South African Class 15CA 4-8-2 explained

South African Class 15CA 4-8-2
Hatnote:♠ With 57 inch (1,448 mm) coupled wheels
With 60 inch (1,524 mm) coupled wheels
23x28 Cylinders - 24x28 Cylinders - ʘ Reboilered
No. 2039-2059, 2072-2073
No. 2074-2077, 2801-2839 - No. 2840-2857
Powertype:Steam
Designer:South African Railways
(Col F.R. Collins DSO)
Builder:American Locomotive Company
Baldwin Locomotive Works
Società Italiana Ernesto Breda
North British Locomotive Company
Serialnumber:ALCO 66986-67008, Baldwin 60828-60831, Breda 2236-2245, NBL 23774-23802, 24008-24025
Buildmodel:Class 15CA
Builddate:1926-1929
Totalproduction:84
Whytetype:4-8-2 (Mountain)
Uicclass:2'D1'h2
Driver:2nd coupled axle
Leadingdiameter:300NaN0
Coupleddiameter:♠ 570NaN0
600NaN0
Trailingdiameter: 330NaN0
340NaN0
Tenderdiameter:340NaN0
Wheelbase:65feet
Engine Total:35feet
Leading:6feet
Coupled:15feet
Tender Total:20feet
Tenderbogie:6feet
Over Couplers:73feet
Height:♠ 12feet
12feet
Frametype:Bar
Axleload:♠ 17lt
♠ 17lt
♠ 17lt
17lt
17lt
17lt
Leadingbogie/Pony:♠ 19lt
♠ 19lt
♠ 21lt
19lt
19lt
21lt
Coupled 1:♠ 17lt
♠ 17lt
♠ 17lt
17lt
17lt
17lt
Coupled 2:♠ 17lt
♠ 17lt
♠ 17lt
17lt
17lt
17lt
Coupled 3:♠ 17lt
♠ 17lt
♠ 17lt
17lt
17lt
17lt
Coupled 4:♠ 17lt
♠ 17lt
♠ 17lt
17lt
17lt
17lt
Trail Bogie/Pony:♠ 14lt
♠ 14lt
♠ 14lt
14lt
14lt
14lt
Tenderbogieload:Bogie 1: 33lt
Bogie 2: 35lt
Tenderaxle:17lt
Weightondrivers:♠ 69lt
♠ 70sigfig=4NaNsigfig=4
♠ 69lt
70lt
71lt
70lt
Locoweight:♠ 103lt
♠ 104lt
♠ 105lt
104lt
105lt
106lt
Tenderweight:69lt
Locotenderweight:♠ 172lt
♠ 173lt
♠ 174lt
173lt
174lt
175lt
Tendertype:KT (2-axle bogies)
Fueltype:Coal
Fuelcap:141NaN1
Watercap:6000sigfig=3NaNsigfig=3
Fireboxtype:Round-top
Firearea:48square feet
Pitch:♠ 8feet
8feet
Diameterinside:6feet
Lengthinside:20feet
Smalltubediameter:♠ 143: NaN0NaN0
ʘ 117: NaN0NaN0
Largetubediameter:♠ 30: NaN0NaN0
ʘ 34: NaN0NaN0
Boilerpressure:♠ 2000NaN0
2100NaN0
Safetyvalvetype:Pop
Totalsurface:♠ 2777square feet
ʘ 2584square feet
Tubearea:♠ 2554square feet
ʘ 2361square feet
Archarea:23square feet
Fireboxarea:200square feet
Superheatertype:Schmidt
Superheaterarea:♠ 716square feet
ʘ 670square feet
Cylindercount:Two
Cylindersize: 230NaN0 bore
240NaN0 bore
280NaN0 stroke
Valvegear:Walschaerts
Valvetype:Piston
Coupling:Johnston link-and-pin
AAR knuckle (1930s)
Tractiveeffort:♠ 38980lbf @ 75%
♠ 42440lbf @ 75%
38880lbf @ 75%
42340lbf @ 75%
Operator:South African Railways
Operatorclass:Class 15CA
Numinclass:84
Fleetnumbers:2039–2059, 2072-2077, 2801-2857
Deliverydate:1926-1930
Firstrundate:1926
Withdrawndate:1980s
Notes:♠ The leading coupled axle had flangeless wheels

The South African Railways Class 15CA 4-8-2 of 1926 was a steam locomotive.

