South African Class 14C 4-8-2, 4th batch

This article is about the fourth batch of South African "Class 14C" locomotives. For others, see South African Class 14C.

South African Class 14C, 14CM, 14CR & 14CRM 4-8-2, 4th batch

300px Class 14CM, fourth batch, possibly no. 2028, c. 1945

Type and origin ♠ Class 14C, standard, as built with a Belpaire firebox ♥ Class 14CM, rebalanced for mainline working ♣ Class 14CR, standard, Watson Standard boiler ♦ Class 14CRM, mainline, Watson Standard boiler ʘ 22 in (559 mm) bore - ʘ bore Power type Steam Designer Montreal Locomotive Works Builder Montreal Locomotive Works Serial number 63075-63087 Model Class 14C Build date 1922 Total produced 13

Specifications Configuration 4-8-2 (Mountain) Driver axle 2nd coupled axle Gauge 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) Cape gauge Leading dia Coupled dia 48 in (1,219 mm) Trailing dia 33 in (838 mm) Tender wheels 34 in (864 mm) Wheelbase  • Engine 30 ft 8 in (9,347 mm)  • Leading 6 ft 2 in (1,880 mm)  • Coupled 12 ft 9 in (3,886 mm)  • Tender 17 ft 11 in (5,461 mm)  • Tender bogie 4 ft 7 in (1,397 mm) Length:  • Over couplers Height ♠♥ ♣♦ Frame type Bar Axle load ♠♥ ♣♦  • Leading ♠♥ ♣♦  • 1st coupled ♠♥ ♣♦  • 2nd coupled ♠♥ ♣♦  • 3rd coupled ♠♥ ♣♦  • 4th coupled ♠♥ ♣♦  • Trailing ♠♥ ♣♦  • Tender axle av. Adhesive weight ♠♥ ♣♦ Loco weight ♠♥ ♣♦ Tender weight Loco & tender weight ♠♥ ♣♦ Tender type LP (2-axle bogies) Fuel type Coal Fuel capacity 10 LT (10.2 t) Water cap Boiler ♣♦ Watson Standard no. 2  • Pitch ♠♥ 7 ft 7 in (2,311 mm) ♣♦  • Diameter ♠♥♣♦  • Tube plates ♠♥ ♣♦ 19 ft 4 in (5,893 mm) steel ♣♦ copper  • Small tubes ♠♥ 139: ♣♦ 87:  • large tubes ♠♥ 24: ♣♦ 30:  • Firebox type ♠♥ Belpaire - ♣♦ Round-top Boiler pressure ♠♥♣♦ʘ 190 psi (1,310 kPa) ♠♣ʘ 195 psi (1,344 kPa) ♦ʘ 193 psi (1,331 kPa) Safety valve ♠♥ Ramsbottom- ♣♦ Pop Firegrate area ♠♥♣♦ 37 sq ft (3.437 m2) Heating surface ♠♥ 2,350 sq ft (218 m2) ♣♦ 2,075 sq ft (192.8 m2)  • Tubes ♠♥ 2,212 sq ft (205.5 m2) ♣♦ 1,933 sq ft (179.6 m2)  • Firebox ♠♥ 138 sq ft (12.8 m2) ♣♦ 142 sq ft (13.2 m2) Superheater:  • Heating area ♠♥ 526 sq ft (48.9 m2) ♣♦ 492 sq ft (45.7 m2) Cylinders Two Cylinder size ♠♥♣♦ 22 in (559 mm) bore ♠♣♦ bore ♠♥♣♦ 26 in (660 mm) stroke Valve gear Walschaerts Valve type Piston Couplers Bell link-and-pin AAR knuckle (1950s)

Performance figures Tractive effort ♠♥♣ʘ 37,360 lbf (166 kN) @ 75% ♠♣ʘ 37,480 lbf (166.7 kN) @ 75% ♦ʘ 37,090 lbf (165 kN) @ 75% ♦ʘ 37,950 lbf (168.8 kN) @ 75%

Career Operators South African Railways Class Class 14C, 14CM, 14CR, 14CRM Number in class 13 Numbers 2026-2038 Delivered 1922 First run 1922 Withdrawn 1980s

The leading coupled axle had flangeless wheels

The South African Railways Class 14C 4-8-2 of 1922 was a steam locomotive.

In 1922, the South African Railways placed the fourth and last batch of thirteen Class 14C steam locomotives with a 4-8-2 Mountain type wheel arrangement in service, to bring the total in the class to 73. All four batches had different maximum axle loadings. Through reboilerings, rebalancings and cylinder bushings during its service life, this single class eventually ended up as six distinct locomotive classes with two boiler types and a multitude of axle loading and boiler pressure configurations.

