South Australian Railways S class

South Australian Railways S class

S131 at Murray Bridge in March 1951

Type and origin Power type Steam Builder James Martin & Co Serial number 71–76, 93–98, 176–181 Build date 1894 (12), 1903–1904 (6) Total produced 18

Specifications Configuration 4-4-0 Gauge 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) Driver dia. 6 ft 6 in (1.981 m) Length 57 ft 5⁄8 in (17.389 m) Loco weight 87,360 lb (39,625.829 kg) Tender weight 96,746 lb (43,883.247 kg) Total weight 184,106 lb (83,509.077 kg) Fuel type Coal Fuel capacity 7 tons 16 cwt, 4 tons 18 cwt 3qtr (6 wheel tender) Water cap 4,120 gallons, 2,040 gallons (6 wheel tender) Boiler pressure 150 psi (1,034 kPa) Heating surface:  • Tubes 1,038 square feet  • Tubes and flues 100 square feet Cylinders 2 Cylinder size 18 in × 24 in (457 mm × 610 mm) Valve gear Stephenson

Performance figures Tractive effort 12,711 lbf (56.54 kN)

Career Operators South Australian Railways Numbers 11, 13, 14, 17, 26, 50, 127-137, 154 Scrapped 1956-1961 Disposition all scrapped

The South Australian Railways S class was a class of 4-4-0 steam locomotives operated by the South Australian Railways.

The S Class locomotives were designed as an express locomotive for the route between Murray Bridge and the border with Victoria. The first 12 were delivered by James Martin & Co in 1894, followed by a further six in 1903/04. They type was notably used to haul the Melbourne Express. The S class had 6'6" driving wheels, the largest of any Australian locomotive, to give it high speeds on low grades.

The engines were pushed out of main line service in the 1920s by 600 class locomotives and Brill railcars. They continued to serve on secondary services into the 1950s. Some locomotives even served in shunting duties despite being unsuitable due to their large wheel diameter. The last examples were retired in 1961.

S136 was set aside for preservation at Islington Railway Workshops while moves were made to preserve it. These fell through and it was scrapped.