The South African Railways Class Experimental 5 2-8-2 of 1906 was a 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

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 ...

. In 1906, the

Cape Government Railways The Cape Government Railways (CGR) was the government-owned railway operator in the Cape Colony from 1874 until the creation of the South African Railways (SAR) in 1910. History Private railways The first railways at the Cape were privately own ...

placed a single experimental steam locomotive with a Mikado type wheel arrangement in service. In 1912, when this locomotive was assimilated into the South African Railways, it was renumbered and designated Class Experimental 5. The design was never repeated.Espitalier, T.J.; Day, W.A.J. (1944). ''The Locomotive in South Africa - A Brief History of Railway Development. Chapter II - The Cape Government Railways'' (Continued). South African Railways and Harbours Magazine, March 1944. pp. 169-173.Classification of S.A.R. Engines with Renumbering Lists, issued by the Chief Mechanical Engineer’s Office, Pretoria, January 1912, pp. 9, 12, 15, 37 (Reprinted in April 1987 by SATS Museum, R.3125-6/9/11-1000)

Manufacturer

The Cape 9th Class Mikado type steam locomotive was designed by H.M. Beatty, the Locomotive Superintendent of the Cape Government Railways (CGR) from 1896 to 1910. It was a larger version of his 9th Class of 1903, which was also built with a bar frame and Stephenson’s Link valve gear and which also used saturated steam. The locomotive was delivered with a Type XF2 tender 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, ...

in 1906 and was numbered 840.

Characteristics

At the time, the locomotive was considered as a big advance in motive power. It was a large engine and on the CGR it was exceeded in size only by the experimental Kitson-Meyer 0-6-0+0-6-0 locomotive which had entered service in 1903.

With this locomotive, Beatty overcame his aversion to boiler centre lines which exceeded twice the

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 ...

width of above the railhead, by raising the boiler pitch to . The locomotive was larger than its predecessor 9th Class of 1903 in all respects, with a longer boiler which had a bigger girth, larger diameter pistons with a longer stroke, larger diameter driving wheels, a larger firebox, and a tender with a larger fuel and water capacity. The design was, however, never repeated and the Cape 9th Class Mikado remained unique.

Service

Cape Government Railways

The locomotive was placed in service on the Western System, working on the mainline between Touws River and Prince Albert Road in the Karoo. When it was determined by the Civil Department of the CGR that the engine was too heavy for the rails and bridges on this section, it was transferred to the section between Beaufort West and De Aar where heavier rail was in use.

South African Railways

When the

Union of South Africa The Union of South Africa ( nl, Unie van Zuid-Afrika; af, Unie van Suid-Afrika; ) was the historical predecessor to the present-day Republic of South Africa. It came into existence on 31 May 1910 with the unification of the Cape, Natal, Trans ...

was established on 31 May 1910, the three Colonial government railways (CGR, Natal Government Railways and

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 ...

) 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.''The South African Railways - Historical Survey''. Editor George Hart, Publisher Bill Hart, Sponsored by Dorbyl Ltd., Published c. 1978, p. 25. In 1912, the locomotive was designated Class Experimental 5 and renumbered to 948 on the South African Railways. It was later transferred to Braamfontein, where it remained until it was withdrawn from service and scrapped in 1929.

References

{{Steam locomotive tenders 2140 2140 2140 2-8-2 locomotives 1D1 locomotives Kitson locomotives Cape gauge railway locomotives Railway locomotives introduced in 1906 1906 in South Africa Scrapped locomotives