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 6012 at the top of Cowan Bank | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The New South Wales AD60 class were Beyer-Garratt patent articulated four-cylinder, simple, non-condensing, coal-fired superheated, 4-8-4+4-8-4 heavy goods steam locomotives built by Beyer, Peacock & Company for the New South Wales Government Railways in Australia.
The AD60 Class 4-8-4+4-8-4 Beyer-Garratt patent consists of a boiler carried on a separate frame in the centre of the locomotive and supported by the frames of the two engines, one at each end. The locomotive thus consists of three parts: a front engine unit carrying a water tank, an intermediate chassis pivoted to each engine unit supporting a boiler and cab, and a rear engine unit carrying a coal bunker and water tank. The standard gauge coupled axle loading of 16 long tons (16.3 t; 17.9 short tons) and able to negotiate 6-chain (120 m; 400 ft) curves.
The design incorporated the most modern technology to minimise maintenance and repairs, including:
This was the only type of Garratt locomotive to operate on the New South Wales Government Railways. Designed to a light axle load of only 16 long tons (16.3 t; 17.9 short tons), they were intended for hauling feeder branch-line services to the main lines where heavier main-line locomotives could continue with the load. [1] [2] [3]
In 1949, twenty-five were ordered from Beyer, Peacock & Company, followed by a further twenty-five. [4] [5] Following a change of policy in favour of diesel traction, negotiations were entered into, in order to cancel the last part of the order. Forty-two complete locomotives were delivered, together with spare parts equating to approximately five further locomotives. [6] The five sets of parts did not include engine unit frames. The cancellation contract stipulated that the NSWGR could not assemble the spare parts into complete locomotives without paying substantial royalties to Beyer-Peacock. The last three locomotives were cancelled completely and the assembly positions at the Gorton Works of Beyer-Peacock were sold to the South African Railways.
The locomotives were delivered in their five major component pieces: Front engine, rear engine, boiler-cab, rear bunker and front water tank. These five sub assemblies were built into a complete locomotive in NSW.
Locomotive 6002 was the first to enter service in July 1952 with the last, 6040 delivered on 2 January 1957. [1] [3] [7] The locomotives were the most powerful to operate in Australia but behind the D57 in terms of tractive effort. [8]
Early trials established that the 14-long-ton (14.2 t; 15.7-short-ton) bunker was insufficient to allow the locomotives to operate from Enfield to Goulburn resulting in the bunkers being enlarged to carry 18 long tons (18 t; 20 short tons). Ventilation of the cabs caused considerable concern. Consequently, the class was banned from working through single-line tunnels, this ban also being in response to the difficulty crews would have climbing out in the event of failure within such tunnels. Amongst attempts to improve cab ventilation, 6011 was experimentally fitted in September 1952 with a large tube along the front bunker and boiler to funnel air from the front of the locomotive into the cab. It was unsuccessful and was removed in 1955. Some improvement was obtained by running the locomotives bunker first. [3]
Owing to the length and noise of the locomotive, crews found difficulty in hearing warning detonators. To rectify the situation, tubes were fitted to convey the sound from the leading wheels to the cab. This mechanism can still be seen today on 6040 at the NSW Rail Museum. [3]
When it became apparent that the Garratts would see more service on main lines than on the lighter branch lines, it was decided to increase the tractive effort of a number of the class by enlarging the cylinder diameter and by altering the weight distribution by removing liners from the bogies. This increased the axleload on each of the driving wheels by approximately 2 long tons (2.0 t; 2.2 short tons) with 30 locomotives treated. To distinguish these improvements the double plus sign ++ was painted after the number and they were nicknamed Super Garratts. [9] These 30 were also fitted with dual controls for bunker first running and denoted DC. To accommodate them, 105-foot (32 m) turntables were installed at Broadmeadow, Enfield and Werris Creek depots. [3]
