South African gas-electric locomotive

Experimental gas-electric locomotive, c. 1923

Type and origin
Power type	Gas-electric
Designer	South African Railways (C. Lawson)
Builder	South African Railways
Build date	1923
Total produced	1

Specifications
Gauge	3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) Cape gauge
Minimum curve	3%
Axle load	7 LT (7,112 kg) average
Loco weight	28 LT (28,450 kg)
Fuel type	Smokebox char
Couplers	Bell link-and-pin

Performance figures
Maximum speed	25 mph (40 km/h)
Power output	85 hp (63 kW)

Career
Operators	South African Railways
Number in class	1
First run	1923

The South African Railways gas-electric locomotive of 1923 was an experimental suction-gas-electric locomotive.

In 1923, the South African Railways experimented with gas-electric motive power and constructed a single experimental producer-gas-electric locomotive. The locomotive remained in service for several years and was followed by another, built by the General Electric Company, which was not successful and never entered line service after undergoing experimental trials.^[1]^[2]

Branchline non-profitability

The non-profitability of many branchline operations had been a problem for the South African Railways (SAR) from the outset. The question of non-paying branchlines was raised by Sir William Hoy, South African Railways and Harbours General Manager, in a paper read before the Imperial Motor Transport Conference in London in 1913. He drew attention to the fact that, in isolated districts with vast agricultural and mineral capabilities in many parts of the Union of South Africa, development was hampered by the lack of means of transportation.^[1]

In an attempt to reduce the cost of using steam locomotives on infrequently used and non-profitable branchlines, other forms of motive power were considered in the early 1920s. The diesel locomotive was still in its infancy and was therefore not yet an attractive proposition, while the cost of electrification of such branchlines would be prohibitive. The first alternative form of traction to enter service, was the Dutton road-rail tractor system in 1923.^[1]^[2]

Development

During 1923, after the implementation of the Dutton road-rail tractor system, Hoy encouraged further experiments to determine the practicability of the use of suction gas (also known as producer gas) as fuel for an alternative form of motive power, suitable for use on branchlines. Mr. C. Lawson, Superintendent Mechanical, was tasked with the experiment.^[1]

The locomotive was constructed on an old bogie wagon underframe. Producer gas has a carbon monoxide base and is formed by passing air and steam through a red-hot carbonaceous fuel. The gas generator was constructed from a scrapped 6th Class locomotive's boiler. Smokebox char was used as fuel and the gas was passed from the gas generator through suitable scrubbers to the two petrol engines, which came from Whippet tanks and were obtained from the Defence Department. The two engines drove shunt wound dynamos, obtained from General Electric, to power the traction motors, which were two tramway motors obtained from De Beers. Since the gas was generated by the suction from the two internal combustion engines, the vehicle became known as a suction gas locomotive.^[1]^[2]

Characteristics

The 28 long tons (28,450 kilograms) locomotive was capable of negotiating a 3% curve at 6 miles per hour (10 kilometres per hour) and could attain a top speed of 25 miles per hour (40 kilometres per hour) on level track. It ran in three forms. During the experimental stage, it ran as a flat truck with all the components mounted on top and occupying about half of the deck space, but uncovered. An enclosed wooden body was later added. In its final guise, a small third-class van compartment for twenty passengers was added on the unused deck space.^[1]^[2]

Service

The Gas-electric locomotive was finally placed in service on the Winters Rush branchline from Kimberley, where it often hauled a passenger coach. It remained in service on that line for several years.^[2]

Termination

In June 1923, Colonel F.R. Collins, the Chief Mechanical Engineer, approved plans for a 200 horsepower (150 kilowatts) suction gas locomotive, but it never materialised. In 1925, a new 280 horsepower (210 kilowatts) suction gas locomotive was purchased instead. It was designed to SAR specifications by Mr Harry Ricardo of Ricardo Brothers of Shoreham and built by General Electric Company in England. At the time, it was claimed to be the largest of its type in the world, but it never emerged from the trial stages. It was found that the variable demand on the gas generator precluded a regular supply of gas of the required quality.^[1]^[2]

The locomotive's frame, bogies and traction motors were later used to construct an electric motor coach, which was placed in service between Mason's Mill and Pietermaritzburg. No more suction gas locomotives were acquired.^[1]

References

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Espitalier, T.J.; Day, W.A.J. (1945). The Locomotive in South Africa - A Brief History of Railway Development. Chapter VII - South African Railways (Continued). South African Railways and Harbours Magazine, October 1945. pp. 782-783.
1 2 3 4 5 6 Paxton, Leith; Bourne, David (1985). Locomotives of the South African Railways (1st ed.). Cape Town: Struik. p. 118-119. ISBN 0869772112.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gas-electric locomotives of South Africa.

