Klerksdorp Transport Museum: 2 Industrial type Steam Locomotives in Preservation

The following two locomotives are plinthed at the North West Transport Museum at Klerksdorp. The Transport Museum was opened in 2006 and is located near Dawkinsville at the old goods sheds of the railways. The museum is well worth a visit - pictures of the some of the exhibits may be seen here.
_______________________________________________________________________________

0-8-0T built by Hunslet Engine Co (the "Nigerian" design)

"PPC No 2" Hunslet 1900/1938 formerly used at PPC's "No 2 Works" at Slurry - 2006 image at Klerksdorp Transport Museum (c) Francois Kritzinger via sar-L group

Photo taken 21 October 2006 by Awie Visagie.

This locomotive has the markings of PPC (Pretoria Portland Cement Co Ltd.) The locomotive was donated to the museum by PPC. PPC used this locomotive as No 2 at their "PPC No 2 Works" cement factory at Slurry, 20 km east of Mafikeng. This 0-8-0T tank locomotive was built for PPC in 1938 by Hunslet Engine Co Ltd of Leeds in England according to a base design that was exported since 1930 to railways in the Gold Coast and Nigeria in West Africa. The locomotive has works number 1900, and boiler number 60512. It has a cylinder diameter of 18 in. x 23 in. stroke. [source: Industrial Locomotives of South Africa 1991 - Middleton and Williams]

In the late 1980's this locomotive was plinthed on the platform at SLURRY station. Image kindly provided by Phil Braithwaite


Crop from previous image: (c) Phil Braithwaite


In 2005 she was moved to the premises of the North West Transport Museum in Klerksdorp. 2005 Newspaper picture

The Hunslet Engine Company, from the Leeds area in the UK, started building locomotives as long back as 1864. In 1964, when looking back over a century's activity's, the publication "A Hunslet Hundred", by LTC Rolt, stated:

"The year 1930 saw the appearance of the first of an outstandingly successful design. This was an 0-8-0 side tank with 18 in. x 23 in. outside cylinders and 3 ft. 6 in. coupled wheels which was built for the 3 ft. 6 in. Gold Coast Railway (located in present day Ghana). "
Ghana: It's 0600hrs and the sun is not yet up at Awaso on the morning of 3 April 1976. One of the cute 0-8-0Ts of the Ghana Railways, built by Hunslet c1935. Source: flickr: Bingley Hall


Source: Sandstone webpage.

"With a weight in working order of 48 tons 8 cwt., this was a powerful little locomotive giving a tractive effort figure of 23,532 lb. at 75% boiler pressure. Successive repeat orders over the years have brought the total of these engines built up to fifty-seven, twenty-four for the Gold Coast and thirty-three for the Nigerian Railways."

Source: http://www.topforge.co.uk/Photographs/NRC.htm

"The last batch of 6 engines built for Nigeria in 1955 differed from their predecessors in having eight-wheeled tenders in addition to the 1000 gallon side tanks, thus bringing the total water capacity to 4,800 gallons."

Based on the same base design as the steam locomotives delivered to the Gold Coast and Nigeria, four slightly different looking 0-8-0 side tank engines were delivered in South Africa. The South African version had smaller cabs and smaller smoke box doors. In 1938 PPC (Pretoria Portland Cement Co Ltd.) PPC received 2 new  Hunslet locomotives - "No. 1" = HE 1892 and "No. 2" = HE 1900. PPC "No 1" was scrapped many years ago, but PPC No 2 was plinthed on the Slurry station platform near the "Works No 2" cement factory at Slurry, 20 km east of Mafikeng. Also in 1938 the Rand Water Board start using one of these locomotives on their 5km branch line to the Swartkoppies pumping station. The pumping station was coal-fired at the time. In 1946 a 2nd Hunslet 0-8-0T was delivered new to RWB. A couple of images of the RWB branch in operation in 1980 may be seen here.


Eventually these locomotives became redundant --  image: André Kritzinger.

