CGR 6th Class 4-6-0 1902
South African Class 6J 4-6-0
SAR Class 6J, c. 1912
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
DesignerCape Government Railways
(H.M. Beatty)
BuilderNeilson, Reid and Company
Serial number6089-6102
ModelCGR 6th Class
Build date1902
Total produced14
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte4-6-0 (Tenwheeler)
 • UIC2'Cn2
Driver2nd coupled axle
Gauge3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) Cape gauge
Leading dia.28+1⁄2 in (724 mm)
Coupled dia.54 in (1,372 mm)
Tender wheels33+1⁄2 in (851 mm) as built
34 in (864 mm) retyred
Wheelbase45 ft 8+1⁄2 in (13,932 mm) ​
 • Engine20 ft 8 in (6,299 mm)
 • Leading5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm)
 • Coupled11 ft 4 in (3,454 mm)
 • Tender14 ft 7 in (4,445 mm)
 • Tender bogie4 ft 7 in (1,397 mm)
Wheel spacing
(Asymmetrical)		1-2: 4 ft 9 in (1,448 mm)
2-3: 6 ft 7 in (2,007 mm)
Length:
​
 • Over couplers53 ft (16,154 mm)
Height12 ft (3,658 mm)
Frame typeBar
Axle load13 LT 8 cwt (13,620 kg) ​
 • Leading10 LT 18 cwt (11,070 kg)
 • 1st coupled12 LT 5 cwt (12,450 kg)
 • 2nd coupled13 LT 8 cwt (13,620 kg)
 • 3rd coupled12 LT 5 cwt (12,450 kg)
 • Tender bogieBogie 1: 16 LT 15 cwt (17,020 kg)
Bogie 2: 17 LT 8 cwt (17,680 kg)
 • Tender axle8 LT 14 cwt (8,840 kg)
Adhesive weight37 LT 18 cwt (38,510 kg)
Loco weight48 LT 16 cwt (49,580 kg)
Tender weight34 LT 3 cwt (34,700 kg)
Total weight82 LT 19 cwt (84,280 kg)
Tender typeXD (2-axle bogies)
XC, XC1, XD, XE, XE1, XF, XF1, XF2, XJ, XM, XM1, XM2, XM3, XM4 permitted
Fuel typeCoal
Fuel capacity5 LT 10 cwt (5.6 t)
Water cap.2,730 imp gal (12,400 L)
Firebox:​
 • TypeRound-top
 • Grate area18.75 sq ft (1.742 m2)
Boiler:
​
 • Pitch6 ft 9+1⁄2 in (2,070 mm)
 • Diameter4 ft 7 in (1,397 mm)
 • Tube plates11 ft 2+1⁄8 in (3,407 mm)
 • Small tubes182: 2 in (51 mm)
Boiler pressure180 psi (1,241 kPa)
Safety valveRamsbottom
Heating surface1,172.6 sq ft (108.94 m2) ​
 • Tubes1,065 sq ft (98.9 m2)
 • Firebox107.6 sq ft (10.00 m2)
CylindersTwo
Cylinder size17 in (432 mm) bore
26 in (660 mm) stroke
Valve gearStephenson
CouplersJohnston link-and-pin
AAR knuckle (1930s)
Performance figures
Tractive effort18,780 lbf (83.5 kN) @ 75%
Career
OperatorsCape Government Railways
South African Railways
ClassCGR 6th Class, SAR Class 6J
Number in class14
NumbersCGR 155, 160, 287-294, 537-540
SAR 635-648
Delivered1902
First run1902
Withdrawn1972

The South African Railways Class 6J 4-6-0 of 1902 was a steam locomotive from the pre-Union era in the Cape of Good Hope.

In 1902, fourteen 6th Class bar framed steam locomotives with a 4-6-0 wheel arrangement were placed in service by the Cape Government Railways. In 1912, when they were assimilated into the South African Railways, they were renumbered and designated Class 6J.[1][2][3]

Manufacturer

The original 6th Class locomotive had been designed at the Salt River works of the Cape Government Railways (CGR) in 1892 by H.M. Beatty, at the time the Cape Government Railways (Western System) Locomotive Superintendent.[1]

The fourteen 6th Class locomotives which were placed in service by the CGR in 1902 were built by Neilson, Reid and Company.[1]

Characteristics

H.M. Beatty

The locomotives were practically identical to the two bar-framed locomotives which had been built by Sharp, Stewart and Company in 1900 and which became the South African Railways (SAR) Class 6F in 1912. They were visually identifiable as second-generation bar-framed 6th Class locomotives by their running boards, which were mounted above the coupled wheels without the need for wheel fairings.[1][4]

As built, the smokebox was equipped with openings on its sides, near the front, with covers which each had a handle by which it could be opened with a half turn to give direct access to the inside of the smokebox. This was most likely to facilitate cleaning of the spark arrestor screens to overcome clogging without having to open the smokebox door. The cover handles were attached to the smokebox side by a small chain, as shown in the main picture. Judging from photographs, these covers were removed and the openings closed off in the SAR era.