Locomotives of South Africa

Steam

7' ¼" gauge	East London Harbour 0-4-0 Table Bay Harbour 0-4-0ST Table Bay Harbour 0-4-0T Table Bay Harbour 0-4-0WT

4' 8½" gauge	Cape 0-4-0T Blackie Cape 0-4-2 Cape 2-4-0T CGR 0-4-0ST Aid Natal 0-4-0ST Durban Natal 0-4-0WT Natal Natal 4-4-0T Perseverance

3' 6" gauge Tank engines	CGR 0-4-0ST 1873 CGR 0-4-0ST 1874 CGR 0-4-0ST 1881 Coffee Pot CGR 0-6-0ST 1902 CGR 0-6-0T 1876 Back-to-Back CGR 2-6-0ST 1900 CGR 2-6-0ST 1902 CGR 1st Class 0-4-0ST 1875 CGR 1st Class 0-4-0ST 1876 CGR 1st Class 2-6-0ST 1876 CGR 1st Class 4-4-0T 1875 CGR 2nd Class 4-4-0T 1882 CGR 3rd Class 2-6-0T CGR Railmotor CSAR Class C CSAR Class E CSAR Rack CSAR Railmotor DSWA Eight-Coupled Tank 2-8-0T Durban's Congella Durban's Edward Innes Durban's John Milne Durban's Sir Albert Port Elizabeth Harbour 0-4-0ST Kowie Railway 0-6-0T Kowie Railway 4-4-0T Metropolitan & Suburban 4-6-2T NGR 2-6-0T Durban & Pietermaritzburg NGR Class I 2-6-2T NGR Class K 0-4-0ST NGR Class K 0-6-0ST NGR Class K 2-6-0T NZASM 10 Tonner NZASM 13 Tonner NZASM 14 Tonner NZASM 18 Tonner NZASM 19 Tonner NZASM 32 Tonner NZASM 40 Tonner PPR 26 Tonner PPR 35 Tonner Portuguese SAR 0-4-0ST 1903 SAR 0-4-0T no. 69 SAR Class A SAR Class B SAR Class C SAR Class C1 SAR Class C2 SAR Class D SAR Class E SAR Class F SAR Class G SAR Class H SAR Class H1 SAR Class H2 SAR Class J SAR Class K SAR Clayton

