South Australian Railways B class

The South Australian Railways B class was a class of 2-4-0T steam locomotives operated by the South Australian Railways.

South Australian Railways B class
The first locomotive manufactured at the Government Railway workshops, Adelaide, S.A. http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-145876288/view
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder Robert Stephenson and Company Build date 1856 Total produced 2 Rebuild date B 4 (1875 & 1892) B 7 (1876 & 1887)
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 2-4-0 (as built) 2-4-0T (after rebuild) Gauge 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) Driver dia. 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) Height 12 ft 3 in (3,733.8 mm) Axle load 12 long tons 9 cwt (27,900 lb or 12.6 t) Loco weight 33 long tons 0 cwt (73,900 lb or 33.5 t) Fuel type Coal Fuel capacity 3 long tons 15 cwt (8,400 lb or 3.8 t) (Tender) 0 long tons 6 cwt (700 lb or 0.3 t) (Tank) Water cap 1,060 imp gal (1,273 US gal; 4,819 L) (Tender) 500 imp gal (600 US gal; 2,273 L) (Tank) Boiler pressure 130 psi (896 kPa) Heating surface:  • Tubes 728 sq ft (67.6 m^2)  • Firebox 66 sq ft (6.1 m^2) Cylinders 2 Cylinder size 14 in × 20 in (356 mm × 508 mm)
Performance figures Tractive effort 6,562 lbf (29.19 kN)
Career Operators South Australian Railways Class B Numbers 4, 7 Last run 1935-1938 Withdrawn 1935-1938 Scrapped 1935-1938 Disposition both scrapped

History

In 1856 the South Australian Railways ordered two 2-4-0 tender locomotives from Robert Stephenson and Company, the first arriving in November 1856 and the second in March 1858. They entered service on the Gawler and Outer Harbor lines. In 1875 both were rebuilt as 2-4-0T tank engines. In 1887, number 7 was rebuilt by Islington Railway Workshops as a crane locomotive with number 4 following in 1893. Both were withdrawn and scrapped in the 1930s.[1]

Class list

Number	Date in Service	Date Condemned
4	November 1856	April 1938
7	March 1858	July 1935

References

1. Oberg, Leon (1984). Locomotives of Australia 1850s-1980s. Frenchs Forest: Reed Books. pp. 14/15. ISBN 0-7301-0005-7.