1946 25957 3074 NBL 1946 25958 3075 NBL 1946 25959 3076 NBL 1946 25960 3077 NBL 1946 25961 3078 NBL 1946 25962 3079 NBL 1946 25963 3080 NBL 1946 25964 3081 NBL 1946 25965 3082 NBL 1946 25966 3083 NBL 1946 25967 3084 NBL 1946 25968 3085 NBL 1946 25969 3086 NBL 1946 25970 3087 NBL 1946 25971 3088 NBL 1946 25972 3089 NBL 1946 25973 3090 NBL 1946 25974 3091 NBL 1946 25975 3092 NBL 1946 25976 3093 NBL 1946 25977 3094 NBL 1946 25978 3095 NBL 1946 25979 3096 NBL 1946 25980 3097 NBL 1946 25981 3098 NBL 1946 25982 3099 NBL 1946 25983 3100 NBL 1946 25984 3101 NBL 1946 25985 3102 NBL 1946 25986 3103 NBL 1946 25987 3104 NBL 1946 25988 3105 NBL 1946 25989 3106 NBL 1946 25990 3107 NBL 1946 25991 3108 NBL 1946 25992 3109 NBL 1946 25993 3110 NBL 1946 25994 3111 NBL 1946 25995 3112 NBL 1946 25996 3113 NBL 1946 25997 3114 NBL 1946 25998 3115 NBL 1946 25999 3116 NBL 1946 26000 3117 NBL 1946 26001 3118 NBL 1946 26002 3119 NBL 1946 26003 3120 NBL 1946 26004 3121 NBL 1946 26005 3122 NBL 1946 26006 3123 NBL 1946 26007 3124 NBL 1946 26008 3125 NBL 1946 26009 3126 NBL 1946 26010 3127 NBL 1946 26011 3128 NBL 1946 26012 3129 NBL 1946 26013 3130 NBL 1946 26014 3131 NBL 1946 26015 3132 NBL 1946 26016 3133 NBL 1946 26017 3134 NBL 1946 26018 3135 NBL 1946 26019 3136 NBL 1946 26020 3137 NBL 1946 26021 3138 NBL 1946 26022 3139 NBL 1946 26023 3140 NBL 1946 26024 3141 NBL 1946 26025 3142 NBL 1946 26026 3143 NBL 1946 26027 3144 NBL 1946 26028 3145 NBL 1946 26029 3146 NBL 1946 26030 3147 NBL 1946 26031 3148 NBL 1946 26032 3149 NBL 1946 26033 3150 NBL 1946 26034 3151 NBL 1946 26035 3152 NBL 1946 26036 3153 NBL 1946 26037 3154 NBL 1946 26038 3155 NBL 1946 26039 3156 NBL 1946 26040 Lineage
The Class 15F represented the ultimate stage in a long history of development spanning thirty years. The first Class 15 4-8-2 tender locomotive entered SAR service in 1914, sporting a 40 square feet (3.716 square metres) grate, a boiler pressure of 185 pounds per square inch (1,280 kilopascals), a maximum axle load of 16.5 long tons (16.8 tonnes) and 57 inches (1,450 millimetres) driving wheels. Later orders incorporated major improvements in succession, until the Class 15CA was commissioned in 1926 with a 48 square feet (4.459 square metres) grate, a boiler pressure of 210 pounds per square inch (1,450 kilopascals), a maximum axle load of 17.75 long tons (18.0 tonnes) and 60 inches (1,520 millimetres) driving wheels.[8][9]
Attributes
Valve gear
The locomotive was similar to its predecessor Class 15E, but built with Walschaerts valve gear as specified by CME W.A.J. Day, who was not a protagonist of RC Poppet valve gear. This and some other differences led to it being classified 15F.[7]
Watson Standard boilers
The Class 15F was delivered with a Watson Standard no. 3B boiler and a Watson cab. During the 1930s Day’s predecessor as CME, A.G. Watson, designed a standard boiler type as part of his standardisation policy. Many serving locomotives were reboilered with these Watson Standard boilers and in the process they were also equipped with Watson cabs, with their distinctive slanted fronts compared to the conventional vertical fronts of their original cabs. New locomotives that were acquired in the Watson era and later, such as the Class 15F, were built with such boilers and cabs.[5][7]
Pre-war models
The pre-war Class 15Fs were hand stoked and delivered without smoke deflectors. The original twenty-one Berliner and Henschel builts remained hand-fired for their full working lives. On the pre-war NBL-builts, on the other hand, provision was made in the design to later convert them to mechanical stoking. A mechanical stoker was tested on number 2923 before the remaining locomotives of that group were all fitted with stokers by the late 1940s. Their brake systems consisted of steam brakes on the engines and vacuum brakes on the tenders.[2][8][9][10]
Post-war models
The post-war locomotives were built to the design and specifications of Doctor M.M. Loubser, who succeeded W.A.J. Day as CME in 1939. The specifications included mechanical stokers, smoke deflectors, vacuum brakes on the driving wheels as well as the tenders, with two 24 inches (610 millimetres) brake cylinders on the engine and two 21 inches (533 millimetres) cylinders on the tender.[2][8][9][10]
