20 March 2010 information board - photo by Hannes Paling as posted to flickr.
20 March 2010 - Dübs 3057/1894, SAR Class 6 No 432; photo by Hannes Paling as posted to flickr.
20 March 2010 - Dübs 3057/1894, SAR Class 6 No 432; photo by Hannes Paling as posted to flickr.
20 March 2010 - Dübs 3057/1894, SAR Class 6 No 432; photo by Hannes Paling as posted to flickr.
To mark the centenary (1860-1960) of Railways in South Africa, the Afrikaans magazine, "Die Brandwag", ran a series of articles on locomotives in issues of the magazine during 1959-1960. To illustrate the Class 6, this photo of SAR engine 432 (the very one now plinthed at Nigel) was used. Note the 6-wheel tender which is different from the tender displayed now with the locomotive. [Copy of the photo was kindly provided by Errol Swanepoel, and spotted by him on 25 Sept 2010 in the Jan Danckaert Museum in Porterville]
This 4-6-0 locomotive is a SAR Class 6 engine no 432 which was built in 1894 as works number 3057 by Dübs & Co, Glasgow, Scotland. It is plinthed in front of the Main Gate of the Union Carriage & Wagon Works near Nigel, Gauteng.
18 January 1999 photo courtesy Martin Welzel - This locomotive arrived under her own steam at the Union Carriage & Waggon Works, Nigel, on 25 April 1972.
Martin Welzel, working as a engineer for a firm in Germany, was sent to Union Carriage & Waggon Works, Nigel, on a work visit, in January 1999. He took some pictures of the plinthed loco's at Union Carriage & Waggon Works and also of completed Metro trains at the works. You may visit Martin's German language entry on their "HiFo" (Historic Forum) titled: "Der Blick über den Zaun: Denkmalloks in Nigel (Südafrika), 18.1.99" [Freely titled: "Looking over the fence - Monument locomotives in Nigel (South Africa)"] Martin very kindly offered to scan his 1999 slides for this oSLiSA blog entry, and that is how I got these fine pictures. Thanks Martin!
IMPORTANT NOTE: This engine was restored with her initial CGR (Cape Government Railways) road number #356, her later SAR road number was 432. In between she was seconded to the Orange Free State Railways, where she carried a road number of "61", then she became part of the Imperial Military Railways, and then got the number 337 which she kept when she joined the Central South African Railways in 1902. This indeed may lead to some confusion!
18 January 1999 photo courtesy Martin Welzel
The Class 6 series was originally designed by locomotive superintendent Michael Stephens for fast passenger service on the CGR (Cape Government Railways), and 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 (Orange Free State Government Railways).
The first order for 40 engines was delivered from Dübs & Co in 1893 and became the SAR Class 6. They were an enlargement of the CGR Class 5 (SAR Class 5) with Stephenson's link motion, but with "D" valves positioned above the now horizontal cylinders. They were placed in service on both the Western and Midlands system.
18 January 1999 photo courtesy Martin Welzel
These little engines had a long and illustrious career on the SAR. As they were displaced from main-line work they were assigned other less glamorous tasks. Most notable was the performance they set up on the Cape and Reef suburban traffic during the 1920's.
2009 photo posted to flickr by Christo Doherty.
During World War II, 16 of the classes 6 to 6D were sold to the Sudan to assist with the war effort.
2009 photo posted to flickr by Christo Doherty.
While the last 30 years of service was spent mainly on the shunt throughout the country, except Natal, they were used occasionally as late as 1960 to assist with branch-line work. The last of these engines were withdrawn in 1973.
24 Sept 2009 photo kind courtesy of Andre Kritzinger. Andre has also posted this photo here in his Album about South African Steam Locomotives.
It always heartening to note that a plinthed locomotive is further preserved by a nice new coat of paint, this one in the colours of the Cape Government Railways
While you are there ....
you might as well take a look at the only plinthed electric locomotive in South Africa.
This is a Class 1E locomotive no E23.
18 January 1999 photo courtesy Martin Welzel
18 January 1999 photo courtesy Martin Welzel
18 January 1999 photo courtesy Martin Welzel
2009 photo posted to flickr by Christo Doherty.
Christo notes: "This was the first electric unit to run on South African railways - commissioned for service in 1925 and only withdrawn in 1973. It was built by the Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Company in Manchester, UK. "
2009 photo posted to flickr by Christo Doherty.
2009 photo posted to flickr by Christo Doherty.
The locomotive is a 1200 HP unit, and runs off 3000 V DC.
24 Sept 2009 photo kind courtesy of Andre Kritzinger. Andre has also posted this photo here in his Album about South African Electric Locomotives.
This Google Earth view shows the location of the plinthed locomotives in front of the main gate at Union Carriage & Waggon Works.
To see street names click on map to enlarge
18 January 1999 photo courtesy Martin Welzel
2009 photo posted to flickr by Christo Doherty.
Christo notes: "This was the first electric unit to run on South African railways - commissioned for service in 1925 and only withdrawn in 1973. It was built by the Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Company in Manchester, UK. "
2009 photo posted to flickr by Christo Doherty.
2009 photo posted to flickr by Christo Doherty.
The locomotive is a 1200 HP unit, and runs off 3000 V DC.
24 Sept 2009 photo kind courtesy of Andre Kritzinger. Andre has also posted this photo here in his Album about South African Electric Locomotives.
This Google Earth view shows the location of the plinthed locomotives in front of the main gate at Union Carriage & Waggon Works.
To see street names click on map to enlarge
I used to work as a design draughtsman here in '70's working on the new Blue Train. I loved living in Nigel
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