The South African Railways Class 15CA 4-8-2 of 1926 was a steam locomotive.

In 1926, the South African Railways placed 23 Class 15CA steam locomotives with a 4-8-2 Mountain type wheel arrangement in service. Another 61 engines were ordered and delivered from three manufacturers in 1929 and 1930.Espitalier, T.J.; Day, W.A.J. (1946). The Locomotive in South Africa - A Brief History of Railway Development. Chapter VII - South African Railways (Continued). South African Railways and Harbours Magazine, May 1946. pp. 375-376.

Class 15C redesign

After the twelve Class 15C Big Bill Mountain type locomotives which were delivered by Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1925 had been in service a short while, it was discovered that the frames under the front of the firebox had a tendency to crack, necessitating heavy repairs.

To overcome this, a new modified design was prepared by Col F.R. Collins DSO, the Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the South African Railways (SAR), for an almost identical locomotive but with the frames shortened to the front of the firebox and widened under the firebox by means of a bridle casting.

Manufacturers The first batch of 23 of these redesigned locomotives were built for the SAR by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO). They were delivered in 1926, numbered in the range from 2039 to 2059, 2072 and 2073, and designated Class 15CA. The "A" supposedly indicated the manufacturer ALCO rather than, as was usual SAR practice, a different version of an existing locomotive type.

The earlier Baldwin-built Class 15C was then reclassified to Class 15CB for no good reason, since the "B" merely indicated the manufacturer Baldwin and not, as was usual practice, a branchline locomotive.

Another 61 Class 15CA locomotives were acquired in four batches from three other manufacturers in 1929 and 1930. Like the 23 ALCO-built locomotives, all except the last batch were built with bore cylinders. In 1929, four engines were delivered by Baldwin Locomotive Works in the United States of America, numbered in the range from 2074 to 2077. Also in 1929, ten locomotives were delivered by Società Italiana Ernesto Breda of Milan in Italy (now AnsaldoBreda), numbered in the range from 2801 to 2810. Also in 1929, 29 engines were built by the North British Locomotive Company (NBL) and delivered in that same year, numbered in the range from 2811 to 2839.North British Locomotive Company works list, compiled by Austrian locomotive historian Bernhard Schmeiser The last 18 Class 15CA locomotives were also built by NBL in 1929. These were delivered in 1930 and numbered in the range from 2840 to 2857. This last batch of engines were built with larger bore cylinders and larger diameter trailing wheels.

Characteristics Apart from the redesigned frame under the firebox, these locomotives were very similar to the Class 15C in proportions and appearance. They also had Coale pop type safety valves, a Schmidt type superheater and a combustion chamber in the firebox, which was equipped with flexible side stays and water siphon arch tubes. Their coupled wheel axleboxes, crank pins and connecting rod big ends were grease lubricated. These engines used the same Type KT tenders with a coal capacity of and a water capacity of .

Modifications Retyring The locomotives were delivered with diameter coupled wheels and their boilers were set at an operating pressure of . All their coupled wheels were eventually retyred to a diameter and to compensate for the loss of tractive effort due to the larger diameter wheels, their operating boiler pressure was increased from by an adjustment of the setting of their safety valves. This modification enabled these mixed traffic locomotives to handle the fastest mainline passenger trains.South African Railways & Harbours/Suid Afrikaanse Spoorweë en Hawens (15 Aug 1941). Locomotive Diagram Book/Lokomotiefdiagramboek, 3'6" Gauge/Spoorwydte. SAR/SAS Mechanical Department/Werktuigkundige Dept. Drawing Office/Tekenkantoor, Pretoria. pp. 19-20, 45-46.South African Railways & Harbours/Suid Afrikaanse Spoorweë en Hawens (15 Aug 1941). Locomotive Diagram Book/Lokomotiefdiagramboek, 2'0" & 3'6" Gauge/Spoorwydte, Steam Locomotives/Stoomlokomotiewe. SAR/SAS Mechanical Department/Werktuigkundige Dept. Drawing Office/Tekenkantoor, Pretoria. pp. 6a-7a, 19-20, 45-46.

In addition, all those locomotives which had been built with bore cylinders had their cylinders reamed to a bore of .

When larger tyres were fitted to their coupled wheels, the old tyres were left in position and turned down on the wheel centres to serve as liners and the new tyres were then shrunk on over the liners. The leading coupled wheels, which had been flangeless as built, were flanged during the retyring. The practice of increasing the diameter of coupled wheels, wheel spacing and other considerations permitting, was begun by A.G. Watson during his term in office as CME and was continued by his successors. The reduction of tractive effort caused by the larger wheels was made up by increasing boiler pressure or by fitting larger cylinders or both, as required. This policy resulted in more mileage between heavy repairs, less cost-per-mile on repairs and locomotives capable of higher speeds.

Reboilering During the early 1940s, three of the Class 15CB and Class 15CA locomotives were reboilered with new boilers numbered in the range from 9504 to 9506. These boilers were of similar dimensions as the originals but with a different tube arrangement. It was designed by Dr. M.M. Loubser, CME at the time. The reboilered locomotives were not reclassified.

Service South African Railways

The Class 15CA locomotives were placed in service on the mainline between Cape Town and Kimberley but like the Class 15CB, they were later transferred to Bloemfontein. From here they worked throughout the Free State until they were eventually relocated to the Eastern Transvaal system. There they worked out of Pretoria to Pietersburg in the north and from there to Tzaneen in the east and Messina on the Rhodesian border in the north. Some also worked out of Witbank and Breyten.

