Cape Town Railway & Dock 0-4-0T

Cape Town Railway & Dock 0-4-0T CGR 0-4-2T no. 9 Blackie
The engine Blackie plinthed at Cape Town station, 16 February 2007
Type and origin Power type Steam Designer Hawthorns and Company, Leith Builder Hawthorns and Company, Leith Serial number 162 Build date 1859 Total produced 1 Rebuilder Cape Government Railways Rebuild date c. 1873
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 0-4-0T (Four-coupled) as built 0-4-2T (Olomana) rebuilt  • UIC Bn2t as built B1n2t rebuilt Gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) broad Coupled dia. 54 in (1,372 mm) Trailing dia. 36 in (914 mm) Wheelbase 11 ft 10 in (3,607 mm)  • Coupled 6 ft (1,829 mm) Length: ​  • Over beams 20 ft 2 in (6,147 mm) Width 6 ft 3 in (1,905 mm) engine 8 ft 5 in (2,565 mm) cab roof Height 11 ft 8 in (3,556 mm) Frame type Plate Loco weight 14 LT (14,220 kg) Fuel type Coal Firebox type Round-top Boiler: ​  • Pitch 5 ft 1 in (1,549 mm)  • Diameter 3 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,130 mm) outside Boiler pressure 120 psi (827 kPa) Cylinders Two Cylinder size 10 in (254 mm) bore 18 in (457 mm) stroke Valve gear Stephenson Couplers Buffers and chain
Career Operators Messrs E. & J. Pickering Cape Town Railway & Dock Cape Government Railways Kowie Harbour Improvement Co. Number in class 1 Numbers 9 Official name Frontier Nicknames Blackie Delivered 1859 First run 1859 Withdrawn 1883 Preserved 1 Disposition Heritage object, plinthed

The Cape Town Railway & Dock 0-4-0T of 1859 was a South African steam locomotive from the pre-Union era in the Cape of Good Hope, and the first locomotive in South Africa.

In September 1859, Messrs. E. & J. Pickering, contractors to the Cape Town Railway and Dock Company for the construction of the Cape Town-Wellington railway line, imported a small 0-4-0 side-tank steam locomotive from England, for use during the construction of the railway. This locomotive, later to become engine no. 9 of the Cape Town Railway and Dock Company and then of the Cape Government Railways, was the first locomotive in South Africa. It has been declared a heritage object and was plinthed in the main concourse of Cape Town station.

Possibly in early 1874, by then on the roster of the Cape Government Railways, this locomotive was rebuilt to a 0-4-2T configuration, before it was shipped to Port Alfred where it served as harbour construction locomotive on the banks of the Kowie River. While serving at Port Alfred, it was nicknamed Blackie.

After having made representations to the Cape Colonial Government in 1853 and 1855, the Cape Town Railway and Dock Company was granted approval, by Act no. 10 of 29 June 1857, to construct a 57 miles (92 kilometres) long railway between Cape Town and Wellington. The company appointed Messrs. E. & J. Pickering as contractors for the construction of the railway.

Pickerings ordered a locomotive from Scotland for use as construction engine. The locomotive was built in 1859 by Hawthorns and Company, Leith, and bore works number 162. It was a 0-4-0 side-tank locomotive and was built to run on 4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in (1,435 mm) broad gauge. The locomotive arrived in Cape Town on 8 September 1859 and has the distinction of being the first locomotive in South Africa.

Upon arrival in Cape Town, the locomotive had to be dismantled before it could be landed off the brig Charles by means of lighters. The locomotive was accompanied by its engineer-driver, a Scot named William Dabbs. It was partially re-assembled on the jetty and then moved to Alfred's Square, now part of the Parade in Cape Town. There, a galvanised iron shed was built over it and the re-assembly was completed by Dabbs.