Between 1918 and 1922, the South African Railways placed thirty Class 15B steam locomotives with a 4-8-2 Mountain type wheel arrangement in service.[1][2][3]
The Class 15B was ordered at a time when further orders of the earlier Class 15 models were unobtainable from manufacturers in the United Kingdom as a result of wartime disruption in Europe. The first batch of ten Class 15B 4-8-2 steam locomotives for the South African Railways (SAR) was therefore ordered from the Montreal Locomotive Works (MLW) in Canada, who undertook to supply engines of equivalent power, wheelbase and weight to that of the Class 15A, but built to their own design. They were built and delivered in 1918, numbered in the range from 1829 to 1838. A second batch of twenty locomotives was ordered from the same builders and delivered in 1922, numbered in the range from 1971 to 1990.[1][2][3]
Characteristics
They were built to the general specifications of the Class 15A, but with 4 inches (102 millimetres) thick bar frames instead of plate frames and some other typical North American features, and they were equipped with Belpaire fireboxes with combustion chambers. Many of the parts of these engines were similar to those of the Class 14C which was built by the same manufacturers in that same year.[1][2]
Modifications
Cylinder bushing
The first ten locomotives were modified on similar lines as the earlier versions of the Class 14C. As they went in for major overhauls, they had their cylinders bushed to reduce the bore from the as-built 22 to 21+3⁄4 inches (559 to 552 millimetres). At the same time, their operating boiler pressure was adjusted upwards from 185 to 190 pounds per square inch (1,276 to 1,310 kilopascals) to keep their tractive effort more or less unaffected by the reduction in piston diameter.[2][4]
Watson Standard boilers
Class 15B
Class 15R
Class 15BR
During the 1930s, many serving locomotives were reboilered with a standard boiler type designed by A.G. Watson, CME of the SAR at the time, as part of his standardisation policy. Such Watson Standard reboilered locomotives were reclassified by adding an "R" suffix to their classification.[3][4]
Eventually all thirty Class 15B locomotives were reboilered with Watson Standard no. 2A boilers and reclassified to Class 15BR. The number plate of no. 1972, as illustrated, had the "B" omitted in error.[2][4]
Only slight modifications were found necessary to accept the Watson Standard boilers. With the new boilers, the side running boards and platforms were attached to the engine frames instead of to the boilers as in the original design. In the reboilering process, the boiler pitch was raised from 7 feet 9 inches (2,362 millimetres) to 8 feet 1+1⁄2 inches (2,476 millimetres), which raised the chimney height from 12 feet 10 inches (3,912 millimetres) to 13 feet 3⁄4 inch (3,981 millimetres). As also happened with the Class 14C, this exceeded the loading gauge height of 13 feet (3,962 millimetres) above the railhead. These were the only two locomotive types where the height restriction had been exceeded by 1945.[2][4]
Their original Belpaire boilers were fitted with Ramsbottom safety valves, while the Watson Standard boiler was fitted with Pop safety valves. Early conversions were equipped with copper and later conversions with steel fireboxes. In the process of reboilering they were also equipped with Watson cabs, with their distinctive slanted fronts compared to the conventional vertical fronts of their original cabs, to enable easier access to the firebox stays.[4]
An obvious difference between an original and a Watson Standard reboilered locomotive is usually a rectangular regulator cover, just to the rear of the chimney on the reboilered locomotive. In the case of the Class 15B and Class 15BR, two even more obvious differences are the Watson cab and the absence of the Belpaire firebox hump between the cab and boiler on the reboilered locomotives.[3][4]
Service
South African Railways
The Class 15B was placed in service in the eastern Orange Free State, but eventually spent most of their working lives in the Cape Midland, working south from Noupoort to Cradock and across to De Aar. When the Class 15F started taking over in that area, they were gradually relocated to Cape Town, from where they worked goods and passenger trains to the north. They also worked across Sir Lowry's Pass to Caledon and Bredasdorp in the Overberg and on the Bitterfontein line via Malmesbury and Klawer.[1][3]
Some were shedded at Worcester and at Ashton for shunting. The usual way of exchanging the Ashton shunter every fortnight was for it to be used on the local passenger train which was normally hauled by a Garratt. They were withdrawn by 1976.[5]
Caminhos de Ferro de Moçambique
In March and July 1973, twelve Class 15BR locomotives were sold in two batches to Caminhos de Ferro de Moçambique (CFM), the Mozambique Railways, which mainly used them for shunting at Lourenco Marques and occasionally on freight service to Swaziland. The SAR engine numbers of these locomotives were 1836, 1974, 1981, 1983, 1984 and 1986 sold in March 1973, and 1829, 1831, 1838, 1976, 1977 and 1985 sold in July 1973. The CFM renumbered the March batch to 421, 426 and 422 to 425, and the July batch to 427 to 432. This renumbering sequence could, however, not be ascertained with certainty.[5]
Industrial
Six Class 15BR locomotives were sold into industrial use.[5]
Numbers 1972 and 1980 went to Tweefontein United Collieries.[5]
Numbers 1973, 1975, 1982 and 1990 went to the Randfontein Estates Gold Mine (REGM).[5]
Preservation
Number
Works nmr
THF / Private
Leaselend / Owner
Current Location
Outside South Africa
?
