31 October 2009

Lydenburg station platform, Class 7A no 1029 Dübs 3641/1898


Photo kind courtesy of Boon Boonzaaier.

Lydenburg station platform, Class 7A no 1029 Dübs 3641/1898

The Class 7 were the main goods locomotives for the last 20 years of the CGR, the design prepared in 1890 by H.M. Beatty.

The first 38 engines became SAR Class 7; the next batch of 26 engines were built by Sharp, Steward and Co., Neilson, Reid and Co and Dübs and Co between 1896 and 1901. They differed from the earlier order by having a larger boiler and an eight-wheeled tender.

The first Class 7 locomotives were commissioned by the Cape Government Railways and delivered by Dübs & Co of England in 1892. Follow-up batches were built by Sharp, Steward & Co, Neilson, Reid & Co, and North British Locomotive Company. They had a wheel arrangement of 4-8-0, coupled wheels of 3'6 3/4" (1086mm diameter and Stephenson link valve gear. The engines were originally powered by saturated steam, but many were later reboilered and converted to use superheated steam. Modifications such as larger boilers, increases in cylinder diameters and larger cabs resulted in the reclassification of the locomotives as Class 7A, 7B, 7C, 7D, 7E and 7F.

The SAR Class 7A engine number series were 988-1031.

The Class 7 in general was withdrawn in 1972.

All the locomotives in this series originally used saturated steam, had plate frames and Stephonson's link motion.

Specifications for the SAR Class 7A are here.

Also look-up the entry for Keetmanshoop where Class sister engine SAR Class 7A no 1011 is plinthed.

Sources:
  1. SPORE oor die Veld - Boon Boonzaaier - 2008

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