page_title: 4-8-0
section_title: South Africa
hierarchical_section_title: 4-8-0 / Usage / South Africa
caption_attribution_description: English: SAR Class 17 (4-8-0TT) at North End loco depot, Port Elizabeth in the late 1930s.
context_page_description: Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-8-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles, usually in a leading truck or bogie, eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles and no trailing wheels. In North America and in some other countries the type was usually known as the Mastodon and sometimes as the Twelve-wheeler.
context_section_description: All Mastodon locomotives that saw service in South Africa were built for 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) Cape gauge.
  Following a decision by the Cape Government Railways (CGR) to acquire eight-coupled goods locomotives, a complete design for such a locomotive was prepared at the Salt River works in Cape Town under the supervision of Locomotive Superintendent H.M. Beatty. This became the Cape 7th Class 4-8-0, the legendary locomotive that played a part in the construction of a large part of the railways into the interior of Africa south of the equator.
  In 1892 and 1893, 38 of these 7th Class locomotives were delivered from Dübs and Company and Neilson and Company. In 1912 they were designated Class 7 when they were assimilated into the South African Railways (SAR).
  Between 1896 and 1901, a second batch of 46 7th Class locomotives entered service on the CGR. These had increased heating capacity. Built by Sharp, Stewart and Company, Dübs and Neilson, they were designated Class 7A on the SAR in 1912.
  Between 1899 and 1903, the Beira and Mashonaland and Rhodesia Railways (BMR) in Southern Rhodesia placed 52 Cape 7th Class locomotives in service. In May 1915, five of these locomotives, all built by Neilson, Reid and Company, were sold to the SAR who designated them Class 7D.
  Between 1899 and 1904, the New Cape Central Railway (NCCR) placed seven Cape 7th Class locomotives in service on its 211-mile long (340-kilometre) line from Worcester to Mosselbaai in the Cape Colony, built by Neilson, Reid and North British Locomotive Company (NBL). In 1925, when the NCCR was amalgamated into the SAR, these seven locomotives were designated Class 7E.
  In 1900, the Imperial Military Railways (IMR) placed 25 Cape 7th Class locomotives in service, as well as three more that had been ordered by the Pretoria-Pietersburg Railway, all built by Neilson, Reid. They all came onto the Central South African Railways (CSAR) roster at the end of the Second Boer War in 1902. In 1912, they were designated Class 7B on the SAR.
  In 1902, the CGR placed its last ten 7th Class locomotives in service. They were built by Neilson, Reid and had larger diameter boilers with a higher boiler pressure rating and larger cylinders. In 1912 they were designated Class 7C on the SAR.
  In 1913, the NCCR placed three Class 7 locomotives in service, built by NBL. They were more powerful than earlier models and also different in appearance, without the distinctive covered smokebox saddle and with running boards that dipped down ahead of the smokebox and beneath the cab. In 1925, these three locomotives were designated Class 7F on the SAR.
  In 1902 and 1903, the CGR and CSAR placed a number of Cape 8th Class 4-8-0 locomotives in service. Initially designed in 1901 as a 2-8-0 Consolidation by H.M. Beatty, some trouble had been experienced with the leading pony trucks of the first locomotives and it was dropped in favour of a four-wheeled bogie in later orders for more locomotives.
  Altogether 23 8th Class locomotives entered service on the CGR in 1902 and 1903, built by Neilson, Reid. They had larger coupled wheels than the 7th Class, bar frames, used saturated steam and had Stephenson valve gear. In service it was found that the four wheeled bogies and the slightly shorter fixed wheelbase made them steadier and easier riding than their 2-8-0 predecessors. In 1912, they were designated Class 8 on the SAR.
  In 1902, forty Cape 8th Class locomotives that had been ordered by the IMR a year earlier, were delivered to the CSAR from Neilson, Reid and Sharp, Stewart. They were designated Class 8-L1 on the CSAR and in 1912 they became Class 8A on the SAR.
  In 1903, when the first batch of 8th Class 4-8-0 locomotives had been tried and proven successful, the CGR placed 38 more in service, delivered in four batches from Neilson, Reid and NBL. In 1912 they became Class 8D on the SAR.
  At the same time, the CGR ordered four additional locomotives of the 8th class. It was an experimental design built to modified specifications in order to accommodate a grate area that was increased from 21 to 27.5 square fee
caption: SAR Class 17
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