South Australian Railways R class

The South Australian Railways R class, later upgraded to Rx Class was a class of 4-6-0 steam locomotives operated by the South Australian Railways.

South Australian Railways R & Rx class
Rx149 with a load of wine casks at McLaren Vale
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
BuilderDübs & Co (6)
James Martin & Co (24)
Islington Railway Workshops (14)
North British Locomotive Company (15)
Walkers Limited (25)
Build date1885-1916
Total produced84
RebuilderIslington Railway Workshops
Rebuild date1899-1913 as Rx
Number rebuilt30 to Rx
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte4-6-0 (2′C 3) (2′C 2′2′)
Gauge1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in)
Leading dia.2 ft 11 in (889 mm)
Driver dia.4 ft 6 in (1,372 mm)
Length49 ft 11 in (15.215 m)
Height13 ft 4 in (4,064 mm)
Axle load9 long tons 17 cwt (22,100 lb or 10 t) (R)
11 long tons 8 cwt (25,500 lb or 11.6 t) (Rx)
Adhesive weight28.50 long tons 0 cwt (63,800 lb or 29 t)
Loco weight40 long tons (45 short tons; 41 t) (R)
Tender weight22 long tons (25 short tons; 22 t) (R)
Total weight65 long tons (73 short tons; 66 t) (R), 88 long tons (99 short tons; 89 t)
Fuel typeCoal
Fuel capacity4 long tons 18 cwt (11,000 lb or 5 t) (R), 7 long tons 16 cwt (17,500 lb or 7.9 t) (Rx),
6 long tons 17 cwt (15,300 lb or 7 t)
(Rx 6 wheel tender)
Water cap2,040 imp gal
(2,450 US gal; 9,300 L) (R)
3,750 imp gal
(4,500 US gal; 17,000 L) (Rx),
3,200 imp gal
(3,800 US gal; 15,000 L) (Rx 6 wheel tender)
Firebox:
 • Firegrate area		17.6 sq ft (1.64 m2) (R)
20.37 sq ft (1.892 m2) (Rx)
Boiler pressure145 psi (1,000 kPa) (R)
175 psi (1,207 kPa) (Rx)
Heating surface:
 • Tubes		1,196 sq ft (111.1 m2) (R)
1,208 sq ft (112.2 m2) (Rx)
 • Firebox98.3 sq ft (9.13 m2). (R)
105 sq ft (9.8 m2) (Rx)
Superheater:
​
 • Heating area178 sq ft (16.5 m2) (Rx)
(not fitted to some locos)
Cylinders2
Cylinder size18 in × 24 in
(457 mm × 610 mm)
Valve gearStephenson
Valve typePiston
Performance figures
Tractive effort17,700 lbf (78.73 kN) (R)
21,420 lbf (95.28 kN)
Factor of adh.3.49
Career
OperatorsSouth Australian Railways
ClassR/Rx
Number in class84
Numbers5, 9, 10, 15, 20*, 25*, 48, 55, 56, 91*-96*, 102*-107*, 138*-153*, 155, 158, 160, 190-203, 206-235 (* originally built as R class)
First run10.2.1886
Last run5.9.1969
Withdrawn1927-1969
PreservedRx 5, Rx 55, Rx 93, Rx, 160, Rx 191, Rx 201, Rx 207, Rx 217, Rx 224 & Rx 231
Scrapped1928-1974
DispositionTen preserved, remainder scrapped

History

In 1886, Dübs and Company of Glasgow delivered the first six R class. A further 24 had been built by James Martin & Co by November 1895. From 1899, all were rebuilt with higher powered Belpaire boilers and reclassified as the Rx class. A further 54 locomotives were built as Rx class by the Islington Railway Workshops, North British Locomotive Company and Walkers Limited with all in service by May 1916.[1]

R class were the predominant locomotive used on broad gauge main line services in South Australia from their introduction. After the introduction of the large Webb engines they were relegated to secondary lines and services such as shunting and hauling goods trains. A large group of Rx class locomotives, mainly early builds, were withdrawn from service in 1934, however the remainder continued to serve into the mid 1960s.[1]

Survivors

Several Rx class locomotives and one R class survive to this day in various states of preservation.

References
  1. Oberg, Leon (1984). Locomotives of Australia 1850s-1980s. Frenchs Forest: Reed Books. p. 54. ISBN 0 7301 0005 7.
  2. Rx5 Australian Steam
  3. Rx55 Australian Steam
  4. Rx93 National Railway Museum
  5. Rx93 Australian Steam
  6. Rx160 Australian Steam
  7. Rx191 Australian Steam
  8. Rx201 Australian Steam
  9. Rx207 Australian Steam
  10. Rx217 Australian Steam
  11. Rx224 Australian Steam
  12. Rx231 Australian Steam

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