The South African Railways Class A 4-8-2T of 1888 is a steam locomotive class from the pre-Union era in the Colony of Natal.

In 1888, the Natal Government Railways placed the first five of its eventual one hundred Class D steam locomotives in service. The last was delivered in 1899. They were the first locomotives in the world to be built with a wheel arrangement, later to become known as the Mountain type. In 1912, when these locomotives were assimilated into the South African Railways, they were renumbered and designated Class A. In 1915, another two Class A locomotives were built from spare parts.South African Railways and Harbours Locomotive Diagram Book, 2'0" & 3'6" Gauge Steam Locomotives, 15 August 1941, as amended

Manufacturers The Natal Government Railways (NGR) Class D tank locomotive was designed by William Milne, the Locomotive Superintendent of the NGR from 1877 to 1896, and was built by Dübs and Company. The first 46 locomotives, with an operating boiler pressure of and numbered in the range from 49 to 94, were placed in service during Milne's term. They proved to be such good engines that, when G.W. Reid took over as Locomotive Superintendent in 1896, he continued to place further orders for another 58, numbered in the range from 91 to 148, but with the boiler pressure increased to . These 100 locomotives, initially known on the NGR as the Dübs A, were delivered in ten batches by Dübs between 1888 and 1899.Espitalier, T.J.; Day, W.A.J. (1944). The Locomotive in South Africa – A Brief History of Railway Development. Chapter III – Natal Government Railways. (Continued). South African Railways and Harbours Magazine, June 1944. pp. 422–423.

As far as is known, the Dübs A locomotives were the first in the world to be designed and built with a wheel arrangement, later to become known as the Mountain type.

Modifications The performance in service of the Dübs A was gradually improved by various modifications. New boilers were fitted as and when the originals needed replacement, with a working pressure of instead of the as-delivered of the first few batches. This increased their tractive effort at 75% boiler pressure from to . The coal bunkers were also enlarged and the connecting rod big-ends were changed to the marine type to increase ground clearance.

Another modification was an extended smokebox on most locomotives, such as on NGR no. 87 depicted below. In the 1890s, some improvements to smokebox design took place. Extending the smokebox forward increased its volume. The increased amount of exhaust gases present in the smokebox had the effect of stabilising and improving the draught. The date of this improvement can be pinned to 1891 when the second batch of Michael Stephens' Cape Government Railways (CGR) 5th Class 4-6-0 locomotives with their lengthened smokeboxes entered service. This had such a profound effect on the boiler's steaming ability that virtually every locomotive on the CGR and NGR had their smokeboxes extended.Comment no 52287 in the SAR-L Yahoo Group: Comment from Leith Paxton: Summary of all comments on 22 February 2017

Beginning in 1905, after D.A. Hendrie took over from Reid as Locomotive Superintendent, these locomotives were gradually fitted with Belpaire fireboxes with wider firegrates. The flat-topped Belpaire firebox had the advantage of an increased area of the water-line at the hottest part of the boiler, together with increased steam space over the firebox. In order to accomplish this, Hendrie raised the boiler's pitch by and cut away the frame under the firebox to accommodate the wider grates. The wider firebox required that the water tanks also had to be moved out and the opportunity was taken to enlarge the tanks. The cabs were also improved to offer the engine crew better protection, and new brass-capped chimneys replaced the original straight flared chimneys. These modified locomotives were known as the Improved Dübs A.

When a locomotive classification system was introduced on the NGR, the Dübs A locomotive family was designated Class D. The unmodified locomotives became the Class D1 while the modified locomotives with Belpaire fireboxes became the Class D2.The Railway Report for year ending 31 Dec. 1908, Natal Government Railways, p. 39, par 14.

South African Railways When the Union of South Africa was established on 31 May 1910, the three Colonial government railways (CGR, NGR and Central South African Railways) were united under a single administration to control and administer the railways, ports and harbours of the Union. Although the South African Railways and Harbours came into existence in 1910, the actual classification and renumbering of all the rolling stock of the three constituent railways was only implemented with effect from 1 January 1912.Classification of S.A.R. Engines with Renumbering Lists, issued by the Chief Mechanical Engineer's Office, Pretoria, January 1912, pp. 7, 13, 20–22 (Reprinted in April 1987 by SATS Museum, R.3125-6/9/11-1000)The South African Railways – Historical Survey. Editor George Hart, Publisher Bill Hart, Sponsored by Dorbyl Ltd., Published c. 1978, p. 25.

