South Australian Railways 720 class

The South Australian Railways 720 class was a class of 2-8-4 steam locomotives operated by the South Australian Railways.

South Australian Railways 720 Class
724 at North Adelaide station in 1952
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
DesignerFred Shea
BuilderIslington Railway Workshops
Build date1930-1943
Total produced17
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte2-8-4 1′D2′ 3′3′
Gauge1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in)
Driver dia.4 ft 9 in (1.45 m)
Length83 ft. 6 in.
Height4.26466 Metres
Axle load19.85 tons
Adhesive weight77.10 tons
Loco weight123.80 tons
Tender weight104.00 tons
Total weight227 long tons 4 cwt (508,900 lb or 230.8 t)
Fuel typeCoal
Oil
Fuel capacity17 tons
3,060 gallons oil (locos converted to oil burning only)
Water cap9,000 gallons
9,400 gallons (when oil fired)
Firebox:
 • Firegrate area		59.5 sq. ft.
Boiler pressure215 psi (1,482 kPa)
Heating surface:
 • Tubes		2,615 sq. ft.
 • Firebox360 sq. ft.
Superheater:
​
 • Heating area751 sq. ft.
Cylinders2
Cylinder size22 in × 28 in (559 mm × 711 mm)
Valve gearWalschaerts valve gear
Performance figures
Tractive effort43,450 lbf (193.28 kN)
52,000 lbf (231.31 kN) with booster cut in
Career
OperatorsSouth Australian Railways
Class720
Numbers720-736
First run26/11/1930
Withdrawn1958-1960
Scrapped1958-1963
Dispositionall scrapped

History

The 720 class were built by the South Australian Railways as an improved version of the 710 class locomotives. The initial order was for five locomotives. They were intended to operate on the lighter broad gauge lines, but after they began to spread rails, they were confined to the heavier lines. A further twelve were built between 1938 and 1943. The final twelve differed in having streamlined valances and boiler lagging tinwear. Coal shortages after World War II saw 14 converted to burn oil. All were later converted back to coal burners. The last were withdrawn in April 1960.[1][2]

References
  1. 720 class Chris' Commonwealth Railways Information
  2. Oberg, Leon (1984). Locomotives of Australia 1850s-1980s. Frenchs Forest: Reed Books. p. 161. ISBN 0730100057.

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