3' 6" gauge Tender engines	CGR 1st Class 2-6-0 1876 Beyer, Peacock CGR 1st Class 2-6-0 1876 Kitson CGR 1st Class 2-6-0 1879 CGR 1st Class 2-6-0 1891 CGR 1st Class 4-4-0 1879 CGR 1st Class 4-4-0TT 1881 CGR 2nd Class 2-6-2TT 1875 CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1883 CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1884 CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1889 CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1898 CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1901 CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1903 CGR 4th Class 4-4-2 CGR 4th Class 4-6-0TT 1880 CGR 4th Class 4-6-0TT 1882 CGR 4th Class 4-6-0TT 1884 CGR 5th Class 4-6-0 1890 CGR 5th Class 4-6-0 1891 DSWA Eight-Coupled Tender 2-8-0 NGR Havelock NGR Class I SAR Class Exp 1 SAR Class Exp 2 SAR Class Exp 3 SAR Class Exp 4 SAR Class Exp 5 SAR Class Exp 6 SAR Class S SAR Class S1 SAR Class S2 SAR Class 1 SAR Class 1A SAR Class 1B SAR Class 2 SAR Class 2C SAR Class 3 SAR Class 3A SAR Class 3B SAR Class 4 SAR Class 4A SAR Class 5 SAR Class 5A SAR Class 5B SAR Class 6 SAR Class 6A SAR Class 6B SAR Class 6C SAR Class 6D SAR Class 6E SAR Class 6F SAR Class 6G SAR Class 6H SAR Class 6J SAR Class 6K SAR Class 6L SAR Class 6Y SAR Class 6Z SAR Class 7 SAR Class 7A SAR Class 7B SAR Class 7C SAR Class 7D SAR Class 7E SAR Class 7F SAR Class 8 SAR Class 8A SAR Class 8B SAR Class 8C SAR Class 8D SAR Class 8E SAR Class 8F SAR Class 8R SAR Class 8X SAR Class 8Y SAR Class 8Z SAR Class 9 SAR Class 10 SAR Class 10A SAR Class 10B SAR Class 10C SAR Class 10D SAR Class 11 SAR Class 12 SAR Class 12A SAR Class 12B SAR Class 13 SAR Class 14 SAR Class 14A SAR Class 14B SAR Class 14C 1st SAR Class 14C 2nd SAR Class 14C 3rd SAR Class 14C 4th SAR Class 15 SAR Class 15A SAR Class 15B SAR Class 15C SAR Class 15CA SAR Class 15E SAR Class 15F SAR Class 16 SAR Class 16A SAR Class 16B SAR Class 16C SAR Class 16D SAR Class 16DA SAR Class 16E SAR Class 17 SAR Class 18 SAR Class 19 SAR Class 19A SAR Class 19B SAR Class 19C SAR Class 19D SAR Class 20 SAR Class 21 SAR Class 23 SAR Class 24 SAR Class 25 SAR Class 25NC SAR Class 26 SAR Katanga

3' 6" gauge Articulated engines	CGR Fairlie CGR Kitson-Meyer SAR Class FC SAR Class FD SAR Class GA SAR Class GB SAR Class GC SAR Class GCA SAR Class GD SAR Class GDA SAR Class GE SAR Class GEA SAR Class GF SAR Class GG SAR Class GH SAR Class GK SAR Class GL SAR Class GM SAR Class GMA SAR Class GO SAR Class HF SAR Class KM SAR Class MA SAR Class MB SAR Class MC SAR Class MC1 SAR Class MD SAR Class ME SAR Class MF SAR Class MG SAR Class MH SAR Class MJ SAR Class MJ1 SAR Class U

2' 6" gauge	Cape Copper 0-6-0T 1871 Cape Copper Britannia Cape Copper Caledonia Cape Copper Clara Cape Copper Condenser Cape Copper Scotia Namaqua Copper Pioneer

2' & 600mm gauges	ACR Class NG-G16A CGR NG 0-6-0T CGR NG 4-6-2T CGR Type A 2-6-4T CGR Type C 0-4-0T DSWA Class Ha DSWA Class Hb DSWA Class Hc DSWA Class Hd DSWA Jung DSWA Zwillinge NGR Class N 4-6-2T SAR Dutton SAR NG 0-4-0T 1899 SAR Class NG1 SAR Class NG2 SAR Class NG3 SAR Class NG4 SAR Class NG5 SAR Class NG6 SAR Class NG7 SAR Class NG8 SAR Class NG9 SAR Class NG10 SAR Class NG-G11 SAR Class NG-G12 SAR Class NG-G13 SAR Class NG-G14 SAR Class NG15 SAR Class NG-G16

Electric

Amcoal Class E38

Gas-electric

Gas-electric

Diesel

3' 6" gauge Diesel-electric	PRASA Class Afro 4000 SAR Class DS SAR Class DS1 SAR Class 31-000 SAR Class 32-000 SAR Class 32-200 SAR Class 33-000 SAR Class 33-200 SAR Class 33-400 SAR Class 34-000 SAR Class 34-200 SAR Class 34-400 SAR Class 34-500 SAR Class 34-600 SAR Class 34-800 SAR Class 34-900 SAR Class 35-000 SAR Class 35-200 SAR Class 35-400 SAR Class 35-600 SAR Class 36-000 SAR Class 36-200 SAR Class 37-000 Spoornet Class 39-000 TFR Class 35-800 TFR Class 39-200 TFR Class 43-000 TFR Class 44-000

2' gauge Diesel-electric	SAR Class 91-000

3' 6" gauge Diesel-hydraulic	SAR Class 61-000

3' 6" gauge Electro-diesel	Spoornet Class 38-000

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