Clone of Kitty the Steam locomotive, Rosherville Work Farm, Johannesburg

A mobile South African national monument, yes on wheels, is resting in the Museum railway yard at SANRASM, Krugersdorp. This Kitson locomotive was, in 1983, the oldest running steam engine in South Africa. She was doing so for more than 105 years! Kitson is on permanent loan from ESKOM to the South African National Railway And Steam Museum (SANRASM) in Krugersdorp. Unfortunately SANRASM seems to be unable to care for the monument in a way that the little workhorse deserves.  

This Kitson locomotive was, in 1983, the oldest running steam engine in South Africa. Built in Leeds, England, in 1879. Only 7 of these Kitson engines were made, and they were numbered 8-14. This engine was Kitson No 13. They were built for the Natal Government Railways, this engine operated there as No 13 from 1879 to 1910 grouped in the Class "K&S" - their class being named after their makers Kitson & Co and Robert Stephenson & Co - the latter company supplying 30 engines of this design. [exNGR No's 8 - 14, 16 - 26 and 29 - 47.]

 

These locomotives were used on the main-line trains out of Durban, displacing the earlier Beyer, Peacock 2-6-0T. They were occasionally fitted with small four-wheeled tenders, which increased their fuel-carrying capacity when required to work long distances.

 

Under SAR Administration, in 1910, this engine was classed under SAR Class C with road number 62. Specifications for the SAR Class C may be found here. In the SAR the Class C had road numbers 62-76, which mean only 15 engines survived from the NGR Class "K&S into the SAR.

 

In 1913, the locomotive started her industrial service as "V.F.P. no 1" with the Victoria Falls Company. The Victoria Falls Power Company Limited( VFP) was established in 1906, and was later renamed the "Victoria Falls and Transvaal Power Company Limited". Eskom itself was established by an act of parliament in 1922, but used the excellent facilities, and infrastructure of the VFP, until it absorbed the VPF, in 1948, to become the national supplier.

 

The Victoria Falls Power Company (VFP) bought "Kitty" from South African Railways in 1913. VFP paid £600, and hauled "Kitty" from SAR Durban workshops to Modrea railway station. Until 1920, "Kitty" served the VFP by hauling coal trains from Modrea railway station to Brakpan power station, a distance of 4 km.

Kitson was re-located to serve at Rosherville power station in 1920. From 1920 until 1966, "Kitty" hauled coal trains between Jupiter railway station and Rosherville power station, a distance of 2,4km. After the closure of Rosherville power station in 1966, Kitty was used to haul light loads at Rosherville central workshop and stores. A dedicated locomotive maintenance team, located at Rosherville central workshops, kept "Kitty" in first-class condition.