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Rx 5 Plinthed at Kapunda |
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Rx 5 is plinthed in a park at Kapunda, as seen in this
photo contributed by Scott Hillan and dated 1 January 2004.
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Builder |
South Australian Railways, Islington Workshops |
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Builder’s Number & Year |
13 of 1909 |
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Wheel Arrangement |
4-6-0 |
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No. in class |
84 |
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The South Australian Railways (SAR) Rx-class were a very successful type of mixed traffic locomotive, developed from the earlier R-class 4-6-0 design of 1886 via adoption of a larger boiler. Several of the Rx-class also received superheaters. The Rx-class ultimately grew to 84 examples comprising the 30 original R-class locos rebuilt to Rx specification, together with a further 54 built new, becoming the SAR’s most numerous type of broad-gauge steam locomotive. The Rx-class were assigned to both passenger and freight turns until the arrival of larger locomotives in the 1920's, after which they settled into branch line, suburban and shunting roles. Many were withdrawn in the mid-1930’s but the remainder lasted to the end of regular SAR steam operations. Rx 5 was built by the South Australian Railways at their Islington Workshops in 1909, being the first of the new-build Rx class. It was condemned on 25 November 1965, having run 1,118,770 miles. It was placed on display in Kapunda in 1966, at a time when other Rx-class locos still had another few more years of SAR service remaining. |
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References
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a |
Fluck
R. E., Sampson R., & Bird K. J. 'Steam locomotives and Railcars of
the South Australian Railways', published
by The Mile End Railway Museum (SA) Inc, 1986. |
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b |
Wikipedia entry for SAR R & Rx Class locos: South Australian Railways R class - Wikipedia retrieved 11 August 2025. |
Page updated: 24 October 2025
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Government Railways: |
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