In 1926, the South African Railways placed 23 Class 15CA steam locomotives with a 4-8-2 Mountain type wheel arrangement in service. Another 61 engines were ordered and delivered from three manufacturers in 1929 and 1930.[1]

Class 15C redesign

After the twelve Class 15C Big Bill Mountain type locomotives which were delivered by Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1925 had been in service a short while, it was discovered that the frames under the front of the firebox had a tendency to crack, necessitating heavy repairs.[1]

To overcome this, a new modified design was prepared by Col F.R. Collins DSO, the Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the South African Railways (SAR), for an almost identical locomotive but with the frames shortened to the front of the firebox and widened under the firebox by means of a bridle casting.

Manufacturers

The first batch of 23 of these redesigned locomotives were built for the SAR by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO). They were delivered in 1926, numbered in the range from 2039 to 2059, 2072 and 2073, and designated Class 15CA. The "A" supposedly indicated the manufacturer ALCO rather than, as was usual SAR practice, a different version of an existing locomotive type.[1]

The earlier Baldwin-built Class 15C was then reclassified to Class 15CB for no good reason, since the "B" merely indicated the manufacturer Baldwin and not, as was usual practice, a branchline locomotive.

Another 61 Class 15CA locomotives were acquired in four batches from three other manufacturers in 1929 and 1930. Like the 23 ALCO-built locomotives, all except the last batch were built with 230NaN0 bore cylinders.[1]

Characteristics

Apart from the redesigned frame under the firebox, these locomotives were very similar to the Class 15C in proportions and appearance. They also had Coale pop type safety valves, a Schmidt type superheater and a combustion chamber in the firebox, which was equipped with flexible side stays and water siphon arch tubes. Their coupled wheel axleboxes, crank pins and connecting rod big ends were grease lubricated. These engines used the same Type KT tenders with a coal capacity of 141NaN1 and a water capacity of 6000sigfig=3NaNsigfig=3.[1]

Modifications

Retyring

The locomotives were delivered with 570NaN0 diameter coupled wheels and their boilers were set at an operating pressure of 2000NaN0. All their coupled wheels were eventually retyred to a 600NaN0 diameter and to compensate for the loss of tractive effort due to the larger diameter wheels, their operating boiler pressure was increased from 200to by an adjustment of the setting of their safety valves. This modification enabled these mixed traffic locomotives to handle the fastest mainline passenger trains.[3] [4]

In addition, all those locomotives which had been built with 230NaN0 bore cylinders had their cylinders reamed to a bore of 240NaN0.[1]

When larger tyres were fitted to their coupled wheels, the old tyres were left in position and turned down on the wheel centres to serve as liners and the new tyres were then shrunk on over the liners. The leading coupled wheels, which had been flangeless as built, were flanged during the retyring. The practice of increasing the diameter of coupled wheels, wheel spacing and other considerations permitting, was begun by A.G. Watson during his term in office as CME and was continued by his successors. The reduction of tractive effort caused by the larger wheels was made up by increasing boiler pressure or by fitting larger cylinders or both, as required. This policy resulted in more mileage between heavy repairs, less cost-per-mile on repairs and locomotives capable of higher speeds.[1]

Reboilering

During the early 1940s, three of the Class 15CB and Class 15CA locomotives were reboilered with new boilers numbered in the range from 9504 to 9506. These boilers were of similar dimensions as the originals but with a different tube arrangement. It was designed by Dr. M.M. Loubser, CME at the time. The reboilered locomotives were not reclassified.[3] [4]

Service

South African Railways

The Class 15CA locomotives were placed in service on the mainline between Cape Town and Kimberley but like the Class 15CB, they were later transferred to Bloemfontein. From here they worked throughout the Free State until they were eventually relocated to the Eastern Transvaal system. There they worked out of Pretoria to Pietersburg in the north and from there to Tzaneen in the east and Messina on the Rhodesian border in the north. Some also worked out of Witbank and Breyten.

