Steam Locomotives
South Africa, De Aar · 1983-04-27
Official first day cover (FDC) · South African philately
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front
This cover is postmarked on 27 April 1983 in De Aar. De Aar sat at the junction of several main lines through the Karoo and grew up almost entirely around the railway, making it a fitting cancellation point for a steam locomotive issue. The four stamps trace very different corners of steam power in South Africa. The class 16E on the 20c stamp was built for speed rather than haulage, running as the forerunner of the Blue Train and reaching speeds no other class in the country could match at the time. By contrast the class S2 on the 10c stamp was a slow harbour shunter, built in Essen and put to work moving wagons around the docks rather than covering distance.
Description of the Cachet
The cachet centres on a single dramatic image. A steam locomotive named "Maria" bears down head-on inside an oval frame, smoke billowing thick above the boiler and steam rolling out low across the rails. The locomotive's headlamp and nameplate sit dead centre, giving the whole design a sense of motion coming straight at the viewer. Below the oval, the title runs in a flowing script: "Steam locomotives" and "Stoomlokomotiewe". The four stamps sit apart from the cachet in the top right, each showing a different locomotive class against its own coloured backdrop, from a fiery red-orange sky to a cool blue one. An oval postmark cancels the stamps, reading "S4" with the date and the town name below.
Information Card
STEAM LOCOMOTIVES 10c stamp — Class S2 This stamp features South African Railways' class S2 light shunting locomotive number 3781. Designed under the direction of Mr L. C. Grubb, Chief Mechanical Engineer, for shunting work especially in harbours, these locomotives were built in Essen, Germany, by the Fried Krupp Lokomotivfabrik. They were placed in service during 1952-1953. The wheel arrangement is 0-8-0, the tractive force 114 kN, and the total mass in working order 105 tons. 20c stamp — Class 16E The class 16E locomotive was designed by Mr A. G. Watson for the Union Limited and the Union Express, the forerunners of the Blue train. These locomotives were the fastest in South Africa at that time. They were built by Henschel & Sohn of Kassel, Germany, and placed in service during 1935. Locomotive number 858 was named after its designer. The wheel arrangement is 4-6-2, total mass in working order 170 tons and tractive force 157 kN. 25c stamp — Class 6H Mr H. M. Beatty, Chief Locomotive Superintendent of the Cape Government Railways, designed the class 6H, of which locomotive number 627 is depicted on this stamp. This locomotive was built by Nielson Reid and Co. and placed in service in 1901. It was in service until 1971 and was erected as a monument at Mafikeng in 1972. The wheel arrangement is 4-6-0, the total mass in working order 94 tons and the tractive force 84 kN. 40c stamp — Class 15F The class 15F is a general-purpose main-line locomotive designed by Mr W. A. J. Day. Locomotive number 2954, depicted on this stamp, was built by the North British Locomotive Co. in 1939. Towards 1948 various builders were delivering this class of locomotives, which became the most numerous of all steam locomotives on the railways of South Africa. The wheel arrangement is 4-8-2, the total mass in working order 185 tons, and the tractive force 188 kN. STOOMLOKOMOTIEWE 10c-seël — Klas S2 Hierdie seël toon die Suid-Afrikaanse Spoorwee se ligte rangeerlokomotief klas S2, nommer 3781. Meganiese Hoofingenieur, vir rangeerwerk veral in hawens ontwerp en is in Essen, Duitsland, deur die Fried Krupp Lokomotivfabrik gebou. Hulle is gedurende 1952-1953 in diens gestel. Die wielrangskikking is 0-8-0, die trekkrag 114 kN en die totale massa in werkende toestand 105 ton. 20c-seël — Klas 16E Die lokomotief, klas 16E, is deur mnr. A. G. Watson ontwerp vir die Beperkte Unie-trein en die Unie-sneltrein, voorlopers van die Bloutrein. Dié lokomotiewe was destyds die vinnigste in Suid-Afrika. Hulle is deur Henschel & Sohn van Kassel, Duitsland, gebou en gedurende 1935 in diens gestel. Lokomotief nommer 858 is na sy ontwerper vernoem. Die wielrangskikking is 4-6-2, die totale massa in werkende toestand 170 ton en die trekkrag 157 kN. 25c-seël — Klas 6H Mnr. H. M. Beatty, Hooflokomotiefsuperintendent van die Cape Government Railways, het die klas 6H ontwerp, waarvan lokomotief nommer 627 op dié seël uitgebeeld word. Hierdie lokomotief is deur Nielson Reid en Kie gebou en in 1901 in diens gestel. Dit was tot 1971 in bedryf en is in 1972 as 'n gedenkwaardigheid op Mafikeng opgerig. Die wielrangskikking is 4-6-0, die totale massa in werkende toestand 94 ton en die trekkrag 84 kN. 40c-seël — Klas 15F Die klas 15F is 'n meerdoelhooflynlokomotief en is deur mnr. W. A. J. Day ontwerp. Lokomotief nommer 2954, wat op dié seël uitgebeeld word, is in 1939 deur die North British Locomotive Co. gebou. Teen 1948 het verskeie vervaardigers hierdie klas lokomotiewe gelewer en was dit die algemeenste stoomlokomotief op die spoorwee van Suid-Afrika. Die wielrangskikking is 4-8-2, die totale massa in werkende toestand 185 ton en die trekkrag 188 kN.
Theme: Transport
Condition: FineGood condition. Minor wear or small imperfections, but overall well-presented.
Addressed: No
Signed: No
Stamp denomination: R0.95 (ZAR)
SG reference: 541-544
SAPO serial number: 4.4
Estimated value: ~US$0.06
This is a high-level, subjective estimate only, not a professional appraisal.
This first day cover (FDC) is part of Southern Covers, a private collection of 209 first day covers documenting the postal history and philately of South Africa and the homeland states. New to first day cover collecting? Read the guide to learn about cachets, postmarks, and stamp collecting terms, or browse the whole collection of Southern African FDCs.
