South African Class 6J 4-6-0

The South African Railways Class 6J 4-6-0 of 1902 was a steam locomotive from the pre-Union era in the Cape of Good Hope.

In 1902, fourteen 6th Class bar framed steam locomotives with a 4-6-0 wheel arrangement were placed in service by the Cape Government Railways.

This was most likely to facilitate cleaning of the spark arrestor screens to overcome clogging without having to open the smokebox door.

The cover handles were attached to the smokebox side by a small chain, as shown in the main picture.

Of these Western System engine numbers, 155 and 160 had been used before on two 6th Class locomotives which had been sold to the Oranje-Vrijstaat Gouwerment-Spoorwegen (OVGS) in 1897.

The CGR placed them in service on the Cape mainline and for several years they hauled the Dining Car Express Train which left Cape Town every Wednesday morning for the Orange River Colony and Johannesburg in Transvaal, running via De Aar, Noupoort and Springfontein.

H.M. Beatty
6J 645 numberplate