In 2007 Sandstone fortunately rescued the two RWB locomotives - you may lookup the report with images here

4-8-2T built by North British Locomotive Co

North British 27587/1955 formerly used at the Vaal Reefs Gold Mine at Orkney near Klerksdorp. 2006 image at Klerksdorp Transport Museum (c) Francois Kritzinger via sar-L group

Photo taken 21 October 2006 by Awie Visagie.

This locomotive was donated by Anglogold Ashanti to the North West Transport Museum in Klerksdorp. One of the gold mines resorting under Anglogold is Vaal Reefs - see below.

North British Locomotive Co. Ltd of Glasgow, Scotland, has built over 50 of these standard 4-8-2T and 4-8-4T tank locomotives for customers all over the world. In South Africa several gold mines used these locomotives. This particular example was used by the Vaal Reefs Gold Mine at Orkney near Klerksdorp. It was plinthed for some time at no. 2 shaft at Vaal reefs. This engine has works number 27587 built in 1955 for Vaal Reefs. The boiler no is 60512. Vaal Reefs donated the engine to the museum. The engineer who arranged the donation was a Mr Robinson, son of mr Robbie Robinson, who was for years the engineer in charge of the steam locos at Lorrain Gold Mines near Allanridge in the Freestate. [source: Industrial Locomotives of South Africa 1991 - Middleton and Williams]

A sister of this NBL locomotive may be seen at the Florida Junction shopping centre in Roodepoort.

 

Pretoria - Fort Klapperkop Museum: SAR Class 6B no 498

GOOD NEWS!!! By August 2011 it was reported that this locomotive had been cosmetically restored. This photo was posted to facebook by Dylan Knott.


18 March 2012 image uploaded to fb by Francois Lubbe.


18 March 2012 image uploaded to fb by Francois Lubbe.


18 March 2012 image uploaded to fb by Francois Lubbe. NOTE: The road number plate on this locomotive reads "537", this is incorrect, the locomotive actually is SAR engine no 498. Under the SAR the Class 6B numbering ran from 490-540. This engine is number 498. [source John Middleton's Locomotive Guide]


Fort Klapperkop Dec 2013 - image provided by James Boale of Heritage Management, Tshwane City.


photo: Rudi Venter 2004 permission kindly granted

This SAR Class 6B locomotive [4-6-0] no 498 is plinthed at the Klapperkop Fort Military Museum in Pretoria.

This locomotive was built in 1897 by Neilson and Co. as works no 5131.

During the Anglo-Boer War it was used by the Imperial Military Railways from 1899 to 1902 for carrying British troops and supplies to Pretoria.


photo: Rudi Venter 2004 permission kindly granted

The SAR Class 6 locomotives were originally designed by locomotive superintendent Michael Stephens for fast passenger service on the Cape Government Railways (CGR). Successive orders for the 6th class were placed with both British and American builders between 1893 and 1904 for use on the CGR and OVGS.

At first 40 locomotives were ordered (class 6), followed by another batch (class 6A) of 50 engines. This was followed by a 3rd order of 54 locomotives placed with Neilson, Reid and Co - these engines were delivered between 1897 and 1898 and were shared throughout the Cape Colony. On the SAR these 54 loco's were classed 6B - they were almost identical to the class 6A, except they were provided with an eight-wheeled bogie tender.


photo: Rudi Venter 2004 permission kindly granted

Already in 1997 a museum report noted: "Sadly though, this locomotive has been vandalised with the theft of all its copper components."


photo: Rudi Venter 2004 permission kindly granted

All the engines of the 6th class were regarded as having a splendid record of reliability, and low cost of repairs. In 1894 the General Manager, Mr. Elliot reported: "These engines will render practicable an increase in speed that will admit of a train being run from Cape Town to Johannesburg in 48 hours." By 1944 several of these engines were still working in the Middle East.


photo: Rudi Venter 2004 permission kindly granted

NOTE: The road number plate on this locomotive reads "537", this is incorrect, the locomotive actually is SAR engine no 498.

