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 in terms of the South Africa Act, which unified the former
Cape Colony
The Cape Colony ( nl, Kaapkolonie), also known as the Cape of Good Hope, was a British Empire, British colony in present-day South Africa named after the Cape of Good Hope, which existed from 1795 to 1802, and again from 1806 to 1910, when i ...
,
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 ...
and the two colonised former republics, the
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, ...
and the
Orange Free State
The Orange Free State ( nl, Oranje Vrijstaat; af, Oranje-Vrystaat;) was an independent Boer sovereign republic under British suzerainty in Southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, which ceased to exist after it was defeat ...
. One of the clauses in the Act required that the three Colonial Government railways, 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 ...
, the
Natal Government Railways
The Natal Government Railways (NGR) was formed in January 1877 in the Colony of Natal.
In 1877, the Natal Government Railways acquired the Natal Railway Company for the sum of £40,000, gaining the line from the Point to Durban and from Durban ...
and 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 ...
, also be united under one single administration to control and administer the railways, ports and harbours of the Union. While the
South African Railways
Transnet Freight Rail is a South African rail transport company, formerly known as Spoornet. It was part of the South African Railways and Harbours Administration, a state-controlled organisation that employed hundreds of thousands of people ...
(SAR) came into existence in 1910, the actual classification and renumbering of all the rolling stock of the three constituent railways required careful planning and was only implemented with 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.][Classification of S.A.R. Engines with Renumbering Lists, issued by the Chief Mechanical Engineer's Office, Pretoria, January 1912. (Reprinted in April 1987 by SATS Museum, R.3125-6/9/11-1000)]
Background
Each of the component railways of the new South African Railways (SAR) used their own locomotive classification and numbering system. Nearly two years after the establishment of the Union of South Africa, on 1 January 1912, a carefully planned reclassification and renumbering scheme was brought into operation. Most of the locomotives of the Cape Government Railways (CGR), Natal Government Railways (NGR) and Central South African Railways (CSAR) were renumbered into the SAR roster and, with some exceptions, reclassified. Locomotives which retained their old classifications were mostly from the CGR and CSAR, since the SAR more or less followed the CGR's classification system, while the CSAR's was similar to that of the CGR.
Cape gauge steam locomotives
The SAR used different classification systems for its steam locomotives, according to locomotive type. Tender locomotives, shunting locomotives excluded, were classified numerically, while tank, articulated and shunting locomotives were classified using letters of the alphabet. All steam locomotives were numbered sequentially, beginning with number 1, but not necessarily in the order of their new 1912 classifications.
[South African Railways and Harbours Locomotive Diagram Book, 2'0" & 3'6" Gauge Steam Locomotives, 15 August 1941, as amended]
Tender locomotives
Tender type steam locomotives, shunting locomotives excluded, were arranged in numerical classes (Classes 1 to 21 and 23 to 26), while variations within classes were indicated by an alphabetical suffix, for example Classes 12, 12A and 12B. Locomotives reboilered with Watson Standard boilers (see below), were reclassified with an additional "R" suffix, for example Classes 12R and 12AR. Some engines were rebalanced to redistribute their axle loadings for either mainline or lighter rail branchline service and were reclassified with an additional "M" (for mainline) or "B" (for branchline) suffix, for example Classes 14CRM and 14CRB.
Watson Standard boilers
Soon after A.G. Watson was appointment as Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the South African Railways (SAR) in 1929, he set out on a program of standardisation of locomotive boilers and engine parts, which ultimately led to a considerable reduction in the time taken for locomotive repairs. To cut down on maintenance costs, he abandoned the
Belpaire firebox
The Belpaire firebox is a type of firebox used on steam locomotives. It was invented by Alfred Belpaire of Belgium in 1864. Today it generally refers to the shape of the outer shell of the firebox which is approximately flat at the top and sq ...
altogether and reverted to the round-top type. He was also opposed to the use of combustion chambers. At the time, 88 different types of locomotive were in service, for which some fifty types of replacement boiler were still being ordered prior to 1929. Watson introduced seven standard boilers, later to become known as the Watson Standard boilers. Locomotives which were reboilered with Watson Standard boilers were reclassified with an additional "R" suffix (for reboilered) to their Class numbers.
[Espitalier, T.J.; Day, W.A.J. (1946). ''The Locomotive in South Africa - A Brief History of Railway Development. Chapter VII - South African Railways (Continued).'' South African Railways and Harbours Magazine, July 1946. pp. 542-543.]
The first five Watson Standard boilers to be designed were the numbers 1, 1A, 2, 2A and 2B. The no. 1 boiler was suitable for the
Classes 5,
5B,
10A,
10B and
10C. The no. 1A boiler was similar to the no. 1, but with the boiler barrel lengthened by , and was suitable for the
Classes 19,
19A and
19B. The
Classes 19C and
19D were built new with no. 1A boilers.
