INTRODUCTION

This chapter of ‘Soul of a Railway’ again draws heavily on the DRISA website and Transnet Heritage Library (THL) Photo Collection. Hence, my grateful thanks to Johannes Haarhof and Yolanda Meyer respectively for their assistance in providing access to the wonderfully informative SAR & H Magazine and photographs from the THL Collection.

The word ‘Miscellany’ in the title of this chapter is used intentionally because I have accumulated a collection of topics – all SAR & H or SATS-related but totally diverse in subject matter and in no particular order.  Date order is also not observed due to the diverse nature of the subject matter.

Proof Reading: Carol Pivnic.  My thanks to my better half!

Thinking of the history of the previous SAR, one aspect comes readily to mind: The technical officers employed by the Administration were not averse to experimenting with new or untried technology.  In 1923/4 Ta prime example serves to illustrate this.  The ‘Suction Gas-Electric Locomotive'.

Not all experiments are successful as indicated above. However, in 1925 a new larger gas-electric locomotive was purchased in England, as advised by T.J. Espitalier & W.A.J. Day as published in their 'Locomotive in SA' series (see below the photograph) but this loco apparently never progressed past the trial stages either.

In 1935, the underframe of the larger, imported suction gas-electric loco appeared in a new guise – as a plain electric motor-coach – type U-34-M which at that time, was the only motor-coach operating under 3000V catenary on the SAR. Those already in service in the Cape operated under 1500V wires. Here is a photo of this motor-coach on what was known locally as the 'Mason's Mill' shuttle in Pietermaritzburg.  

Dubbed ‘Cheap Transport’, we come to a rather novel and remarkable form of transport incorporating a 2ft gauge track with a rubber-tyred steam traction-engine which was invented by Frank Dutton A.M.I. Mech.E., M.S.A.I.E., Superintendent of Motor Transport and Signals, SAR. Known as the ‘Loco-Tractor’ system.

We continue with a photo of Frank Dutton with his ‘Meccano’ model of the ‘Loco-Tractor’ system which he built to test the system in model-form before taking out a patent on his system.

October 1924 witnessed the opening of first Dutton Road-Rail line between Naboomspruit and Singlewood in the Northern Transvaal.

Photo collage below of the Naboomspruit - Singlewood 'Road-Rail' branch line.

The Road-Rail coverage is concluded with a few photos to illustrate the amazing variety of vehicles/engines used with the Dutton Road-Rail system.

Note the Dutton Patent plate on the radiator of this American 'Four Wheel Drive' vehicle adapted for use on Dutton's system.

This segment concludes with a poor but rare photo of a double-header on the Road-Rail system.

Rather disappointingly, T.J. Espitalier & W.A.J. Day in their ‘Locomotive in South Africa’ series, tells us that the Dutton Road-Rail system didn’t survive long – the system was re-converted to normal steam traction on the SA standard 3ft 6in gauge.

The next topic celebrates the life and work of the SAR’s first Chief Mechanical Engineer – Mr D. A. Hendrie – a brilliant steam locomotive designer who had his early training in Scotland before coming out to Natal to join the pre-Union Natal Government Railways as their Locomotive Superintendent in 1903.

1927 was rather special in the history of the SAR & H because it was in that year, that the Salt River Workshops in Cape Town completed a double-deck suburban coach – quite a feather in the cap for a 3ft 6in gauge railway.  It was designed and patented by a Mr.Hulse who was a draughtsman in the Salt River Drawing Office.  His final layout has been used notably on the double-deck suburban trains operating in Sydney, Australia and no doubt, elsewhere as well.

In the photo above, the unofficial loose nameboard – ‘HMS Rehulse’ was just a prank by Salt River staff, making a play on words between Mr. Hulse and the British battle-cruiser HMS Repulse. In the photo-collage below – bottom right, we see how this splendid design for a suburban coach ended her life – as an empty hulk attached to an electrification gang’s consist for wiring non-electrified lines.  Sadly, the Administration did not appreciate the value of Mr Hulse’s design but it was certainly appreciated in Sydney and elsewhere.

Did You Know?

That the South African Railways & Harbours was closely associated with the establishment of the ‘Electricity Supply Commission’ in South Africa in 1922.

The electrification of the Natal Main Line between Pietermaritzburg and Ladysmith involved the SAR building a large power station at Colenso in the early 1920s as part of the electrification process. A decision was taken to transfer the SAR’s large power station at Colenso to the newly established ESCOM as indicated in the notice copied below.

The three eminent original members of ESCOM would have turned in their graves if they were aware of what has become of a highly efficient supplier of South Africa’s electricity.

Moving on: Col.F.R. Collins, who had succeeded Mr. D.A. Hendrie as CME in 1922, reached retirement age in 1929.  He was criticised during his reign as CME for accepting engines designed overseas – some of which were not successful in service but others, like the classes 15CB and 16D supplied by the Baldwin Locomotive Company in the USA, were to prove highly successful in their own right and for future designs of SAR steam locomotives.  It can be argued that these two types were ordered on advice from Mr. G.E. Titren, Superintendent Motive Power, who visited the USA in 1924. 

On the success of the 15CB and 16D, engines of similar design were ordered from various makers in the UK and Europe - classified 15CA and 16DA, they again proved to be highly successful. 

Photos of the original Baldwin engines 2060 & 860 are shown below, followed by the similar classes 15CA and 16DA and the massive class GL Garratt loco 2351 named 'Princess Alice' which was the most powerful class of steam locomotive in use on the SAR.  Col. F.R. Collins as CME was closely involved with a wide variety of Garratt classes introduced during his term of office as CME, culminating in the mighty class GL of which 8 engines were built - tractive effort @ 75% BP - 78,650 lb.  In my opinion, Col.Collins did not always get the credit that was due to him as Chief Mechanical Engineer. 