In the early 1960s, a few joined the Class 15CB on the National North Coast line. Here they were used on, amongst others, the night and day passenger trains to and from Empangeni on the north coast line and on passenger trains to and from Kelso on the south coast line. In 1983, they all went from there to the Cape Northern system for use on the lines from Beaconsfield in Kimberley, working north to Mafeking and south to De Aar. Eventually nearly forty of them ended up as heavy shunters at Kaserne and Germiston in Johannesburg where they replaced the Class 12AR and Class S1.[5] [6]

15CA 2828 is now plinthed at the Gospel Express, Vinkrivier Station, R60, Robertson, is the Western Cape, South Africa. 2828 completes the 11 coaches stationed at Vink, as accommodation for the Gospel Express Christian Centre.

Industry

Three Class 15CA locomotives were sold into industrial service. Numbers 2807 and 2839 went to Dunn's Locomotive Works and were eventually sold to Rustenburg Platinum Mines. No. 2811 went to South Witbank Colliery as their no. 4.

Works numbers

The table lists the Class 15CA engine numbers, builders, years built and the builders' works numbers. The colour coding following the engine numbers refers to the three axle loadings of the different batches of the Class 15CA, as shown in the table of specifications.

Preservation

Number Works nmr THF / Private Leaselend / Owner Current Location Outside South Africa ?
2039 ALCO 66986 THF/Private MISLPT (Michael Barclay) Krugersdorp Locomotive Depot Ownership Unclear
2040 ALCO 66987 THF/Private MISLPT (Michael Barclay) Krugersdorp Locomotive Depot Ownership Unclear
2041 ALCO 66988 THF/Private MISLPT (Michael Barclay) Krugersdorp Locomotive Depot Ownership Unclear
2055 ALCO 67005 THF Rustenburg (Station)
2056 ALCO 67003 THF Reefsteamers Germiston Locomotive Depot
2077 BAL 60831 THF/Private MISLPT (Michael Barclay) Krugersdorp Locomotive Depot Ownership Unclear
2802 BREDA 2237 THF Esslenpark Railway College
2803 BREDA 2238 THF/Private MISLPT (Michael Barclay) Krugersdorp Locomotive Depot Ownership Unclear
2804 BREDA 2239 THF Esslenpark Railway College
2820 NBL 23783 THF/Private MISLPT (Michael Barclay) Krugersdorp Locomotive Depot Ownership Unclear
2825 NBL 23788 THF Krugersdorp Locomotive Depot
2828 NBL 23791 THF Gospel Express Vink (Station)
2833 NBL 23796 THF Krugersdorp Locomotive Depot
2836 NBL 23799 THF Krugersdorp Locomotive Depot
2850 NBL 24018 THF Wonder Steam Trains Hermanstad Depot
2853 NBL 24021 THF Krugersdorp Locomotive Depot

Illustration

The main picture shows Breda-built no. 2802, serving as school guard at Esselen Park, the Transnet School of Rail in Kaalfontein, Gauteng, on 21 September 2009.

Notes and References

  1. 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, May 1946. pp. 375-376.
  2. North British Locomotive Company works list, compiled by Austrian locomotive historian Bernhard Schmeiser
  3. South African Railways & Harbours/Suid Afrikaanse Spoorweë en Hawens (15 Aug 1941). Locomotive Diagram Book/Lokomotiefdiagramboek, 3'6" Gauge/Spoorwydte. SAR/SAS Mechanical Department/Werktuigkundige Dept. Drawing Office/Tekenkantoor, Pretoria. pp. 19-20, 45-46.
  4. South African Railways & Harbours/Suid Afrikaanse Spoorweë en Hawens (15 Aug 1941). Locomotive Diagram Book/Lokomotiefdiagramboek, 2'0" & 3'6" Gauge/Spoorwydte, Steam Locomotives/Stoomlokomotiewe. SAR/SAS Mechanical Department/Werktuigkundige Dept. Drawing Office/Tekenkantoor, Pretoria. pp. 6a-7a, 19-20, 45-46.
  5. https://sites.google.com/site/soulorailway/home/system-6-1/system-6 Soul of A Railway, System 6, Part 1: Durban Old Station. Caption 78.
  6. https://sites.google.com/site/soulorailway/home/system-6-1/part-2-greyville-loco-greyville-station-to-umgeni-and-berea-road-to-rossburgh Soul of A Railway, System 6, Part 2: Greyville Loco, Greyville Station to Umgeni & Berea Road to Rossburgh. Caption 36.

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