ESCOM & TUGELA Traditional Cache
DiePienaars: Cache missing and decided to put this one to bed.
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ESCOM and TUGELA are two fireless-type steam locomotives.
This means that it has no boiler to generate steam. Instead, it has a large insulated pressure vessel holding steam under pressure. These locomotives were suitable for short trips in areas where large steam generating plants were available to recharge the pressure vessel.
Trains hauling coal were brought by the railways to points near the power stations. Each power station was then responsible for the haulage of the coal.
ESKOM, formerly known as the Electricity Supply Commission (ESCOM) was the second largest user of fireless locomotives in South Africa. The Iron and Steel Corporation (ISCOR) was the largest user of this type of locomotive. ESKOM employed fireless locomotives at its power stations for almost sixty years.
ESCOM locomotive was obtained from W G Bagnall and Company Limited in 1937. It served at Colenso power station until the station was closed in 1984.
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION
Type: Fireless
Works No: 2571
Wheel Formation: 0-6-0
Tractive Force (lbs): 14 000
Year of manufacture: 1937
TUGELA locomotive was bought from R W Hawthorne, Leslie & Company of the United Kingdom in 1935. It saw service at Colenso power station until the station closed in 1984. It is rather appropriate that the locomotive was named after the river on whose banks the station was built and from which the station obtained its water.
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION
Type: Fireless
Work’s No: 3858
Wheel Formation: 0-4-0
Tractive Force (lbs): 11950
Year of manufacture: 1935
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