1832
THF
Queenstown Locomotive Depot
1979
THF
Krugersdorp Locomotive Depot
Illustration
The main picture shows Class 15BR no. 1982 at Bonnievale on the Saturdays-only Worcester-Riversdale passenger train in February 1974. The following pictures show SAR no. 1838 as built, with a Belpaire firebox, and REGM no. R7, ex SAR Class 15BR no. 1990, with a Watson Standard boiler and round-top firebox, photographed on the Doornkop branch while heading a mine manager's tour of the REGM system on 14 September 1997.
SAR no. 1838 as built with Belpaire firebox
REGM no. R7 on the Doornkop branch
References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to South African Class 15B 4-8-2.
^ abcdHolland, D. F. (1972). Steam Locomotives of the South African Railways. Vol. 2: 1910-1955 (1st ed.). Newton Abbott, England: David & Charles. pp. 34–36. ISBN978-0-7153-5427-8.
^ abcdefEspitalier, T.J.; Day, W.A.J. (1945). The Locomotive in South Africa - A Brief History of Railway Development. Chapter VII - South African Railways (Continued). South African Railways and Harbours Magazine, September 1945. pp. 676, 704.
^ abcdePaxton, Leith; Bourne, David (1985). Locomotives of the South African Railways (1st ed.). Cape Town: Struik. pp. 10–11, 60–61. ISBN0869772112.
^ abcdefSouth African Railways and Harbours Locomotive Diagram Book, 2'0" & 3'6" Gauge Steam Locomotives, 15 August 1941, as amended
south, african, class, south, african, railways, class, 1918, steam, locomotive, south, african, class, 15br, 2class, 15br, 1982, bonnievale, february, 1974type, origin, class, built, with, belpaire, firebox, class, 15br, rebuilt, with, watson, standard, boile. The South African Railways Class 15B 4 8 2 of 1918 was a steam locomotive South African Class 15B amp 15BR 4 8 2Class 15BR no 1982 at Bonnievale February 1974Type and origin Class 15B as built with a Belpaire firebox Class 15BR rebuilt with a Watson Standard boilerʘ 22 in 559 mm bore ʘ 21 3 4 in 552 mm borePower typeSteamDesignerMontreal Locomotive WorksBuilderMontreal Locomotive WorksSerial number58440 58449 61424 61443ModelClass 15BBuild date1918 1922Total produced30SpecificationsConfiguration Whyte4 8 2 Mountain UIC2 D1 h2Driver2nd coupled axleGauge3 ft 6 in 1 067 mm Cape gaugeLeading dia 28 1 2 in 724 mm Coupled dia 57 in 1 448 mm Trailing dia 33 in 838 mm Tender wheels34 in 864 mm Wheelbase62 ft 7 1 4 in 19 082 mm Engine33 ft 9 in 10 287 mm Leading6 ft 2 in 1 880 mm Coupled15 ft 4 572 mm Tender17 ft 11 in 5 461 mm Tender bogie4 ft 7 in 1 397 mm Length Over couplers70 ft 5 1 8 in 21 466 mm Height 12 ft 10 in 3 912 mm 13 ft 3 4 in 3 981 mm Frame typeBarAxle load 16 LT 11 cwt 16 820 kg 16 LT 11 cwt 16 820 kg Leading 16 LT 4 cwt 16 460 kg 16 LT 6 cwt 16 560 kg 1st coupled 16 LT 1 cwt 16 310 kg 16 LT 11 cwt 16 820 kg 2nd coupled 16 LT 2 cwt 16 360 kg 15 LT 16 cwt 16 050 kg 3rd coupled 16 LT 8 cwt 16 660 kg 16 LT 7 cwt 16 610 kg 4th coupled 16 LT 11 cwt 16 820 kg 16 LT 9 cwt 16 710 kg Trailing 10 LT 8 cwt 10 570 kg 10 LT 6 cwt 10 470 kg Tender axle12 LT 14 cwt 2 qtr 12 930 kg av Adhesive weight 65 LT 2 cwt 66 140 kg 68 LT 3 cwt 69 240 kg Loco weight 91 LT 14 cwt 93 170 kg 94 LT 15 cwt 96 270 kg Tender weight50 LT 18 cwt 51 720 kg Total weight 142 LT 12 cwt 144 900 kg 145 LT 13 cwt 148 000 kg Tender typeLP 2 axle bogies Fuel typeCoalFuel capacity10 LT 10 2 t Water cap 4 250 imp gal 19 300 L Firebox type Belpaire Round top Firegrate area 40 sq ft 3 7 m2 37 sq ft 3 4 m2 Boiler ModelWatson Standard no 2A Pitch 7 ft 9 in 2 362 mm 8 ft 1 1 2 in 2 476 mm Diameter 5 ft 4 13 16 in 1 646 mm 5 ft 7 1 2 in 1 714 mm Tube plates 19 ft 5 791 mm 21 ft 8 in 6 604 mm steel 21 ft 7 5 8 in 6 594 mm copper Small tubes 113 2 1 4 in 57 mm 87 2 1 2 in 64 mm Large tubes 21 5 1 2 in 140 mm 30 5 1 2 in 140 mm Boiler pressure ʘ 185 psi 1 276 kPa ʘ 190 psi 1 310 kPa Safety valve Ramsbottom PopHeating surface 2 028 sq ft 188 4 m2 2 313 sq ft 214 9 m2 Tubes 1 840 sq ft 171 m2 2 171 sq ft 201 7 m2 Firebox 188 sq ft 17 5 m2 143 sq ft 13 3 m2 Superheater