Manufacturer

In 1922, the last thirteen Class 14C locomotives were ordered from the Montreal Locomotive Works (MLW) in Canada. They were delivered in that same year and numbered in the range from 2026 to 2038. Of the four batches built, which all differed in terms of maximum axle loading, weight on driving wheels and engine weight, the engines of 1922 were the heaviest.

The Class 14C was ordered at a time when further orders of the earlier Class 14 models were unobtainable from manufacturers in the United Kingdom. The Canadian manufacturer undertook to supply engines of equivalent power, wheelbase and weight, but to their own design. As a result, bar frames substituted plate frames and several other important modifications were made.

Characteristics

As built, the locomotives of the fourth batch were heavier than all three previous batches, 6 long tons 7 hundredweight (6,452 kilograms) heavier than the first, 7 long tons 11 hundredweight (7,671 kilograms) heavier than the second and heavier than the third. All four batches were delivered with Type LP tenders, with a coal capacity of 10 long tons (10.2 tonnes) and a water capacity of .

Modifications and reclassifications

Watson Standard boilers

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.

All thirteen locomotives were eventually reboilered with Watson Standard no. 2 boilers and reclassified to Class 14CR. Only slight alterations were necessary to the engine frames. 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 process, the boiler pitch was raised from 7 feet 7 inches (2,311 millimetres) to , which raised the chimney height from to . This exceeded the loading gauge height of 13 feet (3,962 millimetres) above the railhead.

Their original Belpaire boilers were fitted with Ramsbottom safety valves, while the Watson Standard boiler was fitted with Pop safety valves. The reboilered engines were also equipped with Watson cabs with their distinctive slanted fronts, compared to the conventional vertical fronts of their original cabs, to allow easier access to the firebox stays. The footplate was also modified to conform to SAR standard practice. Early conversions were equipped with copper and later conversions with steel fireboxes.

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 14CR, 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.

Rebalancing

Around 1930, the question of maximum axle loads for locomotives was thoroughly investigated by the Mechanical and Civil Engineering Departments of the SAR. It was found that, among some other locomotives, the Class 14C had a rather severe vertical hammer blow effect on the track when running at speed, due to an undue proportion of the reciprocating parts being balanced. Modifications were accordingly made to the Class 14C to allow some of them to run on 60 pounds per yard (30 kilograms per metre) track.

The locomotives had weights attached between the frames to increase adhesion. Over time, most of the Class 14C family of locomotives were "rebalanced" by having these weights increased or reduced to redistribute, increase or reduce the axle loading and adhesive weight, by altering the loads on the individual coupled wheels, leading bogies and trailing pony trucks. Coupled wheel axle loading adjustment was achieved by attaching steel boxes, filled with an appropriate amount of lead, over each axle between the frames.

File:Class 14CR 2035 (4-8-2) ID.JPG

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Since they were too heavy for use on light track, the fourth batch version of the rebalanced locomotives was reclassified to Class 14CM, with the "M" indicating mainline service. Twelve of these locomotives, all except no. 2035, were rebalanced and reclassified to Class 14CM. The boiler pressure setting of rebalanced locomotives of the fourth batch was not altered and remained at 190 pounds per square inch (1,310 kilopascals). It is not clear which of these reboilering and rebalancing modifications were carried out first, one, the other, either one or together, but in whichever order, all twelve rebalanced locomotives were eventually also reboilered with Watson Standard no. 2 boilers and reclassified to Class 14CRM.

Cylinder bushing

Several of the locomotives had their cylinders bushed to reduce the bore from the as-built . At the same time, the boiler pressure setting of the Classes 14C and 14CR locomotives was adjusted upwards from 190 to 195 pounds per square inch (1,310 to 1,344 kilopascals) to keep their tractive effort more or less unaffected by the reduction in piston diameter. The boiler pressure setting of the mainline Classes 14CM and 14CRM was adjusted upwards from 190 to 193 pounds per square inch (1,310 to 1,331 kilopascals).

Service

The Class 14C was placed in service on the Cape Eastern system, working on the mainline to Cookhouse. Some went to the Cape Western system, where they banked up the Hex River Pass from De Doorns. A few were also used on the Cape Midland system, in Natal and the Eastern Transvaal. In their later years, many of these locomotives remained on the Cape Western system, most being shedded at Paardeneiland in Cape Town and at Beaufort West.

Works numbers

The table lists their years built, manufacturer's works numbers, engine numbers and eventual classifications.

Class 14C 4-8-2, fourth batch

Year	Works no.	Engine no.	Class
1922	63078	2026	14CRM
1922	63079	2027	14CRM
1922	63080	2028	14CRM
1922	63081	2029	14CRM
1922	63082	2030	14CRM
1922	63083	2031	14CRM
1922	63084	2032	14CRM
1922	63085	2033	14CRM
1922	63086	2034	14CRM
1922	63087	2035	14CR
1922	63075	2036	14CRM
1922	63076	2037	14CRM
1922	63077	2038	14CRM