| Weight | Locomotive – 120t 9cwt Tender – EW1 – 113t 18cwt |
| Driving Wheels | 5ft 0ins |
| Boiler Pressure | 225psi Superheated |
| Cylinders | Two Outside – 24in x 28in |
| Tractive Effort | 45,360lbf |
| Valve Gear | Walschaert |
Between 1953 and 1955 90 class 25 locomotives entered service with the South African Railways. The North British Locomotive Company built 89 (3452 – 3540) of these and Henschel & Son of Kassel in Germany the other 1 (3451). They were as the class 25NC apart from being condensing steam locomotives which were built because of difficulties in obtaining water in some regions of the country. It was claimed that these locomotives could run for 700 miles without the need for fresh water. The condensing apparatus for these engines and their condensing tenders were designed and patented by Henschel.
On the condensing locomotive, spent steam was recycled and condensed back to water for repeated use. Since the steam wasn’t expelled up the chimney the smokebox contained a steam turbine-driven fan beneath the chimney to keep the draught going, with deflector plates that were supposed to prevent char from causing excessive wear on the fan blades.
Between 1973 and 1980, all but three of the ninety class 25 condensers were converted to non-condensing locomotives and reclassified to class 25NC, the exceptions being numbers 3451, 3511 and 3540. 3511 has since been preserved.
In the process, their type CZ condensing tenders were also rebuilt to ordinary coal-and-water type EW2 tenders by removing the condensing radiators and roof fans and replacing it with a massive water tank. Since the type CZ tenders were built on single cast steel water-bottom frames it was impractical to attempt to shorten them, which resulted in the rebuilt type EW2 tenders with their long round-topped water tanks. Locomotives with these rebuilt tenders were soon nicknamed Worshond (Sausage dog or Dachshund).
Preservation
A number of locomotives have been preserved as class 25NC locomotives and these are included as part of that class.
- Works number 27314 3454
- Works number 27317 3457
- Works number 27327 3467
- Works number 27331 3472
- Works number 27336 3476
- Works number 27340 3480
- Works number 27342 3482
- Works number 27348 3488
- Works number 27356 3496
- Works number 27361 3501
- Works number 27393 3533
- Works number 27396 3536
- Works number 27397 3537
The locomotive built by Henschel & Son in Germany has not been included.
LThe locomotive built by Henschel & Son in Germany has not been included.
Only one locomotive has ben preserved as a class 25 locomotive.
North British Locomotive Company – Works No 27371 3511
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