Sandstone Heritage Trust – Rail News
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South African Railways Class NG15 2-8-2

Updated – 15th May 2006

Built to operate on the Otavi Railway in South West Africa, (SWA, now Namibia) this type of locomotive was a development of the NG5 2-8-2, itself derived from the Hd class of the previous German Administration of the region. Prior the ordering of the NG15 class a number of Garratt locomotives from the South African narrow gauge had been sent to SWA for trials where they had been successful and it was surprising that tender engines were ordered instead of a Garratt type. It is believed that the limited water and coal capacities of the Garratts may have swung the order in favour of a conventional tender engine.
Three locomotives were ordered from Henschel in 1931, being numbers 17, 18 & 19, two of which are now in the Sandstone collection.

Further batches of locomotives were supplied by Henschel and Societe Anglo-Franco-Belge from 1939 through to 1957. The final batch of five being initially owned by Tsumeb Copper Corporation before purchase by the SAR when the SWA 2ft lines were finally converted to 3’6″ in 1960. On this conversion all of the 21 Class NG15s built were transferred to the Port Elizabeth to Avontuur line.

Amazingly all the members of this class survive to this day either in South Africa or overseas.

The NG15 class locos weigh in at almost 48 tons and are just over 54 ft (16,45m) long.