The no. 2 boiler was suitable for the
Classes 3,
3B,
4A,
12,
12B,
14,
14A and
14C
Carbon-14, C-14, or radiocarbon, is a radioactive isotope of carbon with an atomic nucleus containing 6 protons and 8 neutrons. Its presence in organic materials is the basis of the radiocarbon dating method pioneered by Willard Libby and colle ...
. The no. 2A boiler was similar to the no. 2, but with the boiler barrel lengthened by , and was suitable for the
Classes 15,
15A and
15B. The no. 2B boiler was also similar to the no. 2, but with the boiler barrel shortened by , and was suitable for the
Classes 16,
16B and
16C.
These were followed by the numbers 3A and 3B boilers. The no. 3A boiler was suitable for the
Class 16E, while the no. 3B boiler was longer and suitable for the
Classes 15E,
15F,
21 and
23.
Shunting tender locomotives
The only purpose-built shunting steam locomotives of the SAR were also tender types and were classed S. Subsequent models became Classes S1 and S2.
Tank locomotives
Tank
A tank is an armoured fighting vehicle intended as a primary offensive weapon in front-line ground combat. Tank designs are a balance of heavy firepower, strong armour, and good battlefield mobility provided by tracks and a powerful engin ...
locomotives, which carry all their coal and water on the engine itself instead of in a separate tender, were classed alphabetically from Class A to H and J to K, while variations within classes were indicated by a numerical suffix, for example Classes H, H1 and H2.
Articulated locomotives
Mallet
A mallet is a tool used for imparting force on another object, often made of rubber or sometimes wood, that is smaller than a maul or beetle, and usually has a relatively large head. The term is descriptive of the overall size and proport ...
locomotives were classed alphabetically, but with an M prefix, from Class MA to MJ, while variations within classes were indicated by a numerical suffix, for example Classes MC and MC1.
Garratt locomotives were also classed alphabetically, but with a G prefix, from Class GA to GO, variations being indicated by an additional letter, as in Classes GCA or GDA. The
Class GMA Garratt exists in two forms, the GMA for branchline use and the GMAM for mainline use.
Two of the three Modified Fairlie locomotive types were classed alphabetically, with an F prefix and with the second letters corresponding to the second letter in the equivalent Garratt class, namely the Classes FC and FD. An exception was the third type, the Class HF.
The sole
Kitson-Meyer locomotive was classed KM.
The Union-Garratt was a unique locomotive type which can best be described as a hybrid between a
Garratt
A Garratt (often referred to as a Beyer Garratt) is a type of steam locomotive invented by British engineer Herbert William Garratt that is articulated into three parts. Its boiler, firebox, and cab are mounted on a centre frame or "bridge ...
and a
Modified Fairlie. Of the two Union-Garratt types, the 2-6-2+2-6-2 was classed U while the 4-6-2+2-6-4 was classed in the Garratt range as Class GH.
Obsolete locomotives
Ex CGR Classes which were considered obsolete but which were still retained in service when the SAR renumbering came into effect in 1912, were reclassified and renumbered with a numeral 0 prefix to their existing CGR classifications as well as to their existing engine numbers, as in
Class 05 no. 0123, while obsolete NGR and CSAR locomotives remained unclassified but with a numeral 0 prefixed to their existing engine numbers. Locomotives taken over from
German South West Africa
German South West Africa (german: Deutsch-Südwestafrika) was a colony of the German Empire from 1884 until 1915, though Germany did not officially recognise its loss of this territory until the 1919 Treaty of Versailles. With a total area of ...
in 1922 retained their original German class descriptions.
Narrow gauge steam locomotives
Narrow and gauges locomotives were included in the SAR's 1912 numbering scheme and were allocated engine numbers with an "NG" prefix in order to distinguish them from
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 ...
locomotives which shared the same locomotive number, but a system of grouping narrow gauge locomotives into classes was only adopted somewhere between 1928 and 1930. These classifications were also prefixed with "NG", for example "Class NG1" or "Class NG15" for tank or tender locomotives, or "Class NG G16" for Garratts.
The inscriptions on the number plates were not always in a consistent format. On Garratts, for example, the class could be found indicated as "Class NG G16", "Class NG/G16", "Class NGG16" or even simply as "Class NGG". Also, the engine number on the number plate was sometimes prefixed with the "NG", sometimes not.
Electric and diesel locomotives
When the first electric locomotives were commissioned in 1924, they were also numbered sequentially beginning at number 1, more or less in the order of being taken on roster and irrespective of class. To distinguish them from steam locomotives with the same engine number, an "E" prefix was used with their numbers.
Around 1960 the SAR adopted a new classification system for electric and diesel powered locomotives. In terms of the new system, electric locomotives continued to be classed from Class 1E up, with the "E" suffix to distinguish them from steam locomotives with the same class number. Diesel-electric locomotives were classed from Class 31 up, diesel-hydraulic locomotives as
Class 61 and narrow gauge diesel-electric locomotives as
Class 91.