The early post-war locomotives built by BP and NBL in 1944 and 1945, like the pre-war NBL-builts, were built without mechanical stokers, although provision was made for their subsequent conversion to mechanical stoking. They were all equipped with stokers post delivery. The locomotives in the final order from NBL, number 3057 and later, were delivered new complete with mechanical stokers.[10]
Apart from these differences, the post-war locomotives were identical to the earlier ones. Smoke deflectors were later installed on the pre-war locomotives as well.[7]
The use of vacuum braking instead of steam braking became standard practice on locomotives from 1944 onwards and was welcomed by SAR drivers, who were always reluctant to make use of steam brakes for fear of skidding the locomotive wheels. The trigger on the steam brake attachment, for isolating the proportional device that admitted steam to the brake cylinder automatically upon the application of the vacuum brake, was invariably wedged down with a wooden peg by drivers to eliminate the steam brake entirely.[2]
Service
While the Class 15F was used predominantly in the Orange Free State and Western Transvaal, it also saw service in every system country wide, including Garratt territory in Natal, where they were used on the line from Newcastle to Utrecht. It also briefly served on the Cape Eastern system when it worked out of East London in the early 1960s.[7]
Some briefly served outside South Africa’s borders. In 1978 six Class 15Fs were hired to Rhodesia Railways (RR), but they were returned nine months later and replaced by Class GMAM Garratts.[6] When the Class 23 was retired, many Class 15F locomotives inherited their huge twelve wheel Type EW tenders which, apart from increasing their range with its larger fuel and water capacity, also greatly enhanced their appearance.[6]
In later years, when the Class 15F was being relegated to heavy shunting and local work, many of the post-war locomotives had their mechanical stokers removed.[6]
Commemoration
A 40c postage stamp depicting a Class 15F locomotive was one of a set of four commemorative postage stamps that were issued by the South African Post Office on 27 April 1983, to commemorate the steam locomotives of South Africa that were rapidly being withdrawn from service at the time. The artwork and stamp design was by the noted stamp designer and artist Hein Botha.[11]
The particular locomotive depicted was NBL built Class 15F 2954. The outline of a traditional SAR locomotive number plate was used as a commemorative cancellation for De Aar on the date of release.[11]
Gallery
The main picture shows pre-war NBL built 2940 "Lynette", with an ex Class 23 Type EW tender, at speed near Princess station on the Johannesburg-Magaliesburg line on 6 April 1992.
See also
- South African Class 15 4-8-2
- South African Class 15A 4-8-2
- South African Class 15B 4-8-2
- South African Class 15C 4-8-2
- South African Class 15CA 4-8-2
- South African Class 15E 4-8-2
- South African Class 23 4-8-2
- Tender locomotive numbering and classification
- Watson Standard boilers
- The 4-8-2 "Mountain"
- List of South African locomotive classes
References
- ^ a b c d Beyer, Peacock and Company production list, excluding Garratts, Customer List V1 04.08.02
- ^ a b c d Holland, D.F. (1972). Steam Locomotives of the South African Railways, Volume 2: 1910-1955 (1st ed.). Newton Abbott, Devon: David & Charles. pp. 97-98. ISBN 0715354272.
- ^ a b c Henschel-Lieferliste (Henschel & Son works list), compiled by Dietmar Stresow
- ^ a b c d e North British Locomotive Company works list, compiled by Austrian locomotive historian Bernhard Schmeiser
- ^ a b c South African Railways and Harbours Locomotive Diagram Book, 2’0” & 3’6” Gauge Steam Locomotives, 15 August 1941, pp21 & 21A, as amended
- ^ a b c d e Durrant, A E (1989). Twilight of South African Steam (1st ed.). Newton Abbott, London: David & Charles. pp. 90-91. ISBN 0715386387.
