12 long tons (13 short tons; 12 t) (as built) 11 long tons (12 short tons; 11 t) (rebuilt)
Water cap.
8,300 imperial gallons (10,000 US gal; 38,000 L) as built (Water capacity reduced to 7,100 imperial gallons (8,500 US gal; 32,000 L) in 1930) 7,000 imperial gallons (8,400 US gal; 32,000 L) (rebuilt)
The South Australian Railways 500 class was a class of 4-8-2steam locomotives operated by the South Australian Railways. The locomotives were rebuilt in 1928, when booster engines were installed, becoming the 500B class with a wheel arrangement of 4-8-4 and a tractive effort of 59,000 pounds-force (260 kN). The 500B class were the second-most-powerful non-articulated steam locomotives to operate in Australia, behind the NSWGR D57 4-8-2.
History
The 500 class were part of larger order for 30 steam locomotives placed with Armstrong Whitworth, England, in 1924, as part of the rehabilitation of the state's rail system being overseen by Railways Commissioner William Webb. They replaced the Rx and S class locomotives, many dating back to 1894, that were still performing mainline duties, meaning that double and even triple heading was common. All ten 500-class locomotives arrived in Adelaide in 1926, and entered service on the Adelaide to Wolseley line as far as Tailem Bend. All were named after notable South Australians.[1]
Rebuilding
In May 1928, 506 was experimentally fitted with a booster in a newly built four-wheel trailing truck, replacing the original unpowered two-wheel truck. The modification, popular in the United States, proved highly successful, increasing the locomotive's tractive effort from 51,000 pounds-force (230 kN) to 59,000 pounds-force (260 kN). Boosters were subsequently fitted to the nine remaining locomotives, resulting in the class changing to 500B – although their popular name, among railway employees and the public alike, remained "Mountain class" rather than their new "Northern" configuration. With their upgraded tractive effort, the 500B class briefly became the most powerful non-articulated steam locomotives to operate in Australia[2][user-generated source] until supplanted the following year by the New South Wales D57 class.
Throughout the mid-1930s, all but two of the locomotives in the class were semi-streamlined and had valances fitted. The first two locomotives were withdrawn from service in 1955 and the last was withdrawn in 1962.[1]
^"Tom Barr Smith". National Railway Museum. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
Further reading
Douglas Colquhoun; Ronald Stewien; Adrian Thomas (1969). 500 The 4-8-2 and 4-8-4 Locomotives of The South Australian Railways. Australian Railway Historical Society, SA.
David Burke (2000). Giants of Steam. Australian Railway Historical Society, NSW.
Leon Oberg (2007). Locomotives of Australia. Rosenberg Publishing, NSW.
Ron Stewien (2011). A History of the South Australian Railways, Volume 5: Controversy and Mr Webb. Eveleigh Press, NSW.
Ron Stewien (2010). A History of the South Australian Railways, Volume 6: Mountains, Mikados and Pacifics. Eveleigh Press, NSW.
