The Cape Government Railways 5th Class 4-6-0 of 1890 was a South African steam locomotive from the pre-Union era in the Cape of Good Hope.

In 1890, the Cape Government Railways placed twenty 5th Class tender locomotives with a 4-6-0 Tenwheeler type wheel arrangement in mainline service on its Midland and Western Systems.

Manufacturer

Twenty 5th Class Tenwheeler type tender locomotives were delivered to the Cape Government Railways (CGR) from Dübs and Company in 1890. The locomotive was designed by Michael Stephens, Locomotive Superintendent of the Western System of the CGR, and was built to detailed designs prepared by the Salt River drawing office in Cape Town. Of the twenty locomotives in the Class, eighteen went to the Midland System to work out of Port Elizabeth, numbered in the range from 291 to 308. The other two, numbered 119 and 120, went to the Western System for service in the Karoo on the section between Touws River and Beaufort West.Espitalier, T.J.; Day, W.A.J. (1943). The Locomotive in South Africa – A Brief History of Railway Development. Chapter II – The Cape Government Railways (Continued). South African Railways and Harbours Magazine, December 1943. pp. 883–886.

Characteristics The locomotive was a larger and improved version of the earlier 4th Class locomotive. As built, it had diameter coupled wheels which were later retyred to a diameter of .

Compared to the second batch of 5th Class locomotives which were to be delivered a year later in 1891, it had a short smokebox on which the chimney was so close to the front of the smokebox that the headlight had to be mounted on a platform, attached to the front of the smokebox. The smokeboxes were later extended to suit South Africa's low-grade coal and to make room for wire-netting spark arresters.

The boilers had an operating pressure of and were equipped with Ramsbottom safety valves.

Service

Cape Government Railways The 5th Class proved to be very useful engines and were considered the first really efficient all-round locomotives in the Cape of Good Hope. They were used wherever the mainline had severe gradients and curves. Because of their greater power, the older 4th Class locomotives were gradually relegated to secondary duties.

Oranje-Vrijstaat Gouwerment-Spoorwegen In late 1896, eight of the Midland System's locomotives were sold to the newly established Oranje-Vrijstaat Gouwerment-Spoorwegen (OVGS), where they were designated 5th Class K and renumbered in the range from 41 to 48.Espitalier, T.J.; Day, W.A.J. (1944). The Locomotive in South Africa – A Brief History of Railway Development. Chapter V – Other Transvaal and O.F.S. Railways. South African Railways and Harbours Magazine, December 1944. pp. 925, 927-928.

Central South African Railways During the Second Boer War, control of all railways in the Orange Free State was taken over by the Imperial Military Railways. At the end of the war in 1902, the eight ex-OVGS locomotives came onto the roster of the Central South African Railways (CSAR), where they were renumbered in the range from 318 to 325.

In 1904, the CSAR reboilered two of these locomotives, numbers 319 and 322, with larger boilers and Belpaire fireboxes which were equipped with Drummond tubes. This increased their heating surface by and, at a higher operating boiler pressure of , these two locomotives were able to easily haul the load of the next higher class. Since, by then, these locomotives were being withdrawn from mainline traffic, no more reboilering was done.Espitalier, T.J.; Day, W.A.J. (1945). The Locomotive in South Africa – A Brief History of Railway Development. Chapter VI – Imperial Military Railways and C.S.A.R. (Continued). South African Railways and Harbours Magazine, January 1945. p. 15.

South African Railways When the Union of South Africa was established on 31 May 1910, the three Colonial government railways, the CGR, the Natal Government Railways and the CSAR, were united under a single administration to control and administer the railways, ports and harbours of the Union. Although the South African Railways and Harbours came into existence in 1910, the actual classification and renumbering of all the rolling stock of the three constituent railways was only implemented with effect from 1 January 1912.The South African Railways – Historical Survey. Editor George Hart, Publisher Bill Hart, Sponsored by Dorbyl Ltd., Published c. 1978, p. 25.

By 1912, sixteen of these locomotives survived, twelve on the CGR and four, including the two which had been reboilered, on the CSAR. They were considered obsolete by the South African Railways (SAR), designated Class 05 and renumbered by having the numeral 0 prefixed to their existing numbers.Classification of S.A.R. Engines with Renumbering Lists, issued by the Chief Mechanical Engineer's Office, Pretoria, January 1912, pp. 27–28. (Reprinted in April 1987 by SATS Museum, R.3125-6/9/11-1000)

During 1914, at the outbreak of the First World War, military planners followed the example set by the British invading forces during the Second Boer War and identified a requirement for armoured trains. For this purpose, five Class 05 locomotives were specially protected with armour plate and named Trafalgar, Scot, Erin, Karoo and Schrikmaker. The armour-plating was fitted by the workshops in Pretoria, Bloemfontein and Salt River. Their engine numbers are not known, nor whether they were from this Class or the Class 05 of 1891 or both.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, October 1945. p. 782.

In spite of being considered obsolete, some of the Class 05 locomotives survived as shunting engines in SAR service for another four decades, with some even getting reboilered while in SAR service. One confirmed example is no. 0506, which was still equipped with boiler no. 7244 of 1924 when it was withdrawn from service in the 1950s.Class 05 of 1890 and 1891 – SAR reboilering

When they were eventually withdrawn in 1953, the Class 05 locomotives were the last of the obsolete engines to be still in SAR service.

Works numbers The works numbers, CGR System, original numbers, renumbering and distribution of the Cape 5th Class of 1890 are listed in the table. +CGR 5th Class 4-6-0 of 1890Works no.CGRSystemOrig.no.1896no.1897no.1902no.SARno.Notes2664 Midland291 491 491 491 0491 2665 Midland292 492 41 318 OVGS 41, CSAR 3182666 Midland293 493 42 319 0319 OVGS 42, CSAR 3192667 Midland294 494 43 320 OVGS 43, CSAR 3202668 Midland295 495 495 495 0495 2669 Midland296 496 496 496 0496 2670 Midland297 497 497 497 0497 2671 Midland298 498 498 498 0498 2672 Midland299 499 44 321 OVGS 44, CSAR 3212673 Midland300 500 500 500 0500 2674 Midland301 501 45 322 0322 OVGS 45, CSAR 3222675 Midland302 502 502 502 0502 2676 Midland303 503 46 323 0323 OVGS 46, CSAR 3232677 Midland304 504 47 324 OVGS 47, CSAR 3242678 Midland305 505 48 325 0325 OVGS 48, CSAR 3252679 Midland306 506 506 506 0506 Boiler 7244/19242680 Western119 119 119 119 0119 2681 Western120 120 120 120 0120 2682 Midland307 507 507 507 0507 2683 Midland308 508 508 508 0508

Illustration

References