Under the SAR the Class 6B numbering ran from 490-540. This engine is number 498.


Photo taken on 13 October 2006 by Phil Rickerby and posted to flickr

The locomotive's chimney is very badly cracked.

The locomotive has cylinders of 17 in. diameter and 24 in. stroke. The driving wheels are 4 ft. 6 in. in diameter, the boiler pressure was 160 lb/sq.in. and the tractive effort 16700 lb. at 75% boiler pressure. The engine in working order weighed 46t 5c and the tender 34t 2c. The total length of engine and tender over couplers is 53 ft 10 in.


Oil on canvas painting: Awie Visagie permission kindly granted

What a lovely painting of this locomotive with Fort Klapperkop in the background!


2009 photo courtesy Derek Walker


2009 photo courtesy Derek Walker


2009 photo courtesy Derek Walker


2009 photo courtesy Derek Walker


Class 6Z no 717 shunting the Union Express from Monument station across Adderley street to East Pier 4 miles away to meet the Mail Ship. Photo Frank Garrison 1932 from P de Wet collection

Sources:

• Railways of SOUTHERN AFRICA Locomotive Guide 2002 - John Middleton

Bethlehem Museum 2005: SAR Class 6C no.544

We visited this Locomotive on 8 September 2005 at the Bethlehem museum.

Unfortunately this locomotive is not anymore accessible to the public at this location - in April 2008 this locomotive became part of the Sandstone Heritage collection. The good news then was that there were plans to restore the locomotive back to working order for proposed use on a section of the Bloemfontein-Bethlehem line.


Bethlehem Museum 2005: SAR Class 6C no.544

This ubiquitous class of locomotives was originally designed by the locomotive superintendent of the Cape Government Railways (CGR), Michael Stephens, in the late 19th century and a number of variations were placed in service between 1893 and 1904.


Construction of the Class 6 locomotives was by a number British and American builders. The first examples were delivered to the CGR (Cape Government Railways) but in 1896 the OVGS (Orange Free State Government Railways) ordered a number of examples from Sharp, Stewart and Co in Glasgow. of which No: 544 was the fourth built as works number 4141 of 1896.



The loco was numbered as OVGS no: 73. Following the Anglo-Boer war, Central South African Railways (CSAR) took over the OVGS and the locomotive was renumbered as CSAR no:349 of Class 6L-2.


As with many Class 6 locomotives, No: 544 has been fitted with a Belpaire boiler during its life to increase its performance.


On the formation of the South African Railways in 1910 the locomotive was renumbered 544 and reclassified as 6C.


No. 544 is in excellent condition having received some major repairs at Bethlehem loco shed prior to its transfer to the museum some 30 years ago.



No. 544 is now at Sandstone and awaiting restoration as the last existing locomotive of the OVGS.


NOTE: The text used above was mainly sourced from a now non-existent Sandstone webpage, where you may follow the further history of this locomotive. The locomotive has been given a new protective coat at Sandstone. Currently (August 2010) the only reference to the loco I can find is here.

Mafikeng Museum: SAR Class 6H Steam Locomotive

This image, taken at the Mafikeng Museum, of SAR Class 6H no 629, was kindly provided by Phil Braithwaite. The photo dates from the latter half of 1985/first half of 1986 and shows the cosmetically repainted and replinthed engine in all her splendour!

ABOVE: This 2016 image is by kind permission of the photographer Laurie Mulrine, this image was first posted on flickr here: SAR Class 6H: 627, Mahikeng / Mafeking, North West Province. 05.10.2016.

Gerrie Botha used to drive SAR class 19's engines for 30 years. One week he worked the Mafikeng-Warrenton line, the next week he was into Botswana and back. After his retirement from the SAR, he applied by letter on 9 October 1984, to SATS (South African Transport Services) for a class 19 to be made available for the museum in Mafikeng. His motivation that these were amongst the most beautiful classes to have worked the SAR. The reply was negative - no class 19's were available. However, in March 1985 SATS instead provided the rare (only 5 were built) specimen of the Class 6H no 629 for the museum - at the time this locomotive was plinthed at Mafikeng station since 1972. With 2 sets of rail tracks the engine was soon leapfrogged from the station to the museum. Council labour was employed to cosmetically restore the old work horse.

