South African Class 8A 4-8-0

what is it?

The South African Railways Class 8A 4-8-0 of 1902 was a steam locomotive from the pre-Union era in Transvaal. In 1902, the Imperial Military Railways placed forty Cape 8th Class 4-8-0 Mastodon type steam locomotives in service. When the Central South African Railways was established later that same year, they were designated Class 8-L1.

who runs it

CSCentral South African RailwaysTransnet Freight RailZRZambia RailwaysSASouth African Railways and Harbours AdministrationIMImperial Military Railways

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 124 years ago, in 1902.
• ⌛Served for 70 years (1902–1972).

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

spec sheet

built

1902

in service from

1902

retired

1972

status

retired

number built

40

kind

Steam

traction

steam

origin

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

builders

Neilson and Company, Sharp, Stewart and Company

designer

Cape Government Railways, (H.M. Beatty)

operators

Central South African Railways, Transnet Freight Rail, Zambia Railways, South African Railways and Harbours Administration, Imperial Military Railways

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.