South African Class 8X 2-8-0

CGR 8th Class 2-8-0 1901
South African Class 8X 2-8-0

Ex CGR 8th Class no. 356 SAR Class 8X no. 894

Type and origin Power type Steam Designer Cape Government Railways (H.M. Beatty) Builder Schenectady Locomotive Works American Locomotive Company Serial number Schenectady 5644-5645 ALCO 25453-25459, 25446-25452 Model CGR 8th Class (2-8-0) Build date 1901-1902 Total produced 16 Rebuilder South African Railways Rebuild date 1930 Number rebuilt 1 to 4-8-0 (Mastodon)

Specifications Configuration 2-8-0 (Consolidation) Driver 3rd coupled axle Gauge 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) Cape gauge Leading dia. 28 1⁄2 in (724 mm) Coupled dia. 48 in (1,219 mm) Tender wheels 33 1⁄2 in (851 mm) as built 34 in (864 mm) retyred Wheelbase 46 ft 1 1⁄2 in (14,059 mm)  • Engine 21 ft 8 in (6,604 mm)  • Coupled 14 ft 6 in (4,420 mm)  • Tender 14 ft 5 in (4,394 mm)  • Tender bogie 5 ft (1,524 mm) Wheel spacing (Asymmetrical) 1-2: 4 ft 7 in (1,397 mm) 2-3: 4 ft 3 in (1,295 mm) 3-4: 5 ft 8 in (1,727 mm) Length: ​  • Over couplers 53 ft 5 1⁄2 in (16,294 mm) Height 12 ft 10 in (3,912 mm) Frame type Bar Axle load 12 LT 4 cwt (12,400 kg)  • Leading 5 LT 19 cwt (6,045 kg)  • 1st coupled 9 LT 16 cwt (9,957 kg)  • 2nd coupled 11 LT 16 cwt (11,990 kg)  • 3rd coupled 11 LT 19 cwt (12,140 kg)  • 4th coupled 12 LT 4 cwt (12,400 kg)  • Tender axle 9 LT 3 cwt 3 qtr (9,335 kg) average Adhesive weight 45 LT 15 cwt (46,480 kg) Loco weight 51 LT 14 cwt (52,530 kg) Tender weight 36 LT 15 cwt (37,340 kg) Total weight 88 LT 9 cwt (89,870 kg) Tender type WG (2-axle bogies) WE, WG permitted Fuel type Coal Fuel capacity 6 LT (6.1 t) Water cap 3,080 imp gal (14,000 l) Firebox type Round-top  • Firegrate area 19.8 sq ft (1.84 m2) Boiler: ​  • Pitch 7 ft 1 in (2,159 mm)  • Diameter 4 ft 11 in (1,499 mm)  • Tube plates 12 ft 5 5⁄8 in (3,800 mm)  • Small tubes 196: 2 in (51 mm) Boiler pressure 180 psi (1,241 kPa) Safety valve Ramsbottom Heating surface 1,409.3 sq ft (130.93 m2)  • Tubes 1,280.6 sq ft (118.97 m2)  • Firebox 128.7 sq ft (11.96 m2) Cylinders Two Cylinder size 18 1⁄2 in (470 mm) bore 24 in (610 mm) stroke Valve gear Stephenson Valve type Slide Loco brake Steam brake Train brakes Vacuum brake on tender Couplers Johnston link-and-pin AAR knuckle (1930s)

Performance figures Tractive effort 23,110 lbf (102.8 kN) @ 75%

Career Operators Cape Government Railways South African Railways Class CGR 8th Class (2-8-0) SAR Class 8X (2-8-0) Number in class 16 Numbers CGR 749-757, 361-357 SAR 880-895 Delivered 1901-1902 First run 1901 Withdrawn 1937-1950

The 2nd & 3rd coupled axles had flangeless wheels

The South African Railways Class 8X 2-8-0 of 1901 was a steam locomotive from the pre-Union era in the Cape of Good Hope.

In 1901 and 1902, the Cape Government Railways placed sixteen 8th Class 2-8-0 Consolidation type steam locomotives in service. In 1912, when they were assimilated into the South African Railways, they were renumbered and designated Class 8X.

The first 8th Class 2-8-0 Consolidation type locomotive of the Cape Government Railways (CGR) was designed by H.M. Beatty, the Chief Locomotive Superintendent of the CGR from 1896 to 1910. Sixteen of these engines were ordered from the Schenectady Locomotive Works in the United States of America. In 1901, while they were being built, Schenectady merged with seven other American locomotive builders to form the American Locomotive Company (ALCO).

As a result, the first two locomotives, numbered 749 and 750, were built by Schenectady in 1901, while ALCO built the rest in 1902. Of the latter, the first seven were numbered in the range from 351 to 357 and were allocated to the Midland System, while the last seven were numbered in the range from 751 tot 757 and joined the two Schenectady-builts on the Western System.

They were conceived as mixed traffic locomotives, equally suitable for goods and passenger work, and had bar frames, narrow fireboxes and used saturated steam. The Type WG bogie tender entered service with these engines.

The locomotive had a copper firebox, with a rocking grate with drop plates and a hopper-style ash-pan. The boiler was equipped with 3 inches (76 millimetres) Ramsbottom safety valves, while its feedwater was supplied by two Cape pattern Gresham & Craven's no. 8 injectors. The engine was equipped with a Nathan double-sight feed cylinder lubricator, Gresham & Craven's patent steam sanding gear and one 3 inches (76 millimetres) and one 4 inches (102 millimetres) Star chime no. 3 whistles.

For improved accessibility, the steam chests were mounted outside the frames instead of between them. The slide valves, operated by Stephenson Link motion, were on top of the cylinders and employed rocker shafts. The balance weight for the Stephenson motion was seldom used on American locomotives and was replaced by a powerful coiled spring.