The class initially entered service on the Main North and Main South and later Main Western line as far as Dubbo and Parkes. Because of their light axle load they were cleared to operate on the Crookwell, Captains Flat, Temora, Narrandera and Bourke lines. [1]
Typical workings in the mid 1960s would consist of bulk export coal and general goods movements :
| Route | Traffic | Down (tons) | Up (tons) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glenlee to Rozelle Yard | Export coal | 1,500 | ||
| Gosford to Broadmeadow | Export coal | 1,500 | double-headed AD60s | |
| Gosford to Broadmeadow | General freight | 685 (single) | 1,100 (assisted) | |
| Broadmeadow to Muswellbrook | General freight | 775 | 1,150 | |
| Newstan/Awaba Colliery to Wangi Power Station | Export coal | 1,075 | 1,500 | assisted |
| Enfield to Goulburn | General freight | 900 | 1,500 | |
| From Botany Oil Refineries | Petroleum | 1,000 | ||
| Goulburn to Captains Flat | Mineral | 600 | 600 | |
| Junee | Goods | 600 | 600 | |
| Cootamundra to Stockinbingal | Goods | 1,000 | 1,500 | |
| Up to Lithgow | assisting until electrification in 1957 | |||
| Parkes to Goobang Junction | Goods | 1,000 | 1,400 | 16-ton axle load locos only |
| Dubbo to Merrygoen | Goods | 1,100 | 1,000 | 16-ton axle load locos only |
| Parkes to Bogan Gate/Tottenham | Goods | 1,000 | 1,400 | 16-ton axle load locos only |
| Portland to Pipers Flat | Cement | 700 | ||
| Pipers Flat to Wallerawang | Cement | 1,400 | ||
| Dubbo to Werris Creek | Goods | 1,100 | ||
| Lithgow to Bathurst | Goods | 850 | 900 | |
| Orange to Parkes | Goods | 600 | ||
| Bathurst westward | Goods | 850 | 900 | dependent on grade |
| W44 Broken Hill | Concentrates | 575 | 600 | double-headed AD60s |
| Molong to Orange | Goods | 600 | 600 | double-headed AD60s |
6012 was the first of the class to be withdrawn in February 1956. It was rumoured that the loco had been dropped while being unloaded. [10] The next few to be withdrawn suffered accident damage in major collisions in 1961 (6003 Geurie) and 1963 (6028 Glenlee - rebuilt and returned to service by 1965).
In September 1968, the highest numbered member of the class, 6042, was to be shopped at Cardiff Locomotive Workshops for overhaul. At the same time, 6010 already made up from a mix of original parts including the boiler cradle from 6043, the front water tank of 6039 and the coal bunker of 6021 was nearing completion in the same works. As pressure was increasing upon the works staff to expedite steam locomotive overhauls, the decision was taken to switch numbers between the two, which gave the impression that 6042 had received an overhaul in one day. Photographs were taken of the two locomotives together. The real 6042 (identified as 6021) was towed away scrapped. [11]
Dieselisation accounted for the gradual withdrawal of the other 39 of the class from 1965. The last withdrawn was the replacement 6042, which operated the final New South Wales Government Railways steam service on 22 February 1973. Shortly after, it was chosen to work the ceremonial Last Steam Train from Newcastle to Broadmeadow on 2 March 1973, where it was ceremonially driven through a celebratory banner by Transport Minister Milton Morris.
| Number | Year | Owner | Location | Status | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6029 | 1954 | Transport Heritage NSW | Thirlmere | Operational | [12] |
| 6039 | 1956 | Dorrigo Steam Railway & Museum | Dorrigo | Displayed but not open to the public | |
| 6040 | 1957 | Transport Heritage NSW | Thirlmere | Static exhibit | [13] |
| 6042 | 1956 | Dorrigo Steam Railway & Museum | Forbes | Derelict | [14] [15] |
A Garratt locomotive is a type of articulated steam locomotive invented by British engineer Herbert William Garratt that is articulated into three parts. Its boiler, firebox, and cab are mounted on a centre frame or "bridge". The two other parts, one at each end, have a pivot to support the central frame; they consist of a steam engine unit – with driving wheels, trailing wheels, valve gear, and cylinders, and above it, fuel and/or water storage.
