CGR 4th Class 4-4-2

This article is about one of several different Cape Government Railways locomotive types to be designated "4th Class". For the others, see Cape Government Railways 4th Class locomotives.

The Cape Government Railways 4th Class 4-4-2 of 1897 was a South African steam locomotive from the pre-Union era in the Cape of Good Hope.

CGR 4th Class 4-4-2 South African Class 04 4-4-2
CGR 4th Class 4-4-2 no. 297, c. 1910
Type and origin Power type Steam Designer Baldwin Locomotive Works Builder Baldwin Locomotive Works Serial number 15338-15343 Model JNR 6600-Class Build date 1897 Total produced 30
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 4-4-2 (Atlantic)  • UIC 2'B1'n2 Driver 2nd coupled axle Gauge 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) Cape gauge Leading dia. 28 in (711 mm) Coupled dia. 56 in (1,422 mm) Trailing dia. 33 in (838 mm) Tender wheels 32+1⁄2 in (826 mm) Wheelbase 45 ft 11+1⁄2 in (14,008 mm) ​  • Engine 22 ft 6 in (6,858 mm)  • Leading 6 ft (1,829 mm)  • Coupled 6 ft (1,829 mm)  • Tender 13 ft 3 in (4,039 mm)  • Tender bogie 4 ft 8 in (1,422 mm) Length: ​  • Over couplers 53 ft 5+1⁄2 in (16,294 mm) Height 12 ft 3 in (3,734 mm) Frame type Bar Axle load 12 LT 3 cwt (12,340 kg) ​  • Leading 10 LT 18 cwt (11,070 kg)  • 1st coupled 11 LT 12 cwt (11,790 kg)  • 2nd coupled 12 LT 3 cwt (12,340 kg) Adhesive weight 23 LT 15 cwt (24,130 kg) Loco weight 44 LT 16 cwt (45,520 kg) Tender weight 30 LT 2 cwt (30,580 kg) Total weight 74 LT 18 cwt (76,100 kg) Tender type 2-axle bogies Fuel type Coal Fuel capacity 5 LT 15 cwt (5.8 t) Water cap. 2,400 imp gal (10,900 L) Firebox: ​  • Type Round-top  • Grate area 30 sq ft (2.8 m2) Boiler: ​  • Pitch 6 ft 11 in (2,108 mm)  • Diameter 4 ft 8+7⁄8 in (1,445 mm)  • Tube plates 14 ft 9+3⁄8 in (4,505 mm)  • Small tubes 189: 2 in (51 mm) Boiler pressure 180 psi (1,241 kPa) Safety valve Ramsbottom Heating surface: ​  • Firebox 98.15 sq ft (9.118 m2)  • Tubes 1,461.7 sq ft (135.80 m2)  • Total surface 1,559.85 sq ft (144.915 m2) Cylinders Two Cylinder size 16 in (406 mm) bore 22 in (559 mm) stroke Valve gear Stephenson Couplers Johnston link-and-pin
Performance figures Tractive effort 13,580 lbf (60.4 kN) @ 75%
Career Operators Japanese National Railways Cape Government Railways South African Railways Class JNR 6600-Class, CGR 4th Class, SAR Class 04 Number in class 6 Numbers 295-300 Nicknames Hatrack Delivered 1897 First run 1897 Withdrawn 1931

In 1897, the Cape Government Railways placed six 4th Class tender locomotives with a 4-4-2 Atlantic type wheel arrangement in service on the section from Kimberley southwards.

Manufacturer

In 1896, at the time that an urgent requirement arose on the Cape Government Railways (CGR) for more locomotives for the section of the Western System from Kimberley to the south, locomotive production by the usual British suppliers was being disrupted by strikes which made delivery time uncertain. At the same time, the steamship companies had suddenly doubled all freight charges to the Cape. The CGR therefore approached locomotive builders in the United States of America.

Baldwin Locomotive Works, it turned out, had just completed an order for 24 6600-Class 4-4-2 Atlantic type tender locomotives, numbered in the range from 6600 to 6623, for the 3 feet 6 inches (1,067 millimetres) gauge Japanese State Railways. Baldwin offered to produce another six of the same type for the CGR. Since the Japanese locomotive met the requirements of the CGR, the offer was accepted.

Construction of the six locomotives was completed within sixty days of confirmation of the order. The new doubled freight rates of the steamship companies were circumvented by shipping the locomotives by sailing vessel, which convinced the steamship companies to promptly revert to their previous rates.

Characteristics

The locomotives were designated 4th Class, in spite of being completely unlike any other in this Class on the CGR, and were numbered in the range from 295 to 300. They were the only Atlantic types to see service in South Africa.

They were of typical American design at the time, with bar frames, spacious cabs and high running boards. They had large boilers and large grates which had been designed to burn very poor quality coal. In service, they were found to be free steaming, excellent and smooth runners and low on maintenance costs. These qualities, with their roomy cabs and general handiness, made them popular with the enginemen, who nicknamed them Hatracks.

CGR Chief Locomotive Superintendent H.M. Beatty was equally impressed by the sturdy and simple construction and the good steaming qualities of these locomotives. The bar frame allowed the firebox to be placed on top of it and to make it 2 inches (51 millimetres) wider than what would have been possible with a plate frame on Cape gauge. Beatty became a firm believer in bar frames, to the extent that practically all his subsequent locomotive designs had such frames. Plate frames were only used again on locomotives which were acquired on repeat orders for existing locomotive types.

Service

When the Union of South Africa was established on 31 May 1910, the three Colonial government railways (CGR, Natal Government Railways and Central South African Railways) 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 six locomotives spent their entire service lives working in the Kimberley region. In 1912, the Baldwin-built Atlantics were considered obsolete by the SAR, designated Class 04 and renumbered by having the numeral "0" prefixed to their existing numbers. In spite of being considered obsolete, they were only scrapped in 1931.

Works numbers

The locomotives were numbered in reverse order of their builder's works numbers. The works numbers, original numbers and renumbering of the CGR 4th Class Atlantics are listed in the table.

CGR 4th Class 4-4-2

Works no.	CGR no.	SAR no.
15343	295	0295
15342	296	0296
15341	297	0297
15340	298	0298
15339	299	0299
15338	300	0300

Illustration

At left below is a Baldwin works photograph of the CGR locomotive, as built, while at right is the Baldwin works picture of the Japanese locomotive. Apart from the headlights, spring buffers and some other minor details, the locomotives are virtually identical.

• 
  Baldwin works picture of the CGR 4th Class
• 
  Baldwin works picture of the JNR 6600-6623 Class

The main picture of no. 297 in the CGR era and the following picture of no 0298 in the SAR era show both locomotives with tenders which were enlarged after they entered service.

• 
  Class 04 no 0298 in SAR service, c. 1930