South African Class 8D 4-8-0

what is it?

The South African Railways Class 8D 4-8-0 of 1903 was a steam locomotive from the pre-Union era in the Cape of Good Hope. In 1903, when the first batch of 8th Class 4-8-0 Mastodon type locomotives had been tried and proven successful, the Cape Government Railways placed another 38 8th Class 4-8-0 steam locomotives in service, six on the Western System, twenty on the Midland System and twelve on the Eastern System.

who runs it

Transnet Freight RailSASouth African Railways and Harbours Administration

base stats

• built 38made 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 69 years (1903–1972).

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

spec sheet

built

1902–1903

in service from

1903

retired

1972

status

retired

number built

38

kind

Steam

traction

steam

origin

🇿🇦 South Africa

builders

Neilson and Company, North British Locomotive Company

designer

Cape Government Railways, (H.M. Beatty)

operators

Transnet Freight Rail, 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.