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South African class S2
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South Africa | 1952
100 produced
No. 3744 in August 1973 at Table Bay Harbour, Cape Town
No. 3744 in August 1973 at Table Bay Harbour, Cape Town
Robert Hogan

The S2 was a class of 0-8-0 shunting locomotives designed by L.C. Grubb for service in harbours. For this task, it had to be much lighter than the classes S and S1. Originally, Grubb decided to use the Watson Standard no. 1 boiler as this was the lightest one. Krupp was the only company who found themselves able to build a locomotive powerful enough that kept within the weight limits. However, they had to use their own design of boiler since the no. 1 standard boiler was still too heavy. Now they weighed less than 48 tons and had flangeless drivers on the third axle due to the tight curves in the docks. They were coupled to six-axle tenders similar to Vanderbilt tenders which weighed more than 54 tons.

100 were built in 1952 and 1953. Around 20 were used for shunting in the inland, while all others worked in harbours. In the seventies one was painted blue for use as a shunter for the Blue Train. In 1981 four were loaned to Mozambique for service in the docks of Maputo. Withdrawals had already commenced in South Africa in 1979 and by 1982, all but one were gone. the last one worked as a shed pilot in the inland until 1985. Three have been preserved, two of which are being owned by the Transnet Heritage Foundation.

General
Built1952-1953
ManufacturerKrupp
Wheel arr.0-8-0 (Eight-coupled) 
Gauge3 ft 6 in (Cape gauge)
Dimensions and Weights
Length63 ft 3 3/4 in
Wheelbase12 ft 9 in
Rigid wheelbase12 ft 9 in
Total wheelbase51 ft 2 5/8 in
Service weight106,792 lbs
Adhesive weight106,792 lbs
Total weight228,648 lbs
Axle load29,120 lbs
Water capacity5,044 us gal
Fuel capacity17,920 lbs (coal)
Boiler
Grate area30 sq ft
Firebox area113 sq ft
Tube heating area979 sq ft
Evaporative heating area1,092 sq ft
Superheater area330 sq ft
Total heating area1,422 sq ft
Power Plant
Driver diameter48 in
Boiler pressure195 psi
Expansion typesimple
Cylinderstwo, 18 x 26 in
Power
Power sourcesteam
Estimated power1,100 hp (820 kW)
Top speed25 mph
Starting effort29,089 lbf
Calculated Values
steam locomotive
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last changed: 02/2026
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