In 1912, these engines were designated Class A and were renumbered in the range from 97 to 196, with the unmodified Class D1 locomotives receiving the numbers in the range from 97 to 186 and the ten, at the time, already reboilered Class D2 locomotives receiving the numbers in the range from 187 to 196. In South African Railways (SAR) service, the Improved Dübs A locomotives became known as the Class A Belpaire.

In 1915, to help counter wartime motive power shortages brought about by the diminished ability to order new locomotives from European builders due to hostilities, another two Class A locomotives were built from spare parts by the SAR in their Durban shops. These two locomotives were numbered 332 and 333.

Service In the NGR era, the Class D fleet remained in service on the Natal mainline until they were eventually displaced by more modern locomotives. They continued to serve well into the SAR era on the Dundee-Hlobane branchline, the Harrismith-Ladysmith section and on the north coast line to Empangeni.

In 1915, shortly after the outbreak of the First World War, the German South West Africa colony was occupied by the Union Defence Forces. Since a large part of the territory's railway infrastructure and rolling stock was destroyed or damaged by retreating German forces, an urgent need arose for locomotives for use on the Cape gauge lines in that territory. In 1917, numbers 98 and 183 were transferred to the Defence Department for service in South West Africa. Both locomotives are believed to have returned to South Africa after the war.Espitalier, T.J.; Day, W.A.J. (1947). The Locomotive in South Africa – A Brief History of Railway Development. Chapter VII – South African Railways (Continued). South African Railways and Harbours Magazine, December 1947. p. 1033.

The last of the was withdrawn from service in 1962. Several locomotives continued to serve in industrial use for many years.

Preservation Five members of the class survive in preservation. Ex NGR No. 84, SAR No. 130 named Patrys, is plinthed at the Reefsteamers Depot in Germiston.Germiston, Reefsteamers Germiston Depot, "PATRYS" SAR Class A No 130 Ex NGR No. 90, SAR No. 136 named Umbilo, is in the care of the Umgeni Steam Railway.Umgeni Steam Railway – Class Dübs "A" "Umbilo" (Accessed on 25 September 2016) Ex NGR No. 55, SAR No. 103, was moved from Witbank to the Outeniqua Transport Museum in George in August 2014. Ex NGR No 133, SAR Class A Belpaire no. 196, was plinthed at Masons Mill in Pietermaritzburg until it was repatriated to the United Kingdom in 2011. It is now displayed at the entrance to the Mizens Railway near Woking.Comment no 52234 by Eddie Barnes in the SAR-L Yahoo Group on 14 February 2017 Ex NGR No. ?, SAR No. 176, on display at Brikor Limited, Olifantsfontein.

Rebuilding to Class 17 4-8-0TT When a shortage of suitable shunting locomotives developed in 1926, the SAR modified 21 Class A and Class A Belpaire locomotives by removing the trailing bissel bogie and coal bunker, shortening the main frame and adding a tender to increase their coal and water capacity. Tenders from various scrapped locomotive types were used.

These 21 rebuilt locomotives became the SAR Class 17 tank-and-tender locomotives, numbered in the range from 1415 to 1435. They were used as shunting locomotives around Durban and Port Elizabeth, until they were withdrawn from service by 1961.