In the early 1960s, a few joined the Class 15CB on the National North Coast line. Here they were used on, amongst others, the night and day passenger trains to and from Empangeni on the north coast line and on passenger trains to and from Kelso on the south coast line. In 1983, they all went from there to the Cape Northern system for use on the lines from Beaconsfield in Kimberley, working north to Mafeking and south to De Aar. Eventually nearly forty of them ended up as heavy shunters at Kaserne and Germiston in Johannesburg where they replaced the Class 12AR and Class S1.Soul of A Railway, System 6, Part 1: Durban Old Station. Caption 78. (Accessed on 8 March 2017)Soul of A Railway, System 6, Part 2: Greyville Loco, Greyville Station to Umgeni & Berea Road to Rossburgh. Caption 36. (Accessed on 26 November 2016)

15CA 2828 is now plinthed at the Gospel Express, Vinkrivier Station, R60, Robertson, is the Western Cape, South Africa. 2828 completes the 11 coaches stationed at Vink, as accommodation for the Gospel Express Christian Centre.

Industry Three Class 15CA locomotives were sold into industrial service. Numbers 2807 and 2839 went to Dunn's Locomotive Works and were eventually sold to Rustenburg Platinum Mines. No. 2811 went to South Witbank Colliery as their no. 4.

Works numbers The table lists the Class 15CA engine numbers, builders, years built and the builders' works numbers. The colour coding following the engine numbers refers to the three axle loadings of the different batches of the Class 15CA, as shown in the table of specifications. +Class 15CA 4-8-2Builders & Works Numbers SAR No. Builder Year WorksNo.2039 ALCO1926 66986 2040 ALCO1926 66987 2041 ALCO1926 66988 2042 ALCO1926 66989 2043 ALCO1926 66990 2044 ALCO1926 66991 2045 ALCO1926 66992 2046 ALCO1926 66993 2047 ALCO1926 66994 2048 ALCO1926 66995 2049 ALCO1926 66996 2050 ALCO1926 66997 2051 ALCO1926 66998 2052 ALCO1926 66999 2053 ALCO1926 67000 2054 ALCO1926 67001 2055 ALCO1926 67002 2056 ALCO1926 67003 2057 ALCO1926 67004 2058 ALCO1926 67005 2059 ALCO1926 67006 2072 ALCO1926 67007 2073 ALCO1926 67008 2074 Baldwin1929 60828 2075 Baldwin1929 60829 2076 Baldwin1929 60830 2077 Baldwin1929 60831 2801 Breda1929 2236 2802 Breda1929 2237 2803 Breda1929 2238 2804 Breda1929 2239 2805 Breda1929 2240 2806 Breda1929 2241 2807 Breda1929 2242 2808 Breda1929 2243 2809 Breda1929 2244 2810 Breda1929 2245 2811 NBL1928 23774 2812 NBL1928 23775 2813 NBL1928 23776 2814 NBL1928 23777 2815 NBL1928 23778 2816 NBL1928 23779 2817 NBL1928 23780 2818 NBL1928 23781 2819 NBL1928 23782 2820 NBL1928 23783 2821 NBL1928 23784 2822 NBL1928 23785 2823 NBL1928 23786 2824 NBL1928 23787 2825 NBL1928 23788 2826 NBL1928 23789 2827 NBL1928 23790 2828 NBL1928 23791 2829 NBL1928 23792 2830 NBL1928 23793 2831 NBL1928 23794 2832 NBL1928 23795 2833 NBL1928 23796 2834 NBL1928 23797 2835 NBL1928 23798 2836 NBL1928 23799 2837 NBL1928 23800 2838 NBL1928 23801 2839 NBL1928 23802 2840 NBL1929 24008 2841 NBL1929 24009 2842 NBL1929 24010 2843 NBL1929 24011 2844 NBL1929 24012 2845 NBL1929 24013 2846 NBL1929 24014 2847 NBL1929 24015 2848 NBL1929 24016 2849 NBL1929 24017 2850 NBL1929 24018 2851 NBL1929 24019 2852 NBL1929 24020 2853 NBL1929 24021 2854 NBL1929 24022 2855 NBL1929 24023 2856 NBL1929 24024 2857 NBL1929 24025

Preservation

Number Works nmr THF / Private Leaselend / Owner Current Location Outside South Africa ? 2039 ALCO 66986 THF/Private MISLPT (Michael Barclay) Krugersdorp Locomotive Depot Ownership Unclear 2040 ALCO 66987 THF/Private MISLPT (Michael Barclay) Krugersdorp Locomotive Depot Ownership Unclear 2041 ALCO 66988 THF/Private MISLPT (Michael Barclay) Krugersdorp Locomotive Depot Ownership Unclear 2055 ALCO 67005 THF Rustenburg (Station) 2056 ALCO 67003 THF Reefsteamers Germiston Locomotive Depot 2077 BAL 60831 THF/Private MISLPT (Michael Barclay) Krugersdorp Locomotive Depot Ownership Unclear 2802 BREDA 2237 THF Esslenpark Railway College 2803 BREDA 2238 THF/Private MISLPT (Michael Barclay) Krugersdorp Locomotive Depot Ownership Unclear 2804 BREDA 2239 THF Esslenpark Railway College 2820 NBL 23783 THF/Private MISLPT (Michael Barclay) Krugersdorp Locomotive Depot Ownership Unclear 2825 NBL 23788 THF Krugersdorp Locomotive Depot 2828 NBL 23791 THF Gospel Express Vink (Station) 2833 NBL 23796 THF Krugersdorp Locomotive Depot 2836 NBL 23799 THF Krugersdorp Locomotive Depot 2850 NBL 24018 THF Wonder Steam Trains Hermanstad Depot 2853 NBL 24021 THF Krugersdorp Locomotive Depot

Illustration The main picture shows Breda-built no. 2802, serving as school guard at Esselen Park, the Transnet School of Rail in Kaalfontein, Gauteng, on 21 September 2009.

References

External links