South Australian Railways 500 class (steam)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Power typeSteam
Power typeSteam
DesignerAlco (USRA Light Mikado) adapted by Fred Shea
BuilderArmstrong Whitworth
South Australian Railways 500 class
South Australian Railways 500B class locomotive no. 504 "Tom Barr Smith", newly streamlined, about 1937
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
DesignerAlco (USRA Light Mikado) adapted by Fred Shea
BuilderArmstrong Whitworth
Serial number633-642
Build date1925
Total produced10
RebuilderIslington Railway Workshops
Rebuild date1929-1936
Number rebuilt10
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • WhyteAs built: 4-8-2 2'D1' 2'2′
After boosters installed:4-8-4 2'D2' 2'2'
Gauge1600 mm (5 ft 3 in)
Leading dia.33 in (838 mm)
Driver dia.63 in (1600 mm)
Trailing dia.36 in (914 mm) 42 in (1067 mm)
Length83 ft 11 in (25,578 mm) (as built)
84 ft 2 in (25,654 mm) (upgraded)
Height13 ft 11+1⁄2 in (4,254.5 mm)
Axle load22 long tons 7 hundredweight 2 quarters (25.06 short tons; 22.73 t) (as built)
222 long tons 3 hundredweight (24.8 short tons; 22.5 t) (rebuilt)
Adhesive weight88.85 long tons (99.51 short tons; 90.28 t) (as built)
87.20 long tons (97.66 short tons; 88.60 t) (rebuilt)
Loco weight135.80 long tons (152.10 short tons; 137.98 t) (as built)
143.80 long tons (161.06 short tons; 146.11 t) (rebuilt)
Tender weight85.15 long tons (95.37 short tons; 86.52 t) (as built)
78.80 long tons (88.26 short tons; 80.06 t) (rebuilt)
Total weight218 long tons 13 hundredweight (244.9 short tons; 222.2 t) (as built)
222 long tons 6 hundredweight (249.0 short tons; 225.9 t) (rebuilt)
Fuel typeCoal
Fuel capacity12 long tons (13 short tons; 12 t) (as built)
11 long tons (12 short tons; 11 t) (rebuilt)
Water cap.8,300 imperial gallons (10,000 US gal; 38,000 L) as built (Water capacity reduced to 7,100 imperial gallons (8,500 US gal; 32,000 L) in 1930)
7,000 imperial gallons (8,400 US gal; 32,000 L) (rebuilt)
Firebox:​
 • Grate area66.6 sq ft (6.19 m2)
Boiler pressure200 psi (1,379 kPa)
Heating surface:​
 • Firebox395 sq ft (36.7 m2)
 • Tubes and flues3,253 sq ft (302.2 m2)
Superheater:
​
 • Heating area835 sq ft (77.6 m2)
Cylinders2
Cylinder size26 in × 28 in (660 mm × 711 mm)
Valve gearWalschaerts valve gear
Valve typePiston
Performance figures
Tractive effort51,000 lb (23,000 kg) (as built)
59,000 lb (27,000 kg) (with booster)
Factor of adh.4
Career
OperatorsSouth Australian Railways
Class500
Number in class10
Numbers500–509
First run22 May 1926
Last run11 May 1963
Withdrawn1958–1963
Preserved504
Scrapped1961–1965
Disposition1 preserved, 9 scrapped

The South Australian Railways 500 class was a class of 4-8-2 steam locomotives introduced by the former South Australian Railways (SAR) in 1925. The locomotives were upgraded in 1929 by the installation of booster engines to increase the tractive effort to 59,000 pounds-force (260 kN). The resulting 500B class, with a 4-8-4 wheel arrangement, was briefly the most powerful steam locomotive class to operate in Australia until supplanted by the slightly more powerful NSWGR D57 class 4-8-2. During the late 1930s, the SAR followed the image-building trends being pursued by overseas railroads, covering all but two of the locomotives' piping and plumbing with a smooth casing and adding valances under the running boards.[1] The last of the class was withdrawn from service in 1963.[2]

A non-streamlined SAR 500 class locomotive, number 506, on the 85 foot turntable in the roundhouse at Mile End locomotive depot, Adelaide, South Australia
Although no. 502 and 506 were included in the class's upgrade to a boostered 4-8-4 wheel arrangement in 1929, they remained in non-streamlined form throughout their service.[3] Here no. 506 is on the 85-foot turntable in the roundhouse at Mile End locomotive depot, Adelaide

The 500 class were part of larger order for 30 steam locomotives placed with Armstrong Whitworth, England, in 1924, as part of the rehabilitation of the state's rail system being overseen by Railways Commissioner William Webb. They replaced the Rx and S class locomotives, many dating back to 1894, that were still performing mainline duties, meaning that double and even triple heading was common. All ten 500-class locomotives arrived in Adelaide in 1926, and entered service on the Adelaide to Wolseley line as far as Tailem Bend. All were named after notable South Australians.[4]

Rebuilding

In May 1928, 506 was experimentally fitted with a booster in a newly built four-wheel trailing truck, replacing the original unpowered two-wheel truck. The modification, popular in the United States, proved highly successful, increasing the locomotive's tractive effort from 51,000 pounds-force (230 kN) to 59,000 pounds-force (260 kN). Boosters were subsequently fitted to the nine remaining locomotives, resulting in the class changing to 500B – although their popular name, among railway employees and the public alike, remained "Mountain class" rather than their new "Northern" configuration. With their upgraded tractive effort, the 500B class briefly became the most powerful non-articulated steam locomotives to operate in Australia[5][user-generated source] until supplanted the following year by the New South Wales D57 class.

Throughout the mid-1930s, all but two of the locomotives in the class were semi-streamlined and had valances fitted. The first two locomotives were withdrawn from service in 1955 and the last was withdrawn in 1963.[4]

504 is preserved as a static exhibit at the National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide.[6]

Class list

References

Further reading

Related Articles

Wikiwand AI