- ^ a b c d e Paxton, Leith; Bourne, David (1985). Locomotives of the South African Railways (1st ed.). Cape Town: Struik. pp. 10-11, 63-64. ISBN 0869772112.
- ^ a b c 4-8-2 Class "15F" Locomotives for the South African Railways, reprinted from "The Railway Gazette" of September 20, 1946
- ^ a b c Kleinplasie Farming Museum, Worcester
- ^ a b c Additional information received from Les Pivnic
- ^ a b Philatelic Bulletin 176, issued by Philatelic Services and INTERSAPA, 1983
External links
External videos 15F 2916 Malmesbury to Moravia 16 June 2002 Class 15F 2916 at work between Malmesbury and De Hoek in the Swartland on the Steam Loco Safari Tours trip in 2002. (13 minutes 20) 15F 2916 + 15F 3153 Malmesbury 17 June 2002 Steam Loco Safari Tours trip in 2002. Class 15F 2916 and Class 15F 3153 double heading from Malmesbury southwards on the following day. (13 minutes 49) Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Locomotives of South Africa Steam Standard gaugeBlackie • NatalTankA • B • C • C1 • C2 • D • E • F • G • H • H1 • H2 • J • KTenderExp-1 • Exp-2 • Exp-3 • Exp-4 • Exp-5 • Exp-6 • S • S1 • S2 • 1 • 1A • 1B • 2 • 2C • 3 • 3A • 3B • 4 • 4A • 5 • 5A • 5B • 6 • 6A • 6B • 6C • 6D • 6E • 6F • 6G • 6H • 6J • 6K • 6L • 6Y • 6Z • 7 • 7A • 7B • 7C • 7D • 7E • 7F • 8 • 8A • 8B • 8C • 8D • 8E • 8F • 8X • 8Y • 8Z • 9 • 10 • 10A • 10B • 10C • 10D • 11 • 12 • 12A • 12B • 13 • 14 • 14A • 14B • 14C • 15 • 15A • 15B • 15C • 15CA • 15E • 15F • 16 • 16A • 16B • 16C • 16D • 16DA • 16E • 17 • 18 • 19 • 19A • 19B • 19C • 19D • 20 • 21 • 23 • 24 • 25 • 25NC • 26ArticulatedFC • FD • GA • GB • GC • GCA • GD • GDA • GE • GEA • GF • GG • GH • GK • GL • GM • GMA • GO • HF • KM • MA • MB • MC • MC1 • MD • ME • MF • MG • MH • MJ • MJ1 • UNarrow gaugeZwillinge • Hd • NG1 • NG2 • NG3 • NG4 • NG5 • NG6 • NG7 • NG8 • NG9 • NG10 • NG-G11 • NG-G12 • NG-G13 • NG-G14 • NG15 • NG-G16 • NG-G16ADiesel Diesel-electric31-000 • 32-000 • 32-200 • 33-000 • 33-200 • 33-400 • 34-000 • 34-200 • 34-400 • 34-500 • 34-600 • 34-800 • 34-900 • 35-000 • 35-200 • 35-400 • 35-600 • 36-000 • 36-200 • 37-000 • 39-000 • 39-200 • 43-000 • 91-000 • DS • DS1Diesel-hydraulic61-000Electro-diesel38-000Electric 1E • 2E • 3E • 4E • 5E-S1 • 5E-S2 • 5E-S3 • 5E1-S1 • 5E1-S2 • 5E1-S3 • 5E1-S4 • 5E1-S5 • 6E • 6E1-S1 • 6E1-S2 • 6E1-S3 • 6E1-S4 • 6E1-S5 • 6E1-S6 • 6E1-S7 • 6E1-S8 • 6E1-S9 • 6E1-S10 • 6E1-S11 • 7E • 7E1 • 7E2-S1 • 7E2-S2 • 7E3-S1 • 7E3-S2 • 7E4 • 8E • 9E-S1 • 9E-S2 • 10E • 10E1-S1 • 10E1-S2 • 10E2 • 11E • 12E • 14E • 14E1 • 15E • 16E • 17E • 18E-S1 • 18E-S2 • 19E • E38 • ES • Exp-ACList of South African locomotive classes • Rail transport in South AfricaCategories:- Steam locomotives of South Africa
- 4-8-2 locomotives
- Berliner locomotives
- Henschel locomotives
- NBL locomotives
- Beyer, Peacock locomotives
- Cape gauge railway locomotives
- Railway locomotives introduced in 1938
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