South African Class 3 4-8-2

The South African Railways Class 3 4-8-2 of 1909 was a steam locomotive from the pre-Union era in the Colony of Natal. In 1909 the Natal Government Railways placed in service what the article calls the world's first true Mountain type locomotive, five Class B 4-8-2 tender locomotives, and another 25 followed in 1911. They were renumbered and designated Class 3 in 1912, and the Mountain wheel arrangement became the most numerous steam wheel arrangement in South Africa. Built to handle growing coal traffic on the upper Natal mainline, the first five came from the North British Locomotive Company in 1909 and an order for 25 more followed from the same builder in 1910.