Heating area 446 sq ft 41 4 m2 537 sq ft 49 9 m2 CylindersTwoCylinder size ʘ 22 in 559 mm bore ʘ 21 3 4 in 552 mm bore 28 in 711 mm strokeValve gearWalschaertsValve typePistonCouplersJohnston link and pinAAR knuckle 1930s Performance figuresTractive effort ʘ 32 990 lbf 146 7 kN 75 ʘ 33 130 lbf 147 4 kN 75 CareerOperatorsSouth African RailwaysCaminhos de Ferro de MocambiqueTweefontein United CollieriesRandfontein Estates Gold MineClassClass 15B amp 15BRNumber in class30Numbers1829 1838 1971 1990Delivered1918 1922First run1918Withdrawn1976The leading coupled axle had flangeless wheelsBetween 1918 and 1922 the South African Railways placed thirty Class 15B steam locomotives with a 4 8 2 Mountain type wheel arrangement in service 1 2 3 Contents 1 Manufacturer 2 Characteristics 3 Modifications 3 1 Cylinder bushing 3 2 Watson Standard boilers 4 Service 4 1 South African Railways 4 2 Caminhos de Ferro de Mocambique 4 3 Industrial 5 Preservation 6 Illustration 7 ReferencesManufacturer EditThe Class 15B was ordered at a time when further orders of the earlier Class 15 models were unobtainable from manufacturers in the United Kingdom as a result of wartime disruption in Europe The first batch of ten Class 15B 4 8 2 steam locomotives for the South African Railways SAR was therefore ordered from the Montreal Locomotive Works MLW in Canada who undertook to supply engines of equivalent power wheelbase and weight to that of the Class 15A but built to their own design They were built and delivered in 1918 numbered in the range from 1829 to 1838 A second batch of twenty locomotives was ordered from the same builders and delivered in 1922 numbered in the range from 1971 to 1990 1 2 3 Characteristics EditThey were built to the general specifications of the Class 15A but with 4 inches 102 millimetres thick bar frames instead of plate frames and some other typical North American features and they were equipped with Belpaire fireboxes with combustion chambers Many of the parts of these engines were similar to those of the Class 14C which was built by the same manufacturers in that same year 1 2 Modifications EditCylinder bushing Edit The first ten locomotives were modified on similar lines as the earlier versions of the Class 14C As they went in for major overhauls they had their cylinders bushed to reduce the bore from the as built 22 to 21 3 4 inches 559 to 552 millimetres At the same time their operating boiler pressure was adjusted upwards from 185 to 190 pounds per square inch 1 276 to 1 310 kilopascals to keep their tractive effort more or less unaffected by the reduction in piston diameter 2 4 Watson Standard boilers Edit Class 15B Class 15R Class 15BR During the 1930s many serving locomotives were reboilered with a standard boiler type designed by A G Watson CME of the SAR at the time as part of his standardisation policy Such Watson Standard reboilered locomotives were reclassified by adding an R suffix to their classification 3 4 Eventually all thirty Class 15B locomotives were reboilered with Watson Standard no 2A boilers and reclassified to Class 15BR The number plate of no 1972 as illustrated had the B omitted in error 2 4 Only slight modifications were found necessary to accept the Watson Standard boilers With the new boilers the side running boards and platforms were attached to the engine frames instead of to the boilers as in the original design In the reboilering process the boiler pitch was raised from 7 feet 9 inches 2 362 millimetres to 8 feet 1 1 2 inches 2 476 millimetres which raised the chimney height from 12 feet 10 inches 3 912 millimetres to 13 feet 3 4 inch 3 981 millimetres As also happened with the Class 14C this exceeded the loading gauge height of 13 feet 3 962 millimetres above the railhead These were the only two locomotive types where the height restriction had been exceeded by 1945 2 4 Their original Belpaire boilers were fitted with Ramsbottom safety valves while the Watson Standard boiler was fitted with Pop safety valves Early