The South African Railways Class 9 4-6-2 of 1904 was a steam locomotive from the pre-Union era in Transvaal Colony.

In 1904, the Central South African Railways placed five Class 9 steam locomotives with a 4-6-2 Pacific type wheel arrangement in service.

[5][6][7] While the Orange Free State obtained their locomotives second-hand from the CGR or directly from the manufacturers used by the CGR, the mainly German suppliers of railway equipment to the old NZASM underestimated the requirements of a railway that would extend over 291 miles (468 kilometres) from Komatipoort at the border with Mozambique to Pretoria and rise 6,000 ft (1,829 m) in the process.

Hyde, its first Chief Locomotive Superintendent, who introduced these 4-6-2 Pacifics with an adhesive weight of 39 tons and a tractive effort of 22,170 pounds-force (98.6 kilonewtons), the Class 10 4-6-2 Pacifics with an adhesive weight of 46 tons and a tractive effort of 24,470 pounds-force (108.8 kilonewtons) and the Class 11 2-8-2 Mikados with an adhesive weight of 62 tons and a tractive effort of 30,780 pounds-force (136.9 kilonewtons).

This automatic coupling system would only begin to be implemented on the South African Railways (SAR) in 1927.

At the time, all this modern equipment placed the CSAR ahead of both the CGR and Natal Government Railways (NGR) in terms of technical advancement.

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