#1168

South African Class 5A 4-6-2

🇿🇦 South Africa ·built by Kitson and Company· from 1903· type of steam locomotive

3 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences

1. SAR Class 5A 721 (4-6-2) CGR 903: Unknown author Unknown author· Public domain
2. SAR Class 5A (4-6-2): 1930's Railway Circle (members Frank Garrison, Dr Eric Manken, Arthur Arnold, Frank Holland, Bill Schutz and others)· Public domain
3. Class 5A 721 (4-6-2) Playing Cards: SAR Museum· Public domain

what is it?

The South African Railways Class 5A 4-6-2 of 1903 was a steam locomotive from the pre-Union era in the Cape of Good Hope. In 1903, the Cape Government Railways placed two Karoo Class steam locomotives with a 4-6-2 Pacific type wheel arrangement in passenger service.

who runs it

Transnet Freight Rail Cape Government Railways

base stats

built 2made 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 123 years ago, in 1903.
17.7 m long: about 4 cars parked nose to tail.
Served for 37 years (1903–1940).

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

spec sheet

built: 1903
in service from: 1903
retired: 1940
status: retired
number built: 2
kind: Steam
traction: steam
origin: 🇿🇦 South Africa
builders: Kitson and Company
designer: Cape Government Railways, (H.M. Beatty)
operators: Transnet Freight Rail, Cape Government Railways
top speed: —
power: —
gauge: 1,067 mm Cape gauge
wheel arrangement: 4-6-2 (Pacific)
length: 17.7 m

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

Sources: Wikidata Q7565534, Wikipedia: South African Class 5A 4-6-2 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.