conversions were equipped with copper and later conversions with steel fireboxes In the process of reboilering they were also equipped with Watson cabs with their distinctive slanted fronts compared to the conventional vertical fronts of their original cabs to enable easier access to the firebox stays 4 An obvious difference between an original and a Watson Standard reboilered locomotive is usually a rectangular regulator cover just to the rear of the chimney on the reboilered locomotive In the case of the Class 15B and Class 15BR two even more obvious differences are the Watson cab and the absence of the Belpaire firebox hump between the cab and boiler on the reboilered locomotives 3 4 Service EditSouth African Railways Edit The Class 15B was placed in service in the eastern Orange Free State but eventually spent most of their working lives in the Cape Midland working south from Noupoort to Cradock and across to De Aar When the Class 15F started taking over in that area they were gradually relocated to Cape Town from where they worked goods and passenger trains to the north They also worked across Sir Lowry s Pass to Caledon and Bredasdorp in the Overberg and on the Bitterfontein line via Malmesbury and Klawer 1 3 Some were shedded at Worcester and at Ashton for shunting The usual way of exchanging the Ashton shunter every fortnight was for it to be used on the local passenger train which was normally hauled by a Garratt They were withdrawn by 1976 5 Caminhos de Ferro de Mocambique Edit In March and July 1973 twelve Class 15BR locomotives were sold in two batches to Caminhos de Ferro de Mocambique CFM the Mozambique Railways which mainly used them for shunting at Lourenco Marques and occasionally on freight service to Swaziland The SAR engine numbers of these locomotives were 1836 1974 1981 1983 1984 and 1986 sold in March 1973 and 1829 1831 1838 1976 1977 and 1985 sold in July 1973 The CFM renumbered the March batch to 421 426 and 422 to 425 and the July batch to 427 to 432 This renumbering sequence could however not be ascertained with certainty 5 Industrial Edit Six Class 15BR locomotives were sold into industrial use 5 Numbers 1972 and 1980 went to Tweefontein United Collieries 5 Numbers 1973 1975 1982 and 1990 went to the Randfontein Estates Gold Mine REGM 5 Preservation EditNumber Works nmr THF Private Leaselend Owner Current Location Outside South Africa 1832 THF Queenstown Locomotive Depot1979 THF Krugersdorp Locomotive DepotIllustration EditThe main picture shows Class 15BR no 1982 at Bonnievale on the Saturdays only Worcester Riversdale passenger train in February 1974 The following pictures show SAR no 1838 as built with a Belpaire firebox and REGM no R7 ex SAR Class 15BR no 1990 with a Watson Standard boiler and round top firebox photographed on the Doornkop branch while heading a mine manager s tour of the REGM system on 14 September 1997 SAR no 1838 as built with Belpaire firebox REGM no R7 on the Doornkop branchReferences Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to South African Class 15B 4 8 2 a b c d Holland D F 1972 Steam Locomotives of the South African Railways Vol 2 1910 1955 1st ed Newton Abbott England David amp Charles pp 34 36 ISBN 978 0 7153 5427 8 a b c d e f Espitalier T J Day W A J 1945 The Locomotive in South Africa A Brief History of Railway Development Chapter VII South African Railways Continued South African Railways and Harbours Magazine September 1945 pp 676 704 a b c d e Paxton Leith Bourne David 1985 Locomotives of the South African Railways 1st ed Cape Town Struik pp 10 11 60 61 ISBN 0869772112 a b c d e f South African Railways and Harbours Locomotive Diagram Book 2 0 amp 3 6 Gauge Steam Locomotives 15 August 1941 as amended a b c d e Durrant AE 1989 Twilight of South African Steam 1st ed Newton Abbott David amp Charles p 85 ISBN 0715386387 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title South African Class 15B 4 8 2 amp oldid 1126750275, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
