19 April 2009

Volksrust, Town Centre (Voortrekker Park), Class 19D no 2696


Undated image posted to Atlantic Rail's fb page by Ian Pretorius.

At Volksrust steam train aficionados may find a fine example of a steam locomotive in Market Square. This area was renamed Voortrekker Square in 1938. There is also the Burger Memorial dedicated to the memory of the women and children who died in the concentration camp, and it also commemorates all those who fought for the freedom of the Zuid-Afrikaanse Republiek(ZAR).


2 June 2005 photo: from André Kritzinger's Album

Johann & Elsie Kritzinger took this photo on 15 January 2007.

The locomotive is plinthed in Voortrekker Park in the town centre of Volksrust.


picture: Galen Frysinger

Stream trains in this area were phased out in 1937 when the electrification of the Durban-Volksrust line was completed


picture: Galen Frysinger
The 19D no 2696 is a wheel type 4-8-2 engine.
This locomotive was built by Borsig as works no 14747 in 1938.


picture: Galen Frysinger


picture: Galen Frysinger

The 19D plinthed in Volksrust has a so-called "Vanderbilt" tender which has a cylindrical water tank and six-wheeled "Buckeye" bogies.In 1901, Cornelius Vanderbilt III, whose great-grandfather founded the New York Central Railroad, invented a cylindrical tender which was soon adopted by a number of American railroads with oil-burning locomotives. Compared to rectangular tenders, cylindrical Vanderbilt tenders were stronger, lighter, and held more fuel in relation to surface area. In South Africa the design was used to carry water & coal for the locomotive.

Before WW II, 135 engines of Class 19D were delivered by Krupp, Borsig and Skoda. Immediately after the war, a further 50 Class 19D's were supplied by Robert Stephenson and Hawthorn Ltd. These were similar to the pre-war 19D, except they were fitted with vacuum brakes. The final order of 50 engines of this class was from North British Locomotive Co in 1949 and fitted with a new type of tender known as the Vanderbilt as mention above.

These versatile locomotives saw extensive service on every system of the SAR and were amongst the last steam locomotives to be withdrawn from active service.


22nd May 1982: Volksrust shed. From left to right South African Railways 19D class 2706, 15F class 3135 & 19D class 3352 simmer away under the efficient watering system. Photo posted on flickr by unidentified photographer.

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