#1020

South African Class 7B 4-8-0

🇬🇧 United Kingdom ·built by Neilson and Company· from 1900· class of 29 South African 4-8-0 locomotives

9 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences

1. 44 7B 4-8-0 No 1056 at Voorbaai 1997-SEP-04: Ian Roberts· CC BY-SA 3.0
2. Class 7BS 1056 (4-8-0) IDR: Col André Kritzinger· CC BY-SA 3.0
3. Class 7B 4-8-0 Khan River SWA: Unknown author Unknown author· Public domain
4. SAR Class 7B 1040 (4-8-0) ex IMR 113 CSAR 383: User:Peter Bagshawe· CC BY-SA 3.0
5. SAR Class 7B 1048 (4-8-0) ex IMR 124 CSAR 394: Unknown author Unknown author· Public domain
6. SAR Class 7B 1056 Burgersdorp 080478: User:Malcolm Best· CC BY-SA 3.0
7. SAR Class 7B 1056 George-160799: User:Malcolm Best· CC BY-SA 3.0
8. SAR Class 7B 1056 Power 160799: User:Malcolm Best· CC BY-SA 3.0
9. Class 7BS 1056 (4-8-0): Col André Kritzinger· CC BY-SA 3.0

what is it?

The South African Railways Class 7B 4-8-0 of 1900 was a steam locomotive from the pre-Union era in Transvaal. In 1900, the Imperial Military Railways placed 25 Cape 7th Class 4-8-0 Mastodon type steam locomotives in service. In that same year, three Cape 7th Class locomotives which had been ordered by the Pretoria-Pietersburg Railway were also placed in service.

who runs it

National Railways of Zimbabwe Central South African Railways Natal Government Railways Transnet Freight Rail Pauling & Co.South African Railways and Harbours Administration

base stats

built 29made 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 126 years ago, in 1900.
Served for 72 years (1900–1972).

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

spec sheet

built: 1900
in service from: 1900
retired: 1972
status: retired
number built: 29
kind: Steam
traction: steam
origin: 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
builders: Neilson and Company
designer: Cape Government Railways, (H.M. Beatty)
operators: National Railways of Zimbabwe, Central South African Railways, Natal Government Railways, Transnet Freight Rail, Pauling & Co., South African Railways and Harbours Administration
top speed: —
power: —
gauge: 1,067 mm Cape gauge
wheel arrangement: 4-8-0 (Mastodon)

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

Sources: Wikidata Q7565575, Wikipedia: South African Class 7B 4-8-0 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.