| Weight | 133t 11cwt |
| Driving Wheels | 3ft 11½ins |
| Boiler Pressure | 190psi |
| Cylinders | Outside – 21in x 24in |
| Tractive Effort | 34,890lbf |
| Valve Gear | Walschaert |
The details above are for first batch of the class 3 locomotives as originally built.
In 1909, the Natal Government Railways (NGR) placed the world’s first true Mountain type locomotive in service when five class B 4-8-2 tender locomotives were commissioned. Another 25 were placed in service in 1911. In 1912, when they were assimilated into the South African Railways (SAR), they were renumbered and designated class 3. The Mountain wheel arrangement went on to become the most numerous steam locomotive wheel configuration in use in South Africa.
The locomotives were designed by the NGR Locomotive Superintendent D A Hendrie in response to the increasing coal traffic in Natal resulting in the need for more powerful locomotives. The locomotives were built by the North British Locomotive Company in Glasgow.
The locomotive design was based on Hendrie’s class B 4-8-0 in its modified form of 1906 as the Altered Hendrie B 4-8-2. This time, however, Hendrie made full use of the potential of the pony truck under the cab to carry additional weight by positioning the firebox to the rear of the driving wheels, which made an improved grate and ashpan possible. To accomplish this, the plate frame was equipped with a bridle casting at the rear to accommodate the larger firebox. Five locomotives were built by the North British Locomotive Company (NBL) and delivered in 1909, numbered in the NGR range from 330 to 334.
The first five locomotives were delivered with the first type TJ tenders and were employed between Estcourt and Charlestown on the Transvaal border, where they regularly hauled loads of 225 long tons, as well as fast perishable goods traffic. They proved to be highly successful in use, which led to an order for another 25 locomotives from NBL in 1910. These were delivered in 1911 and numbered in the NGR range from 345 to 369. They were identical to the first batch of engines in all respects, except that they had type TM tenders, which had greater water and coal capacity than the tenders fitted to the first batch.
When the Union of South Africa was established on 31 May 1910, the three Colonial government railways (Cape Government Railways, 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 with Sir William Hoy appointed as its first General Manager, the actual classification and renumbering of all the rolling stock of the three constituent railways were only implemented with effect from 1 January 1912.
Obsolete locomotives included, altogether 1,460 engines of 70 different types had to be classified and renumbered. Prior to Union, locomotive designs for the constituent railways primarily had to meet local requirements since there had been no through running of engines between them. Union required a more general policy, even though local characteristics such as severity of gradients and curvature and permissible axle loads would never make it possible to produce a standard type of locomotive which would be capable of meeting all requirements. Nevertheless, standardisation was necessary on the new South African Railways (SAR) and Hoy estimated that fifteen standard locomotive types would be sufficient to cover all the varying conditions.
In March 1911 NGR no 368 was used during comparative testing between locomotives of the constituent railways. It was brought up from Natal for testing against the class 11 on the Witbank-Germiston coal line. The maximum load worked by the class 11 was 900 short tons, while the Natal locomotive was able to manage 1,246 short tons at practically the same coal consumption.
In 1912, these thirty Class B locomotives were renumbered in the range from 1446 to 1475 and designated class 3 on the SAR.
When 29 of the class 3 locomotives, all except no. 1457, were eventually reboilered with superheated Watson Standard no. 2 boilers, they were reclassified to class 3R. Their original Belpaire boilers were fitted with Ramsbottom safety valves, while the Watson Standard boilers were fitted with Pop safety valves. It was usual to replace the slide valves with piston valves when superheated Watson Standard boilers were fitted but the class 3r engines retained their slide valves.
By the late 1960s, towards the end of their service lives, the locomotivers were distributed between the Orange Free State and the Cape Western systems. By this time, they were all used on shunting and pickup service, mainly around Bloemfontein, Beaufort West, Touws River and Cape Town. By 1970, the entire Class was concentrated in the Cape Western region. They were finally withdrawn from service in 1974.
Preservation
Only one member of the class has been preserved.
North British Locomotive Company Works No 19240 – NGR 368 & SAR 1474
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