Peter Sinclair wrote this account for the sar-L railway interest group about the days when this locomotive was replinthed at the Mafikeng Museum:

Oom ("Uncle") Gerrie Botha with his loco Class 6H No 627 plinthed in the Mafikeng Town Centre. This 11 March 1986 Photo courtesy of Peter Sinclair.

"The pictures tell the story of one man's dedication to the loco that was once allocated to him during his active working life on the SAR. Retired at Mafeking, Gerrie Botha, was the Superintendent of the Mafeking Sewage Treatment Works when I met him, and I had known him for some time during routine monthly inspections of his plant, one of several in the Western Transvaal."


Oom Gerrie Botha, 11 March 1986: Photo courtesy of Peter Sinclair.

"I had yet to discover the existence of the RSSA at the time, and I tended to hide my interest in railways, and steam in particular, under a bushel, so to speak. People seeing you photographing trains, and hearing of your interest in steam engines, would look at you like some kind of nut."


11 March 1986: Photo courtesy of Peter Sinclair.

"Seeing some oil cup lubricators lying in his workshop one day. I struck gold when he told of the realization of his dream, and he told me the story of 627. Pulling strings with his connections on the SAR, he had organized two sets of tracks, and they had leap-frogged 627 into position on the authorized spot in town."


11 March 1986: Photo courtesy of Peter Sinclair.

Thereafter, using Council labour, the cosmetic restoration was ongoing, never satisfied until immaculate in every detail, and he watched over his baby like a hawk. Invariably we would adjourn to his loco to check on progress."


11 March 1986: Photo courtesy of Peter Sinclair.


Sideview of SAR Class 6H no 627 (unknown photographer)


Maker's Plate: Neilson & Co, Glasgow, Works No 5879 built in 1901. (unknown photographer)


This 1983 stamp depicts No.627 SAR Class 6H locomotive in service. No. 627 is now plinthed in front of the Mafikeng Museum.

Mr. H.M. Beatty, Chief Locomotive Superintendent of the Cape Government Railways (CGR), designed the Class 6H locomotive. Locomotive No. 627 was built by Neilson Reid and Co. as works no 5875 in 1901. It was in service until 1971, and erected as a monument at Mafikeng railway station in 1972.


Photographer: Passus Domesticus.(Panoramio)

The locomotive has a 4-6-0 wheel arrangement, the total mass in working order is 94 tons, and the tractive force 84 kN.


Photographer: Unknown


Photographer: Unknown

A good place to start a tour of Mafikeng is at the Museum, situated in Martin Street. The displays are superb, and the curator holds the keys to a number of historical sites around the town. The Museum is housed in the former Old Town Hall, built in 1902. This ornate building dominated the centre of the town at the time. With its impressive steel ceiling, old town clock and elaborate architectural style, the museum itself deserves a visit.


Photographer: Unknown

Outside the museum rests a 6-H class steam locomotive. Its was constructed in Scotland in 1901. This locomotive pulled trains on the route between Mafikeng and Bulawayo until 1971. In 1985 it was moved from the railway station to its present position.


Photographer: Unknown

The last plate-framed 6th-class locomotives built for the CGR were 21 supplied by Neilson, Reid and Co in 1901. Their boilers were again enlarged, and were fitted with Beatty's large cab. They became the SAR Class 6H.


On 13 July 2008 Duncan Burnett visited the Mafikeng Museum, and took these pictures of the locomotive and his family. You may read his journal, and see his original web photos here.

This picture was taken by Piet Redelinghuys and published in the October 2008 issue of the Steam in Action newsletter.


One of these stamps shows the Mafikeng locomotive shed around 1933.


Top left stamp: Class 6A
Bottom left stamp: Class 6Z
Bottom right stamp: Mafikeng station around 1904