#1330

South African Class 1B 4-8-2

🇿🇦 South Africa ·built by North British Locomotive Company· from 1906· class of 6 South African 4-8-2 locomotives

1 photo from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences

1. Class 1B 1440 (4-8-2): Col André Kritzinger· CC BY-SA 3.0

what is it?

The South African Railways Class 1B 4-8-2 of 1904 was a steam locomotive from the pre-Union era in the Colony of Natal. In 1904, the Natal Government Railways placed fifty Class B locomotives with a 4-8-0 Mastodon wheel arrangement in service. Of these, six were modified in 1906 to Altered Class B locomotives, the first tender engines in the world with a 4-8-2 Mountain wheel arrangement.

who runs it

Natal Government Railways South African Railways and Harbours Administration

base stats

built 6made 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 120 years ago, in 1906.
Served for 22 years (1906–1928).

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

spec sheet

built: 1906
in service from: 1906
retired: 1928
status: retired
number built: 6
kind: Steam
traction: steam
origin: 🇿🇦 South Africa
builders: North British Locomotive Company
designer: Natal Government Railways, (D.A. Hendrie)
operators: Natal Government Railways, South African Railways and Harbours Administration
top speed: —
power: —
gauge: 1,067 mm Cape gauge
wheel arrangement: 4-8-2 (Mountain)

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

Sources: Wikidata Q7565494, Wikipedia: South African Class 1B 4-8-2 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.