I must begin with simple reviews until I learn to use this site.
Book review 1:
The first book is South Africa - Last Stronghold of Steam. It was published by South African Government in 1978 and distributed free of charge by South African Railways. There is no mention of the writer of the text. Two photos are acknowledged to H.L. Pivnic and the others are probably SAR official photos. There are 68 pages plus card covers, size 215x135mm. All photos (25 b/w) are full page opposite to the text relating to the same class. The last 10 pages give suggestions to specimen tours. The cover image in my copy is not sitting straight, no bad scanning ;)
25 classes are included in this booklet (12AR, 14R, 14CR, 15AR, 15BR, 15CB, 15F, 16CR, 16DA, 16E, 19B, 19C, 19D, 23, 24, 25, 25NC, S, S1, S2, GCA, GEA, GF, GL, and GMA/M & GO). Text for only three classes give any performance related information: GL (4-8-2+2-8-4 or 2D1-1D2 Garratt), 19C (4-8-2 or 2D1) and 16E (4-6-2 or 2C1). Sample page shows class GL, all pages have the same general design.
NBL made 19C had 4'6" (1372 mm) driving wheels, two 21x26" (533x660 mm) cylinders and it was fitted with R.C. Poppet valve gear, which soon started to give trouble. But 19C No. 2463 on test between Wellington and Cape Town in 1935 put up a remarkable performance during which a speed of 67 mph (108 km/h) was attained. Net time start-to-stop from Wellington to Cape Town with a load of 131 tons (133.1 t) was 50 1/2 minutes [for 45 miles or 72 km].
Henschel made 16E had 6'0" (1829 mm) driving wheels, two 21x26" (533x660 mm) cylinders and poppet valves. The text says that the driving wheels were the largest ever used on a 3ft 6in (1067 mm) gauge railway anywhere in the world. We must check that claim later. On test 16E No. 854 attained a speed of 85 mph (136.8 km/h) with a trailing load of 350 tons (355.6 t). At the time, "to avoid public concern" the speed was quoted at just around 70 mph (112.6 km/h). But the full potential of 16E could not be realised as there was a general speed limit of 55 mph (88.5 km/h), which could be achieved by many other classes, too.
Now, this claim (official claim as this is a SAR publication) conflicts with information given in Wikipedia, see JNR (Japan) class C62 or Speed records, which both give 80 mph (129 km/h) for that locomotive and claim it to be the highest speed attained by a steam locomotive on any narrow gauge railway (attained 1954-12-15). Later, when I learn to use this blog better, we will see what other more technical publications say about this matter.
This booklet is easy to find from numerous sellers on the net.
A picture of JNR class C62 is shown in the second short review.
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