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives by wheel arrangement, a 4-6-2+2-6-4 is a Garratt or Union Garratt articulated locomotive using a pair of 4-6-2 engine units back to back, with the boiler and cab suspended between them. The 4-6-2 wheel arrangement of each engine unit has four leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels, and two trailing wheels.
The NZR G class was a type of Garratt locomotives used in New Zealand, later rebuilt as Pacific type locomotives. They were the only Garratt type steam locomotives ever used by the New Zealand Railways (NZR). They were ordered to deal with traffic growth over the heavy gradients of the North Island Main Trunk (NIMT) and to do away with the use of banking engines on steep grades. They were one of the few Garratt designs to employ six cylinders. A mechanical stoker was used to feed coal into the locomotive. The locomotives lasted longer in rebuilt form as standard Pacific locomotives than they did as Garratts, but their numerous mechanical issues lead to their final withdrawal following a union ban on their use in 1956.
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives by wheel arrangement, the 4-8-4+4-8-4 is a Garratt locomotive. The wheel arrangement is effectively two 4-8-4 locomotives operating back to back, with the boiler and cab suspended between the two engine units. Each engine unit has two pairs of leading wheels in a leading bogie, followed by four coupled pairs of driving wheels and two pairs of trailing wheels in a trailing bogie.
The South African Railways Class GL 4-8-2+2-8-4 of 1929 was an articulated steam locomotive.
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives by wheel arrangement, a 4-8-2+2-8-4 is a Garratt articulated locomotive consisting of a pair of 4-8-2 engine units back to back, with the boiler and cab suspended between them. The 4-8-2 wheel arrangement has four leading wheels on two axles, usually in a leading bogie, eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles and two trailing wheels on one axle, usually in a trailing truck. Since the 4-8-2 type is generally known as a Mountain, the corresponding Garratt type is usually known as a Double Mountain.
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives by wheel arrangement, 2-6-2+2-6-2 is an articulated locomotive using a pair of 2-6-2 power units back to back, with the boiler and cab suspended between them. The 2-6-2 wheel arrangement has a single pair of leading wheels in a leading truck, followed by three coupled pairs of driving wheels and a pair of trailing wheels in a trailing truck. This wheel arrangement could be called a Double Prairie, as all locomotives of this type are effectively two 2-6-2's that always run together.
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives by wheel arrangement, a 2-8-2+2-8-2 is an articulated locomotive using a pair of 2-8-2 power units back to back, with the boiler and cab suspended between them. The 2-8-2 wheel arrangement has a single pair of leading wheels in a leading truck, followed by four coupled pairs of driving wheels and a pair of trailing wheels in a trailing truck. Since the 2-8-2 type was known as Mikado, the corresponding Garratt and Modified Fairlie types were usually known as Double Mikado.
The South African Railways Class 15F 4-8-2 of 1938 is a steam locomotive.
The South African Railways Class 12 4-8-2 of 1912 was a steam locomotive.
The South African Railways Class NG G16 2-6-2+2-6-2 is a narrow gauge steam locomotive class.
The Queensland Railways Beyer-Garratt class locomotive was a class of 4-8-2+2-8-4 steam locomotives operated by the Queensland Railways.
The South African Railways Class FC 2-6-2+2-6-2 of 1925 was an articulated steam locomotive.
The South African Railways Class U 2-6-2+2-6-2 of 1927 was an articulated steam locomotive.
The South African Railways Class GH 4-6-2+2-6-4 of 1928 was an articulated steam locomotive.
The South African Railways Class GA 2-6-0+0-6-2 of 1921 was an articulated steam locomotive.
The South African Railways Class GEA 4-8-2+2-8-4 of 1946 was an articulated steam locomotive.
The South African Railways Class GM 4-8-2+2-8-4 of 1938 was an articulated steam locomotive.
The South African Railways Class GMA 4-8-2+2-8-4 of 1954 is an articulated steam locomotive.
6029 is a four-cylinder, simple, non-condensing, superheated, articulated 4-8-4+4-8-4 Garratt steam locomotive, of the AD60 class, built by Beyer, Peacock & Company, Manchester, England, for the New South Wales Government Railways.
Media related to New South Wales AD60 class locomotives at Wikimedia Commons