Distribution

Four of the locomotives were numbered in the range from 537 to 540 for the Midland System of the CGR. The other ten were numbered 155, 160 and in the range from 287 to 294 for the Western System.[1][5]

It would appear that the CGR's Western System was more concerned with having unbroken number ranges than the CGR itself was about allocating different classifications to dissimilar locomotives, even when they had different wheel arrangements. Of these Western System engine numbers, 155 and 160 had been used before on two 6th Class locomotives which had been sold to the Oranje-Vrijstaat Gouwerment-Spoorwegen (OVGS) in 1897.[1][5]

Class 6 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.[2][6]

When these fourteen locomotives were assimilated into the SAR in 1912, they were renumbered in the range from 635 to 648 and designated Class 6J.[2][4][5]

The rest of the CGR's 6th Class locomotives, together with the Central South African Railways Classes 6-L1 to 6-L3 locomotives which had been inherited from the OVGS via the Imperial Military Railways (IMR), were grouped into thirteen more sub-classes by the SAR. The 4-6-0 locomotives became SAR Classes 6, 6A to 6H, 6K and 6L, the 2-6-2 locomotives were designated Class 6Y and the 2-6-4 locomotives were designated Class 6Z.[2][4][5]

Service

The Class 6J has been described as the most successful of the bar-framed 6th Class locomotives. The CGR placed them in service on the Cape mainline and for several years they hauled the Dining Car Express Train which left Cape Town every Wednesday morning for the Orange River Colony and Johannesburg in Transvaal, running via De Aar, Noupoort and Springfontein.[1][3]

The last Class 6J locomotive was withdrawn from service in Bethlehem in 1972.[3]

Renumbering

The table lists the Class 6J works numbers and renumbering.[1][2][5]

Preservation

Two members of the Class 6J survive.

Illustration

The main picture shows a Class 6J, with conductor Fred Hart, an unknown stoker, driver Jim-Boy Barlow and an unknown cleaner. The picture dates to c. 1912, judging by the SAR-style cabside number plates, but still with a CGR-style cowcatcher.[1]

The first picture below shows Western System 6th Class no. 292, later renumbered to SAR Class 6J no. 642, painted in the CGR's green livery on the Cape's Dining Car Express Train. It is a colourised photograph which was used as a post card, on which some artistic licence had been used with red wheels and a red headlight reflector. Also illustrated is a first class annual season ticket issued to Mr. W. Smith on 25 January 1909, which allowed the holder to travel between Cape Town and Hopefield, Eendekuil, Caledon, Franschhoek, Carnarvon, Prieska and Vryburg, literally all over the Western System lines in the present-day Western Cape and Northern Cape Provinces.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to South African Class 6J 4-6-0.
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Holland, D.F. (1971). Steam Locomotives of the South African Railways. Vol. 1: 1859–1910 (1st ed.). Newton Abbott, England: David & Charles. pp. 49–50, 56. ISBN 978-0-7153-5382-0.
  2. ^ a b c d e Classification of S.A.R. Engines with Renumbering Lists, issued by the Chief Mechanical Engineer's Office, Pretoria, January 1912, pp. 8, 12, 14, 33 (Reprinted in April 1987 by SATS Museum, R.3125-6/9/11-1000)
  3. ^ a b c Paxton, Leith; Bourne, David (1985). Locomotives of the South African Railways (1st ed.). Cape Town: Struik. pp. 41–44. ISBN 0869772112.
  4. ^ a b c South African Railways and Harbours Locomotive Diagram Book, 2'0" & 3'6" Gauge Steam Locomotives, 15 August 1941, as amended
  5. ^ a b c d e Holland, D. F. (1972). Steam Locomotives of the South African Railways. Vol. 2: 1910-1955 (1st ed.). Newton Abbott, England: David & Charles. p. 138. ISBN 978-0-7153-5427-8.
  6. ^ The South African Railways - Historical Survey. Editor George Hart, Publisher Bill Hart, Sponsored by Dorbyl Ltd., Published c. 1978, p. 25.
  7. ^ Sandstone Heritage Trust - 2017016 Locomotive status - January 2017. (Accessed on 6 December 2017)
  8. ^ - Outeniqua Transport Museum - 6 December 2017 (Accessed on 6 December 2017)
  9. ^ - Locomotives at Outeniqua Transport Museum - 21 November 2007. (Accessed on 6 December 2017)
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