The year 1939 was dominated by the outbreak of the 2nd World War but locally in South Africa, it also witnessed the introduction of diesel traction on the SAR.  Espitalier & Day in their series on ‘The Locomotive in South Africa’ provide a very informative description of the SAR's limited introduction of diesel traction as copied below from the SAR & H Magazine. With the diesel introduction being limited to two locomotives and the fact that they were acquired in Germany, must have influenced the decision to confine the order to two locomotives at that critical time in world-history.

The text above concludes as follows: The total weight of the Class DS1 engine is 40 tons 13 cwt. The driving  wheels are 3ft. 6in. in diameter and the wheelbase 11ft. 4 in.  Sanding is arranged at the back and front of all wheels.

We now look at the illustrious career of Mr. A.G. Watson, M.I.C.E., M.I. Mech.E., M.I.Loco.E., was in my opinion, the SAR & H’s greatest Chief Mechanical Engineer and to support my statement, here is a short list of his achievements while in office in Pretoria.

He designed a series of standard boilers and parts which drastically reduced the number of spares that had to be carried by the workshops. This reduced the time needed for engines to be under repair in the Mechanical Shops and out of revenue-earning traffic.

Mr. Watson designed the following steam locomotives: class 15E, (the forerunner of the illustrious class 15F); 16DA (wide firebox); 16E, (express passenger 4-6-2 with 6ft coupled wheels); class 21 2-10-4 (heavy goods) and prepared the design of the class 22, a 2-10-4 of massive proportions, for the 3ft 6in gauge which was, unfortunately, never built by his successors. It is worth noting that his proposed class 22 had impressive specifications – a boiler barrel diameter of 6ft. 11in.; 250lbs BP; 80 sq.ft. grate-area - providing a tractive effort of 66,406 lb @ 75% BP. (see drawing below of this loco)

He also standardised the straight corridor main line sleeping car and moved the toilets away from the middle of the coach – the section offering the most comfortable ride – placing them at each end. His straight corridor was also noticeably wider than those on the earlier open balcony coaches.

He also designed the ‘Watson’ bogie for main line coaches which gave a much- desired superior ride on long distances.

One of his top achievements was his design for the dining car type A-25/AA-25 ‘PROTEA’ which became the basis for all future dining car designs on the SAR.

In 1935, Mr. Watson prepared the designs for the very first two electric shunting locomotives – class ES - for service at Daimana – later renamed Danskraal near Ladysmith, Natal.

Mr. Watson even got involved in the design of harbour equipment!

Altogether, a remarkable Mechanical Engineer!

Here are a few photographs of his class 15E 4-8-2 locomotives from their construction at the Henschel Works in Kassel, Germany 1935, to their working days at De Aar in South Africa.

This photo requires special mention: When the class 15Es were under construction at the Henschel Works, No.2878 happened to be their 23,000th locomotive built at their Works in Kassel.  At the same time, to celebrate the marriage of a young couple from the Henschel and Siemens families, a locomotive was garlanded with flowers and displayed in the Loco Erecting Shop at Henschel’s Works where a special celebration took place. The engine involved – class 15E No.2878.

Engine 2878 without the flowers!

I5E No.2885 could possibly be the very first SAR loco to be test-fitted with ‘Wagner-style’ smoke deflectors which were later adopted as the standard type of smoke deflector on the SAR.  Here she is – photographed at the Henschel Works.

When the class 15Es were first introduced into traffic, they were stabled at Cape Town and worked up the Cape Main Line from 1936. Many if not all, had regular drivers and here is one of them, very proud of his steed!

Here is one of them at De Aar, back in the days when the class 15Es ruled the roost on the Cape Main Line between De Aar and Beaufort West in the 1950's. I had many trips on trains 202/203 – the fast service between Johannesburg and Cape Town – the trains that were later named – ‘The Trans-Karoo Express’ from 1960.  

On those trips in the 50's, behind 15Es between De Aar and Beaufort West, I had some of the fastest runs ever, on the SAR!  I will readily admit to being scared at the speed attained on those runs!

The coverage of Mr. A.G. Watson's career as CME continues with photos of his class 21 - 2-10-4 and his magnifcent Pacific - class 16E.

It should be added that Mr. Watson was not a Garratt-fan and that this class 21 was his attempt to provide a non-articulated locomotive for the Krugersdorp - Zeerust line.   Unfortunately for him, his successor - Mr. W.A.J. Day would introduce a Garratt type engine - Class GM - which would totally out-perform the class 21, thus ending her days on the Eastern Transvaal System , working mainly, the Pretoria-Witbank line.

To conclude coverage of Mr.Watson’s illustrious career as CME, we look at his design of the original steeple-cab class ES No.E96 (one of two originally built) electric shunting locomotives that worked in Natal at Daimana near Ladysmith.

When I did my research in the CME’s files for my book entitled 'Railway Dining Cars in South Africa', I found no trace of the drawing shown below which has subsequently come to light.  Obviously, this particular type of single dining car mounted on 6-wheel bogies was never built but it is of interest, nevertheless.

As previously quoted the class 15E No.2885 was probably the very first SAR locomotive to be fitted with 'Wagner-style' smoke deflectors, but tests on Watson- engines were nevertheless still being conducted back in South Africa as shown in this photo collage of class 16E No.854 and 15E No. 2879.  The  German 'Wagner' deflectors certainly won the contest.