#0904

South African Class 6B 4-6-0

🇬🇧 United Kingdom ·built by Dübs and Company· from 1897· class of 55 South African 4-6-0 locomotives

9 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences

1. Class 6B 494 (4-6-0) CGR 206: 1930's Railway Circle (members Frank Garrison, Frank Holland, Bill Schutz and others)· Public domain
2. CFB Class 6 22: User:Peter Bagshawe· CC BY-SA 3.0
3. Class6b 537: Steamhunter· CC BY-SA 3.0
4. Class 6B & Type XE tender: User:Pierre & Corry de Wet· CC BY-SA 3.0
5. SAR Class 6B (4-6-0): 1930's Railway Circle (members Frank Garrison, Dr Eric Manken, Arthur Arnold, Frank Holland, Bill Schutz and others)· Public domain
6. SAR Class 6B (4-6-0) ex CGR: Unknown author Unknown author· Public domain
7. SAR Class 6B Locomotive No. 500: Ossewa· CC BY-SA 4.0
8. Type XC1 tender of Class 6B: Leith Paxton· CC BY-SA 3.0
9. Type XE tender of Class 6B or 6E: Leith Paxton· CC BY-SA 3.0

what is it?

The South African Railways Class 6B 4-6-0 of 1897 was a steam locomotive from the pre-Union era in the Cape of Good Hope. In 1897 and 1898, the Cape Government Railways placed a third batch of 55 6th Class 4-6-0 steam locomotives in service, 32 on its Western System, 21 on its Midland System and two on its Eastern System. During the Second Boer War, seven were transferred to the Imperial Military Railways on loan, and in 1907 four were sold to the Benguela Railway in Angola.

who runs it

Benguela railway Transnet Freight Rail rail transport in Sudan Cape Government Railways South African Railways and Harbours Administration

base stats

built 55made 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 129 years ago, in 1897.
Served for 76 years (1897–1973).

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

spec sheet

built: 1897–1898
in service from: 1897
retired: 1973
status: preserved
number built: 55
kind: Steam
traction: steam
origin: 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
builders: Dübs and Company, Neilson and Company
designer: Cape Government Railways, (H.M. Beatty)
operators: Benguela railway, Transnet Freight Rail, rail transport in Sudan, Cape Government Railways, South African Railways and Harbours Administration
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 Q7565549, Wikipedia: South African Class 6B 4-6-0 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.