Works numbers The builder's works numbers, years built, NGR and SAR numbers, firebox type and Class 17 numbers are listed in the table. +Class A modification & renumbering& Class 17 4-8-0TT rebuildingBuilderWorksNo.YearNGRNo.SARNo.ModelClass17 No.Dübs2446 1888 49 97 Dübs ADübs2447 1888 50 98 Dübs ADübs2448 1888 51 99 Dübs ADübs2449 1888 52 100 Dübs ADübs2450 1888 53 101 Dübs ADübs2451 1888 54 102 Dübs ADübs2499 1889 55 103 Dübs ADübs2500 1889 56 104 Dübs ADübs2501 1889 57 105 Dübs ADübs2502 1889 58 106 Dübs ADübs2503 1889 59 107 Dübs ADübs2504 1889 60 108 Dübs ADübs2604 1890 61 109 Dübs A1421 Dübs2605 1890 62 110 Dübs ADübs2606 1890 63 111 Dübs ADübs2607 1890 64 112 Dübs ADübs2608 1890 65 113 Dübs ADübs2609 1890 66 114 Dübs ADübs2610 1890 67 115 Dübs ADübs2611 1890 68 116 Dübs A1417 Dübs2612 1890 69 117 Dübs A1427 Dübs2613 1890 70 118 Dübs A1428 Dübs2614 1890 71 119 Dübs A1425 Dübs2615 1890 72 192 BelpaireDübs2616 1890 73 120 Dübs ADübs2617 1890 74 121 Dübs ADübs2618 1890 75 122 Dübs A1420 Dübs2619 1890 76 123 Dübs ADübs2620 1890 77 124 Dübs ADübs2621 1890 78 125 Dübs ADübs2622 1890 79 126 Dübs ADübs2623 1890 80 193 Belpaire1423 Dübs2624 1890 81 127 Dübs ADübs2625 1890 82 128 Dübs A1419 Dübs2626 1890 83 129 Dübs A1433 Dübs2627 1890 84 130 Dübs ADübs2628 1890 85 131 Dübs ADübs2965 1892 86 132 Dübs ADübs2966 1892 87 133 Dübs ADübs2967 1892 88 134 Dübs ADübs3317 1895 89 135 Dübs A1422 Dübs3318 1895 90 136 Dübs A1426 Dübs3319 1895 91 137 Dübs ADübs3320 1895 92 138 Dübs ADübs3321 1895 93 139 Dübs ADübs3322 1895 94 140 Dübs ADübs3363 1896 95 141 Dübs ADübs3364 1896 96 142 Dübs ADübs3365 1896 97 143 Dübs ADübs3366 1896 98 144 Dübs ADübs3367 1896 99 145 Dübs ADübs3368 1896 100 146 Dübs ADübs3477 1897 101 147 Dübs A1434 Dübs3478 1897 102 148 Dübs ADübs3479 1897 103 149 Dübs ADübs3480 1897 104 150 Dübs ADübs3481 1897 105 151 Dübs A1431 Dübs3482 1897 106 152 Dübs ADübs3483 1897 107 153 Dübs ADübs3484 1897 108 154 Dübs A1416 Dübs3485 1897 109 194 BelpaireDübs3486 1897 110 155 Dübs ADübs3604 1898 111 156 Dübs ADübs3605 1898 112 157 Dübs A1432 Dübs3556 1898 113 158 Dübs A1415 Dübs3557 1898 114 187 BelpaireDübs3558 1898 115 159 Dübs ADübs3559 1898 116 160 Dübs ADübs3560 1898 117 161 Dübs ADübs3561 1898 118 165 Dübs ADübs3562 1898 119 162 Dübs ADübs3563 1898 120 166 Dübs A1424 Dübs3564 1898 121 163 Dübs A1435 Dübs3565 1898 122 164 Dübs ADübs3566 1898 123 188 BelpaireDübs3567 1898 124 195 BelpaireDübs3811 1899 125 167 Dübs ADübs3812 1899 126 168 Dübs ADübs3813 1899 127 169 Dübs ADübs3814 1899 128 170 Dübs ADübs3815 1899 129 171 Dübs ADübs3816 1899 130 172 Dübs ADübs3817 1899 131 173 Dübs ADübs3818 1899 132 189 BelpaireDübs3819 1899 133 196 BelpaireDübs3820 1899 134 190 Belpaire1418 Dübs3821 1899 135 174 Dübs ADübs3822 1899 136 175 Dübs ADübs3823 1899 137 176 Dübs ADübs3824 1899 138 177 Dübs ADübs3825 1899 139 178 Dübs ADübs3826 1899 140 179 Dübs ADübs3827 1899 141 191 Belpaire1430 Dübs3828 1899 142 180 Dübs ADübs3829 1899 143 181 Dübs A1429 Dübs3830 1899 144 182 Dübs ADübs3831 1899 145 183 Dübs ADübs3832 1899 146 184 Dübs ADübs3833 1899 147 185 Dübs ADübs3834 1899 148 186 Dübs ASAR1915 332 BelpaireSAR1915 333 Belpaire

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