South West African Class Ha

The South West African Class Ha 0-6-2T of 1904 was a steam locomotive from the German South West Africa era.

GSWA Class Ha 0-6-2T South West African Class Ha 0-6-2T
Class Ha works picture, c. 1904
Type and origin Power type Steam Designer Henschel and Son Builder Henschel and Son Serial number 6695-6704 Model Class Ha Build date 1903 Total produced 10
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 0-6-2T (Branchliner)  • UIC C1n2t Driver 3rd coupled axle Gauge 600 mm (1 ft 11 ^5⁄8 in) narrow Coupled dia. 27 ^9⁄16 in (700 mm) Length: ​  • Over couplers 23 ft 6 ^11⁄16 in (7,180 mm) Loco weight 21 LT 6 cwt (21,640 kg) Fuel type Coal Firebox type Round-top  • Firegrate area 8.6 sq ft (0.80 m^2) Boiler pressure 171 psi (1,179 kPa) Cylinders Two Cylinder size 11 ^13⁄16 in (300 mm) bore 13 ^25⁄32 in (350 mm) stroke Valve gear Allan Valve type Slide Couplers Buffer-and-chains
Performance figures Tractive effort 8,928 lbf (39.71 kN) @ 75%
Career Operators Otavi Mining and Railway Co. South African Railways Class Class Ha Number in class 10 Numbers 21-30 Delivered 1904 First run 1904

In 1904, the German administration in German South West Africa acquired ten Class Ha tank locomotives with a 0-6-2 wheel arrangement for lease to the Otavi Mining and Railway Company. Only one of these locomotives survived the First World War to be taken onto the roster of the South African Railways.[1][2][3]

Manufacturer

In 1903, ten 600 millimetres (23.62 inches) narrow gauge 0-6-2 tank steam locomotives were built for the German administration in German South West Africa (GSWA) by Henschel and Son in Germany. When delivered in 1904, they were designated Class Ha.[1][4]

They were leased to the Otavi Mining and Railway Company who operated a narrow gauge railway across the Namib Desert between Swakopmund and Tsumeb.[1]

Available sources are in conflict regarding the engine numbers of these locomotives. They were delivered by Henschel with numbers in the range from 11 to 20 on their cabside number plates, but were renumbered in the range from 21 to 30 by the railway, possibly since the fifteen Jung locomotives were already numbered in the range from 1 to 15.[3][4][5][6]

Characteristics

No. 27 as tender locomotive, c. 1910

The locomotives were similar to the earlier Jung locomotives in dimensions, but had larger boilers. They used Allan valve gear. Their "Ha" class designation identified the locomotive type as the first class to have been built for GSWA by Henschel.[1][3]

One of these locomotives, no. 27, and possibly more were rebuilt in the Usakos Workshop for use on the Otavi Railway's fast passenger service by removing the side-tanks and coal bunker and coupling it to a tender. Similar modifications were done on two of the Jung locomotives.[5][6][7][8]

Service

During the First World War, the former German colony came under South African administration and the railways in GSWA came under control of the Union Defence Forces. Control of all railway operations in South West Africa (SWA) was passed on from the Military to the Director of Railways in Windhoek on 1 August 1915. On 1 April 1922, all the railway lines and rolling stock in the territory became part of the South African Railways (SAR).[1]

Only one of these locomotives, no. 22, survived the First World War into the SAR era. It retained its German Colonial Ha class designation and engine number in SAR service.[1]

Other locomotive types

At least two other locomotive types also served on the Otavi Railway, but information about them is sketchy. Even though they are reputed to have been built by Henschel, they do not appear in the Henschel works list.[4]

• In 1903, a small side-tank engine with a four-wheeled tender was supplied. Its chimney and spark arrestor were of the inverted conical type. The wheel arrangement of the engine is not known, but the boiler pressure was set at 176 pounds per square inch (1,213 kilopascals) and the tractive effort at 75% of boiler pressure was 4,930 pounds-force (21.9 kilonewtons). The tender carried 2 long tons 10 hundredweight (2.5 tonnes) of coal and the engine's side tanks had a capacity of 1,210 imperial gallons (5,500 litres).[3]
• In the same year, two small shunting engines were supplied. They had a 2-2-2 Patentee type wheel arrangement and were numbered 28 and 29. It had two cylinders of 12 inches (305 millimetres) bore and 13 inches (330 millimetres) stroke and driving wheels of 33 ⁷⁄₈ inches (860 millimetres) diameter. The boiler pressure was set at 176 pounds per square inch (1,213 kilopascals) and the tractive effort at 75% of boiler pressure was 4,930 pounds-force (21.9 kilonewtons). The engine weight in working order was 18 long tons (18,290 kilograms).[3]

Since construction of the 600 millimetres (23.62 inches) narrow gauge Otavi Railway commenced in November 1903, the date of entry into service of these two locomotive types suggests that they were acquired as construction engines.[2][9]

In 1914, Henschel shipped two 4-6-2 Pacific type locomotives to Swakopmund for the Otavi Railway, with works numbers 12829 and 12830. They were to have been numbered 31 and 32, but were lost at sea when their ship was sunk.[4]

References

1. Paxton, Leith; Bourne, David (1985). Locomotives of the South African Railways (1st ed.). Cape Town: Struik. p. 115. ISBN 0869772112.
2. Dulez, Jean A. (2012). Railways of Southern Africa 150 Years (Commemorating One Hundred and Fifty Years of Railways on the Sub-Continent – Complete Motive Power Classifications and Famous Trains – 1860–2011) (1st ed.). Garden View, Johannesburg, South Africa: Vidrail Productions. pp. 235, 379–382. ISBN 9 780620 512282.
3. Espitalier, T.J.; Day, W.A.J. (1947). The Locomotive in South Africa - A Brief History of Railway Development. Chapter VII - South African Railways (Continued). South African Railways and Harbours Magazine, October 1947. p. 859.
4. Henschel-Lieferliste (Henschel & Son works list), compiled by Dietmar Stresow
5. SAR-L Group. South African Railways Fans, Yahoo! Groups message no. 51280, 11 July 2016. (Accessed on 13 July 2016)
6. SAR-L Group. South African Railways Fans, Yahoo! Groups message no. 51283, 11 July 2016. (Accessed on 13 July 2016)
7. Röhr, Gustav F. (1980). Die Feldspurbahnen Südwestafrikas 1000km auf 600mm Spur. Verlag und Büro für spezielle Verkehrsliteratur, Röhr Verlag. ISBN 3-88490-092-7
8. Schroeter, Helmut; Ramaer, Roel (1993). Die Eisenbahnen in den einst Deutschen Schutzgebieten - Damals und Heute. Röhr Verlag GmbH, Krefeld, Germany. ISBN 3-88490-184-2
9. Espitalier, T.J.; Day, W.A.J. (1947). The Locomotive in South Africa - A Brief History of Railway Development. Chapter VII - South African Railways (Continued). South West Africa. South African Railways and Harbours Magazine, August 1947. p. 667.