The Natal Railway ''Durban'' of 1865 was a South African steam locomotive from the pre-

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

era in the

Natal Colony The Colony of Natal was a British colony in south-eastern Africa. It was proclaimed a British colony on 4 May 1843 after the British government had annexed the Boer Republic of Natalia, and on 31 May 1910 combined with three other colonies to ...

. In 1865, the

Natal Railway Company The Natal Railway Company was formed in January 1859 for the construction of a railway in Durban. The Natal Railway Company made use of broad gauge. The was only adopted in Natal in 1876 when the Natal Government Railways was established. Th ...

acquired an locomotive. This was the Natal Railway's second locomotive and was named ''Durban''.

Manufacturer

The second locomotive to be placed in service by the Natal Railway Company in

Durban Durban ( ) ( zu, eThekwini, from meaning 'the port' also called zu, eZibubulungwini for the mountain range that terminates in the area), nicknamed ''Durbs'',Ishani ChettyCity nicknames in SA and across the worldArticle on ''news24.com'' from ...

was an engine named ''Durban''. It was built by

Kitson and Company Kitson and Company was a locomotive manufacturer based in Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. Early history The company was started in 1835 by James Kitson (businessman), James Kitson at the Airedale Foundry, off Pearson Street, Hunslet, ...

and left the Kitson shops on 25 March 1865, with works number 1271. The locomotive arrived in Durban on 4 August 1865, on board the White Cross Line vessel ''Actaea''.''It's a Puzzlement'', Article by Bruno Martin, SA Rail December 1990, pp. 214-215.Kitson works list, compiled by Reg Carter, November 1997 As built, the locomotive had an open cab area with a spectacle-type weatherboard as only protection for the crew against the elements. It is not known whether the engine was equipped with an enclosed cab post-delivery. It had a domeless boiler which took steam from the steam space above the firebox, with a sandbox mounted atop the boiler.''New Light on Early Natal Locomotives'', Article by Donald Bell & A.E. Durrant, SA Rail September-October 1994, pp. 164-166.

Service

Natal Railway Company

For the next ten years, the entire locomotive fleet of the

consisted of this locomotive and the engine ''Natal''. By 25 January 1867, the original line between Market Square in Durban and Point station at Durban harbour, had only been extended by a further to

Umgeni The Umgeni River or Mgeni River ( zu, uMngeni) is a river in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It rises in the "Dargle" in the KZN Midlands, and its mouth is at Durban, some distance north of Durban's natural harbour. The name is taken to mean "the r ...

. From there stone, quarried from the Umgeni River, was transported to the harbour. No further railway development took place and the locomotive fleet was only expanded to three in January 1876, upon the arrival of the engine ''Perseverance'', a locomotive.The South African Railways - Historical Survey. Editor George Hart, Publisher Bill Hart, Sponsored by Dorbyl Ltd., Published c. 1978, pp. 5-8, 18.

Natal Government Railways

In 1875, the Natal Government Railways (NGR) was established. All the assets of the Natal Railway Company were taken over by the Colonial Government and became part of the NGR with effect from 1 January 1877. Since the Natal Government had decided to implement

Cape gauge A cape is a clothing accessory or a sleeveless outer garment which drapes the wearer's back, arms, and chest, and connects at the neck. History Capes were common in medieval Europe, especially when combined with a hood in the chaperon. Th ...

in conformance with the railways in the

Cape of Good Hope The Cape of Good Hope ( af, Kaap die Goeie Hoop ) ;''Kaap'' in isolation: pt, Cabo da Boa Esperança is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula in South Africa. A common misconception is that the Cape of Good Hope is t ...

and to extend the lines inland to

Pietermaritzburg Pietermaritzburg (; Zulu: umGungundlovu) is the capital and second-largest city in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It was founded in 1838 and is currently governed by the Msunduzi Local Municipality. Its Zulu name umGungundlovu ...

, up the north coast to Verulam and down the south coast to

Isipingo Isipingo is a town situated south of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and currently forms part of eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality. The town is named after the Siphingo River, which in turn is thought to be named (in the Zulu language) f ...

, the existing tracks were regauged and the railway service life of two of the three locomotives came to an end.Espitalier, T.J.; Day, W.A.J. (1944). ''The Locomotive in South Africa - A Brief History of Railway Development. Chapter III - Natal Government Railways''. South African Railways and Harbours Magazine, May 1944. p. 337. The engine ''Natal'' was sold to a farmer, while the still new engine ''Perseverance'' was converted for use as a stationary engine and employed to drive the sawmill machinery in the Durban workshops. It is possible, but not confirmed, that the saddle-tank locomotive ''Durban'' was regauged to Cape gauge and retained in service.

References

{{Locomotives of South Africa 0660 0660 0-4-0ST locomotives B locomotives Kitson locomotives Railway locomotives introduced in 1865 1865 in South Africa 4 ft 8½ in gauge locomotives Scrapped locomotives