#1717

South African Class K 4-6-4T

🇬🇧 United Kingdom ·built by North British Locomotive Company· from 1914· class of 7 South African 4-6-4T locomotives

3 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences

1. Class K 352 (4-6-4T) Playing Cards: SAR Museum· Public domain
2. Class K Manila: Unknown author Unknown author· Public domain
3. SAR Class K (4-6-4T): 1930's Railway Circle (members Frank Garrison, Dr Eric Manken, Arthur Arnold, Frank Holland, Bill Schutz and others)· Public domain

what is it?

The South African Railways Class K 4-6-4T of 1917 was a steam locomotive. In 1917, the South African Railways placed seven Class K tank steam locomotives with a 4-6-4 Hudson type wheel arrangement in service. They had been built for the Philippines but could not be delivered due to wartime disruption.

who runs it

South African Railways and Harbours Administration

base stats

built 7made 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 112 years ago, in 1914.
Served for 21 years (1917–1938).

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

spec sheet

built: 1914
in service from: 1917
retired: 1938
status: retired
number built: 7
kind: Steam
traction: steam
origin: 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
builders: North British Locomotive Company
designer: North British Locomotive Company
operators: South African Railways and Harbours Administration
top speed: —
power: —
gauge: 1,067 mm Cape gauge
wheel arrangement: 4-6-4T (Baltic)
nicknames: Manila

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

Sources: Wikidata Q529891, Wikipedia: South African Class K 4-6-4T (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.