Sandstone Heritage Trust – Rail News
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South African Railways Class 16CR 4-6-2.
ex SAR no: 821 North British, Glasgow 21717/1919 – Information and Galleries
Updated – 15th May 2006
Purchased from St. Helena Mine in Welkom during 2004,16CR number 821 was St. Helena number 1 and originally named “Black Beauty”. It was one of a number of similar 16CR locomotives used by this mine.
The Class 16 series were designed as fast passenger engines with the 4-6-2 “Pacific” wheel arrangement, the 16C being designed by DA Hendrie. The class culminated in the spectacular Class 16E designed by AG Watson.
Number 821 was originally a Class 16C which was reboilered with a standard number 2B boiler by the SAR when the original was life expired. This entailed modifications to the frames and also a new cab. A number of Class 16B locos were similarly treated to become part of the 16CR class.
In 1931 number 821 was subject to an experiment by AG Watson when it was fitted with Trofimoff type by-pass piston valves, the first loco of a number of SAR locos to be so treated at the time. The system was designed to aid “drifting” when the regulator was closed but did not prove entirely satisfactory and standard piston valves were eventually refitted.
Although designed as passenger engines the 16CRs gave sterling service on various mine railways such as St. Helena. Number 821 was withdrawn from service at St. Helena in 2002 and put into storage when the mine went over to diesel traction. The locomotive was saved at the last minute from scrapping when Sandstone Heritage Trust learned that it was about to be cut up. Rapid communication with the Chief Executive of Harmony Gold, which owns St. Helena, enabled the Sandstone team to recover the locomotive literally from under the cutting torch. Sadly the tender was not saved and a suitable replacement is being sought.
The locomotive is currently plinthed at Sandstone Estates and is in good mechanical order. It still carries number 1 and is painted in red ochre for weather protection.
821 weighs nearly 83 tons and would be attached to an MT tender of 66 tons. Total length of engine and tender is 67 feet (20,42m).
