South Australian Railways U class
{{Short description|Class of Australian 2-6-0 locomotives}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Use Australian English|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox locomotive
| name = South Australian Railways U class
| image = South Australian Railways U class locomotive no 2 in 1891.jpg
| alt =
| caption = U class locomotive no. 2 in 1891
| powertype = Steam
| designer =
| builder = Beyer, Peacock and Company
| ordernumber =
| serialnumber = 1499-1506
| buildmodel =
| builddate = 1876
| totalproduction = 8
| rebuilder =
| rebuilddate =
| numberrebuilt = 4
| website =
| whytetype = 2-6-0
| uicclass = 2'C 2
| driver =
| gauge = {{Track gauge|Cape|lk=on}}
| leadingdiameter =
| driverdiameter =
| coupleddiameter =
| trailingdiameter =
| tenderdiameter =
| minimumcurve =
| wheelbase =
| engine total =
| leading =
| drivers =
| coupled =
| trailing =
| tender total =
| tendertruck =
| tenderbogie =
| pivotcentres =
| wheelspacing =
| length = {{cvt|34|ft|6+1/2|in}}
| over couplers =
| over bufferbeams =
| width =
| height =
| frametype =
| axleload = {{long ton|5|3}}
| leadingbogie/pony =
| coupled all =
| coupled 1 =
| coupled 2 =
| coupled 3 =
| coupled 4 =
| coupled 5 =
| coupled 6 =
| coupled 7 =
| coupled 8 =
| trail bogie/pony =
| tenderbogieload =
| tenderaxle =
| weightondrivers =
| locoweight =
| tenderweight =
| locotenderweight = {{long ton|30|3}}
| tendertype =
| fueltype = Coal
| fuelcap = {{long ton|2|6}}
| watercap = {{cvt|850|impgal|USgal L|disp=br()}}
| tendercap =
| sandcap =
| fireboxtype =
| firearea = {{cvt|9.76|sqft|m2}}
| boiler =
| boilertype =
| pitch =
| diameterinside =
| lengthinside =
| smalltubediameter =
| largetubediameter =
| boilerpressure = {{cvt|130|lb/sqin|kPa|0}}
| safetyvalvetype =
| feedwaterheater =
| totalsurface =
| tubearea = {{cvt|492.1|sqft|m2}}
| archarea =
| fluearea =
| tubesandflues =
| fireboxarea = {{cvt|45.4|sqft|m2}}
| superheatertype =
| superheaterarea =
| cylindercount = 2
| cylindersize = {{cvt|12 x 20|in|mm|0}}
| frontcylindersize =
| rearcylindersize =
| hpcylindersize =
| lpcylindersize =
| valvegear =
| valvetype =
| valvetravel =
| valvelap =
| valvelead =
| transmission =
| trainheating =
| locobrakes =
| locobrakeforce =
| trainbrakes =
| safety =
| coupling =
| maxspeed =
| poweroutput =
| tractiveeffort = {{cvt|7,532|lbf|kN}}
| factorofadhesion =
| operator = South Australian Railways
| operatorclass = U
| powerclass =
| numinclass = 8
| fleetnumbers = 1-8
| officialname =
| nicknames =
| axleloadclass =
| locale =
| deliverydate =
| firstrundate = April 1876
| lastrundate =
| retiredate =
| withdrawndate = 1904-1929
| preservedunits =
| restoredate =
| scrapdate = 1904-1955
| currentowner =
| disposition = All scrapped
| notes =
}}
The eight members of the South Australian Railways U class were the first narrow-gauge {{Track gauge|1067mm|comma=off}} locomotives on the South Australian Railways and the first of many steam locomotives built by Beyer, Peacock and Company for the railway. They entered service in 1876: four on the Port Wakefield to Hoyleton line and four on the Port Pirie to Crystal Brook line. Subsequently they operated on the Port Wakefield, Port Pirie and Port Augusta lines.{{cite book|title=Peninsula Pioneer revisited |last=Knife |first=Peter |date=2013 |location=Port Lincoln |publisher=Peter Knife |isbn=9780975783535 |page=256}}{{cite web |last1=Drymalik |first1=Chris |title=Narrow Gauge U-class 2-6-0 locomotives |url=https://www.comrails.com/sar_locos/r_c_u.html |website=Chris's Commonwealth Railways Information (ComRails) |accessdate=10 July 2022}}
In addition to their SAR operations, several were used by contractors at various times on extending the narrow gauge lines into the hinterland. Their role on main lines did not last long, because of shortcomings in the valve gear and pony truck designs; locomotives of the long-lived W class entered service two years later, after which the U class locomotives were deployed on shunting and further railway construction. In 1915, with the Thevenard gypsum line open and resources no doubt stretched, three were sent to the isolated Port Lincoln Division for three years until the first of the Y class arrived.{{cite book |last1=Fluck |first1=R. E. |last2=Sampson |first2=R. |last3=Bird |first3=K. J. |title=Steam locomotives and railcars of the South Australian Railways |date=1986 |publisher=Mile End Railway Museum (S.A.) Inc. |location=South Australia |isbn=0959-5073-37 |page=112}} Their working lives variously lasted 28 years (three locos), 48–53 (four) and 79 (one).
File:South Australian Railways U class steam locomotive drawing (Peter Manning).png
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References
{{Reflist}}
{{South Australian Railways locos|state=expanded}}
Category:3 ft 6 in gauge locomotives of Australia
Category:Beyer, Peacock locomotives