skip to content
stan runge

#0786

South African Class 6 4-6-0

🇬🇧 United Kingdom ·built by Dübs and Company· from 1893· class of 40 South African 4-6-0 locomotives

🚂 steam locomotive steam preserved
10 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
  1. 1. SAR Class 6 439 (4-6-0) ex CGR 368-568-OVGS 68-CSAR 344: Col André Kritzinger· CC BY-SA 3.0
  2. 2. SAR Class 6J 439 Winburg 050581: User:Malcolm Best· CC BY-SA 3.0
  3. 3. SAR Class 6 412 (4-6-0): 1930's Railway Circle (members Frank Garrison, Dr Eric Manken, Arthur Arnold, Frank Holland, Bill Schutz and others)· Public domain
  4. 4. SAR Class 6 432 (4-6-0) ex CGR 356-OVGS 61-CSAR 337: Col André Kritzinger· CC BY-SA 3.0
  5. 5. SAR Class 6 432 (4-6-0) ex CGR 356-OVGS 61-CSAR 337 ID: Col André Kritzinger· CC BY-SA 3.0
  6. 6. SAR Class 6 433 (4-6-0) ex CGR 357-OVGS 62-CSAR 338: Theo Espitalier· Public domain
  7. 7. SAR Class 6 439 (4-6-0) ex CGR 368-568-OVGS 68-CSAR 344 BP: Col André Kritzinger· CC BY-SA 3.0
  8. 8. SAR Class 6 439 (4-6-0) ex CGR 368-568-OVGS 68-CSAR 344 ID: Col André Kritzinger· CC BY-SA 3.0
  9. 9. SAR Class 6 (4-6-0) a: 1930's Railway Circle (members Frank Garrison, Dr Eric Manken, Arthur Arnold, Frank Holland, Bill Schutz and others)· Public domain
  10. 10. SAR Class 6 409 (4-6-0) ex CGR 361-561: Col André Kritzinger· CC BY-SA 3.0
Read about it on Wikipedia ↗
South African Class 6 4-6-0, photo 1 of 10
1/10 Col André Kritzinger· CC BY-SA 3.0

what is it?

The South African Railways Class 6 4-6-0 of 1893 was a steam locomotive from the pre-Union era in the Cape of Good Hope. In 1893 and 1894, the Cape Government Railways placed forty 6th Class steam locomotives with a 4-6-0 wheel arrangement in service, twenty-two on its Western System and eighteen on its Midland System. Ten of them were sold to the Oranje-Vrijstaat Gouwerment-Spoorwegen in 1897.

who runs it

Central South African RailwaysTransnet Freight Railrail transport in SudanCape Government RailwaysSouth African Railways and Harbours AdministrationOranje-Vrijstaat Gouwerment-Spoorwegen

base stats

  • built 40made in total

Bars compare against all trains: 600 km/h (maglev), 1,700 seats; power, weight and number built on a log scale up to 20 MW, 1,000 t and 20,000 built.

fun facts

  • First built 133 years ago, in 1893.
  • Served for 80 years (1893–1973).

steam locomotive: Burns coal, wood or oil to boil water; the steam drives pistons that turn the wheels.

spec sheet

built
1893–1894
in service from
1893
retired
1973
status
preserved
number built
40
kind
Steam
traction
steam
origin
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
builders
Dübs and Company
designer
Cape Government Railways, (H.M. Beatty)
operators
Central South African Railways, Transnet Freight Rail, rail transport in Sudan, Cape Government Railways, South African Railways and Harbours Administration, Oranje-Vrijstaat Gouwerment-Spoorwegen
top speed
—
power
—
gauge
1,067 mm Cape gauge
wheel arrangement
4-6-0 (Tenwheeler)

From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.

Sources: Wikidata Q7565574, Wikipedia: South African Class 6 4-6-0 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.

stan runge 7f71e88 source