Diesel-electric and diesel-hydraulic locomotives
Diesel-electric and diesel-hydraulic locomotives were distinguished from steam and electric locomotives by having a "D" prefix to their numbers. The first diesel-electric locomotives, two early diesel shunters, were numbered in the same number range as electric locomotives, but with the "D" prefix. These were Class DS no. D137 and Class DS1 no. D138.
[South African Railways Index and Diagrams Electric and Diesel Locomotives, 610mm and 1065mm Gauges, Ref LXD 14/1/100/20, 28 January 1975, as amended]
Beginning with the arrival of the Class 31 diesel-electric and Class 61 diesel-hydraulic locomotives, the diesels were numbered in their own numbering series with the "D" prefix, overlapping with steam and electric numbers but starting at no. D700. The Class 31 was therefore initially numbered in the range from D700 to D744 and the Class 61 from D745 to D751.
With the implementation of the new classification system for electric and diesel powered locomotives, the numbering system for diesel-electric locomotives was changed to include the locomotive class and series in the locomotive number, for example 32-001 to 32-115 and 32-201 to 32-210. To differentiate between diesel-electric locomotive series within each class while simultaneously indicating the number range of the series, three digits were added to the class number, for example Class and Class 32-200. The "D" prefix was done away with.
In the process the early diesels were renumbered. Class 31 numbers D700 to D744 became 31-001 to 31-045 and Class 61 numbers D745 to D751 became 61-001 to 61-007. The Class 61-000 diesel-hydraulics were sold to the
Rhodesia Railway shortly thereafter.
Electro-diesel locomotives
In 1992, when the only South African electro-diesel locomotives to date were taken into service, they were grouped with the diesel-electrics as
Class 38-000.
Electric locomotives
With electric locomotives this new numbering practice was gradually implemented in four stages.
* All electric locomotives, up to and including the Class 6E1s, were still numbered sequentially, irrespective of class, up to no. E2185, the last of the Class 6E1.
* With the introduction of the Class 7E, sequential numbering was done away with and the class number was made part of the locomotive number (E7001 to E7100). Series variations within classes, however, were still sequentially numbered, for example Class 7E1 (E7101 to E7150), Class 7E2, Series 1 (E7151 to E7169) and Class 7E2, Series 2 (E7170 to E7215).
* With the introduction of the Class 10E, the numbering system became partially similar to that of diesel-electric locomotives (10-001 to 10-050). The class series, however, was not yet incorporated into the number, but followed the old practice (10E, 10E1, 10E2). Numbering of such series within the class was still sequential, thus the Class 10E1 was still numbered sequentially following on the last Class 10E number (10-051 to 10-100).
* On electric locomotives the incorporation of the locomotive series into the locomotive number was first used in 1993 with the introduction of the
Class 14E1. The three Class 14E locomotives were numbered 14-001 to 14-003 and the Class 14E1 locomotives 14-100 to 14-110, with the "E" prefix done away with. The "E" prefix did resurface in the Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) era, when some Class 10E locomotives were repainted in the red TFR livery.
Number plates
The traditional number plates, on the cab sides of SAR steam and diesel locomotives and in the middle of the sides of electric locomotives, displayed the engine's number and class. They were originally cast in a leaded bronze and were usually kept brightly polished by engine crews. During the SAR era, they were also often unofficially used to display the engine's home depot by the colour of the recessed middle part of the plate.
[SAR-L Yahoogroup message 47958 of 15 October 2014, from Phil Girdlestone - Re: 10E2 Number plate](_blank)
/ref>
The number plates date back to the early years of the CGR and NGR and are highly sought after by collectors as well as scrap metal peddlers. Unfortunately, this has led to a rhinoceros horn
A rhinoceros (; ; ), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. (It can also refer to a member of any of the extinct species o ...
type situation, where the plates were illegally removed from many locomotives. In later years, in an attempt to discourage theft, most modern engines bore plates which were cast in aluminium instead of leaded bronze.
Eventually, when the SAR became Spoornet in 1990, it was decided to permanently remove these prized items from all electric and diesel-electric locomotives when they were repainted in post-SAR liveries.
Until 1963, the standard dimensions of the SAR plates were between bolt hole centres, with an overall width of and height of . The standard depth of the plate was , the small lettering recess and the number recess , with variations in actual depth depending on how much the plate was dressed or buffed after casting.
A new drawing was produced in 1963, to cover plates for all types of locomotive. While the dimensions remained the same, the height of the portion through which the bolts pass was reduced from to . In addition, while earlier plates had English at the top and Afrikaans at the bottom, the new standard stipulated that locomotives should henceforth have two different plates, one with Afrikaans at the top and the other with English at the top.
References
{{Locomotives of South Africa
Locomotives of South Africa
Locomotive classification systems
Locomotive boilers