The Pretoria-Pietersburg Railway 35 Tonner 4-6-0T of 1887 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

Transvaal Transvaal is a historical geographic term associated with land north of (''i.e.'', beyond) the Vaal River in South Africa. A number of states and administrative divisions have carried the name Transvaal. * South African Republic (1856–1902; af, ...

. The Lourenco Marques, Delagoa Bay and East Africa Railway in Mozambique placed two tank locomotives with a

4-6-0 A 4-6-0 steam locomotive, under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives by wheel arrangement, has four leading wheels on two axles in a leading bogie and six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles with the abse ...

wheel arrangement in service in 1887. One of them was sold to the Pretoria-Pietersburg Railway in the

Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek The South African Republic ( nl, Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek, abbreviated ZAR; af, Suid-Afrikaanse Republiek), also known as the Transvaal Republic, was an independent Boer Republic in Southern Africa which existed from 1852 to 1902, when it ...

in 1897. The 35 Tonner locomotive was not classified, but named ''Portuguese'' and referred to by name.

The Pretoria-Pietersburg Railway

The Pretoria-Pietersburg Railway Company (PPR), incorporated in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

on 13 May 1896 with a capital of £500,000, constructed a railway which operated northwards from

Pretoria West Pretoria West is a suburb of Pretoria, South Africa, situated from the city centre. According to the 2011 census, it has a population of 11,535 (1,869.99 per km²). Notable companies Notable companies based in Pretoria West include: * Pre ...

via Warmbad and

Nylstroom Modimolle, also known as Nylstroom, is a town located near the southern edge of the Waterberg Massif in Limpopo province, South Africa. It is a medium-sized town that focuses primarily on agriculture and farming (citrus, grapes and cattle) as well ...

Pietersburg Polokwane (, meaning "Sanctuary" in Northern SothoPolokwane - The Heart of the Limpopo Province ...

. The railway was constructed under a concession granted by the government of the

(ZAR) to Hendrik Jacobus Schoeman on 30 October 1895. Construction commenced in 1897 and the first to Nylstroom was opened to traffic by 1 July 1898. Pietersburg was reached on 31 May 1899.

Origin and manufacturer

The Lourenco Marques, Delagoa Bay and East Africa Railway (the Delagoa Bay Railway) in

Mozambique Mozambique (), officially the Republic of Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique or , ; ny, Mozambiki; sw, Msumbiji; ts, Muzambhiki), is a country located in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi ...

placed two tank locomotives with a

wheel arrangement in service in 1887, built by Nasmyth, Wilson & Company and numbered 3 and 4.

Service

Pretoria-Pietersburg Railway

Ten years later, in 1897, the Delagoa Bay's engine no. 3 was sold to the PPR. The locomotive was not classified or numbered by the PPR, but named ''Portuguese''. It became commonly known as the ''Portuguese Tank''. Since the first part of their railway to Nylstroom was still being built, the PPR employed the ''Portuguese'' on construction work and general service. The locomotive had the honour to haul the first revenue-earning train between Pretoria and Nylstroom in July 1898.

Netherlands-South African Railway Company

As a result of the outbreak of the

Second Boer War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the Sout ...

and since the PPR was owned by a British registered company, the railway and its rolling stock were seized by the ZAR government in October 1899, only five months after the line to Pietersburg was completed. The railway was then briefly worked by the Netherlands-South African Railway Company.

Imperial Military Railways

All railway operations in the two Boer Republics, the ZAR and the Orange Free State, were taken over by the Imperial Military Railways (IMR) in late 1899 and were operated as a single railway system for the duration of the war.

Central South African Railways

The engine ''Portuguese'' survived the war. At the end of the war in 1902, the IMR was transformed into the

Central South African Railways 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 ...

(CSAR).

Industry

In 1908, the CSAR sold the ''Portuguese'' to the Olifantsfontein Brick and Tile Company for £750. It was used there as a yard shunting locomotive for the remainder of its working years.

References

{{Locomotives of South Africa Cape gauge railway locomotives 0860 Nasmyth, Wilson and Company locomotives 0860 Railway locomotives introduced in 1887 4-6-0T locomotives