South Australian Railways R class

The South Australian Railways R class, later upgraded to Rx Class was a class of 4-6-0 steam locomotives operated by the South Australian Railways.

South Australian Railways R & Rx class
Rx149 with a load of wine casks at McLaren Vale
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder Dübs & Co (6) James Martin & Co (24) Islington Railway Workshops (14) North British Locomotive Company (15) Walkers Limited (25) Build date 1886-1916 Total produced 84 Rebuilder Islington Railway Workshops Rebuild date 1899-1913 as Rx Number rebuilt 30 to Rx
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 4-6-0 (2′C 3) (2′C 2′2′) Gauge 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) Driver dia. 4 ft 6 in (1.372 m) Length 49 ft 11 in (15.215 m) Height 4.064 Metres Axle load 9 tons 17 cwt (R) 11 tons 8 cwt (Rx) Adhesive weight 28.50 tons Loco weight 40 long tons (40,642 kg) (R) Tender weight 22 long tons (22,353 kg) (R) Total weight 65 long tons (66,043 kg) (R), 88 long tons (89,412 kg) Fuel type Coal Fuel capacity 4 tons 18 cwt (R), 7 tons 16 cwt (Rx), 6 tons 17 cwt (Rx 6 wheel tender) Water cap 2,040 gallons (R) 3,750 gallons (Rx), 3,200 gallons (Rx 6 wheel tender) Firebox:  • Firegrate area 17.6 sq. ft. (R) 20.37 sq. ft. (Rx) Boiler pressure 145 psi (1,000 kPa) (R) 175 psi (1,207 kPa) (Rx) Heating surface:  • Tubes 1,196 square feet (R) 1,208 square feet (Rx)  • Firebox 98.3 sq. ft. (R) 105 sq. ft. (Rx) Superheater: ​  • Heating area 178 sq. ft. (Rx) (not fitted to some locos) Cylinders 2 Cylinder size 18 in × 24 in (457 mm × 610 mm) Valve gear Stephenson
Performance figures Tractive effort 17,700 lbf (78.73 kN) (R) 21,420 lbf (95.28 kN)
Career Operators South Australian Railways Class R/Rx Numbers 5, 9, 10, 15, 20*, 25*, 48, 55, 56, 91*-96*, 102*-107*, 138*-153*, 155, 158, 160, 190-203, 206-235 (* originally built as R class) First run 10.2.1886 Last run 5.9.1969 Withdrawn 1927-1969 Preserved Rx 5, Rx 55, Rx 93, Rx, 160, Rx 191, Rx 201, Rx 207, Rx 217, Rx 224 & Rx 231 Scrapped 1928-1974 Disposition 10 preserved, 74 scrapped

History

In 1886, Dübs and Company of Glasgow delivered the first six R class. A further 24 had been built by James Martin & Co by November 1895. From 1899, all were rebuilt with higher powered Belpaire boilers and reclassified as the Rx class. A further 54 locomotives were built as Rx class by the Islington Railway Workshops, North British Locomotive Company and Walkers Limited with all in service by May 1916.[1]

R class were the predominant locomotive used on broad gauge main line services in South Australia from their introduction. After the introduction of the large Webb engines they were relegated to secondary lines and services such as shunting and hauling goods trains. A large group of Rx class locomotives, mainly early builds, were withdrawn from service in 1934, however the remainder continued to serve into the mid 1960s.[1]

Survivors

Several Rx class locomotives and one R class survive to this day in various states of preservation.

• Rx5: plinthed at Kapunda[2]
• Rx55: preserved at Loxton[3]
• Rx93: preserved at National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide[4][5]
• Rx160: preserved at Murray Bridge[6]
• Rx191: plinthed at Victor Harbor[7]
• Rx201: plinthed at Tailem Bend[8]
• Rx207: preserved at SteamRanger, operational[9]
• Rx217: plinthed at Nuriootpa, South Australia[10]
• Rx224: preserved at SteamRanger, under overhaul[11]
• Rx231: plinthed at Kadina[12]

References

1. Oberg, Leon (1984). Locomotives of Australia 1850s-1980s. Frenchs Forest: Reed Books. p. 54. ISBN 0 7301 0005 7.
2. Rx5 Australian Steam
3. Rx55 Australian Steam
4. Rx93 National Railway Museum
5. Rx93 Australian Steam
6. Rx160 Australian Steam
7. Rx191 Australian Steam
8. Rx201 Australian Steam
9. Rx207 Australian Steam
10. Rx217 Australian Steam
11. Rx224 Australian Steam
12. Rx231 Australian Steam

External links

Media related to South Australian Railways R class at Wikimedia Commons