The Rhodesia Railways 20th class, later Zambia Railways and National Railways of Zimbabwe 20th classes, were among the largest and most powerful steam locomotives in the southern hemisphere.
The locomotives have a 4-8-2+2-8-4 of "Double Mountain" wheel arrangement. This arrangement was also used by most other large Garratts.
The 20th class was the first and only class of Rhodesia Railways locomotives to be fitted with mechanical stokers. Other technical features included bar frames and thermic syphons.
The later locomotives were classified as 20A class; the main difference being that the 20ths' inside and outside trailing wheels were of the same size, on the 20A, the inside trailing wheels diameter had been increased in size. The 20As were also heavier.
The 20th class also had the round-ended bunkers characteristic of late Garratts.
Table of 20th and 20A class orders
Year
Qty
BP Order No.
BP Works No.
RR Class
RR No.
Notes
1954
15
11166
7685–7699
20th
700–714
1957
6
11182
7780–7785
20th
715–720
1957
9
11182
7786–7794
20A
721–729
1957
15
11183
7795–7809
20A
730–744
1957–58
16
11184
7810–7825
20A
745–760
The early years
The initial use of the 20th class was ill-fated. The locomotives were plagued with teething troubles including cracks in the locomotives' frames and fireboxes. Unlike the South African Railways' GMA, which had cast steel frames, the 20th had conventional fabricated bar frames.
Two locomotives were scrapped very early due to accident damage. Strangely, they were the first (700) and the last (760) built.
Apart from these problems, the locomotives met all expectations. They were by far the most powerful locomotives on the Rhodesia Railways, and were rated to pull 1,250 long tons (1,270t) up a 1.55% (1 in 64) incline.
Later service
In 1964, Zambia took over the operation of railways in its territory. This included the transfer of 80–90 locomotives[1] – about half of them 20th and 20A class locomotives. This left only fifteen 20ths in [Southern] Rhodesia. They later re-acquired four from Zambia Railways when the latter dieselised.[2]
These nineteen locomotives were 705, 707, 709, 710, 714, 716, 717 and 718 (20th) and 723, 724, 726, 727, 729, 738, 746, 747, 749, 753 and 756 (20A) were mainly used in the transportation of coal between Thomson Junction to Bulawayo and Victoria Falls. On this route they were rated with a maximum load of 1,600 long tons (1,630t).[1]
In Zambia, the 20th class was replaced by diesels and retired by about 1970.
By June 1975, there were only 18 in service in Rhodesia, all allocated to Bulawayo.[1]
In 1979 / 1980 Zambia briefly placed four back into service due to an oil shortage. One ran with "ZR" painted in large letters on the tender.
Rebuilding
In 1978 Rhodesia Railways started a rebuilding program for its steam locomotive fleet. Between 1980 and 1983 the remaining Garratt locomotives were completely overhauled and had some modernisation, including the installation of roller bearings. The work was undertaken by private companies, especially the RESSCO works in Bulawayo.
Work on the first two was completed in 1980, although it was April 1983 before they were all dealt with.
As part of the rebuilding programme, the locomotives' running numbers were consolidated into two blocks: 730–737 (20th) and 740–750 (20A). Three locomotives kept their old numbers: 746, 747, and 749. At the same time, the locomotives received names; the locally cast nameplates were applied to the cabside above the numberplate.[3]
Post rebuilding service
No. 748 Lukozi with a freight train at Sawmills, Zimbabwe, August 1992
All the rebuilt 20th and 20A locomotives were allocated to Bulawayo.
Due to the continuing difficult economic situation in Zimbabwe, the rebuilt steam locomotives remained in service longer than originally planned.
Finally, in the early 1990s, new diesels were ordered and the locomotives were systematically withdrawn as they became due for general overhaul. All were withdrawn from general service by 1994.
All those allocated to Bulawayo with the exception of 730/740/742/749 (retained for museum activity and spare parts) were then put up for tender and scrapped as part of the contract to purchase Canadian diesel locomotives. 736 was later saved, See below.
730 (formerly No. 705) belongs to the Bulawayo Railway Museum where it is on display. It was last steamed in 2004.
736 was purchased by tender by the author, A.D. (Dusty) Durrant for US$24,000. It was then stored at Bulawayo Railway Museum. Upon his death in 1999 it was willed to the museum where it remains on display.
740 is still in use as a stationary boiler at Bulawayo steam shed (January 2019)
A Garratt locomotive is a type of 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.
The National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ), formerly Rhodesia Railways, is a Bulawayo headquartered state-owned enterprise that operates the country's national railway system. It was established in 1893 and governed by an Act of Parliament. It has a commercial-administrative center in Harare and a supply center in Gweru. The Zimbabwean railway system was largely constructed during the 20th century.
The South African Railways Class NG15 2-8-2 is a class of narrow-gauge steam locomotives.
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.
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives by wheel arrangement, the 4-6-4+4-6-4 is a Garratt articulated locomotive. The wheel arrangement is effectively two 4-6-4 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 three coupled pairs of driving wheels and two pairs of trailing wheels in a trailing bogie.
Bulawayo Railway Museum is a railway museum located at Bulawayo railway station in Zimbabwe that houses several exhibitions on the history of the railway system in Zimbabwe, formerly Rhodesia. Its oldest exhibits date back to 1897, and include Cecil Rhodes' personal railway coach. The museum is owned by National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ). Due to the severe shortage of rolling stock, some steam locomotives from the museum have, in the past, been refurbished and returned to service.
The South African Railways Class 32-000 of 1959 was a diesel-electric locomotive.
The South African Railways Class 34-800 of 1978 is a diesel-electric locomotive.
The South African Railways Class 35-000 of 1972 is a diesel-electric locomotive.
The South African Railways Class 19D 4-8-2 of 1937 was a steam locomotive.
The South African Railways Class 14 4-8-2 of 1913 was a steam locomotive.
The South African Railways Class 12 4-8-2 of 1912 was a steam locomotive.
The South African Railways Class NG G11 2-6-0+0-6-2 of 1919 is a class of narrow gauge steam locomotives.
The South African Railways Class 7D 4-8-0 of 1915 was a 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.
The South African Railways Class GO 4-8-2+2-8-4 of 1954 was an articulated steam locomotive.
The Sudan Railways 250 class was a class of ten 4-6-4+4-6-4 Garratt locomotives. It was one of only two classes of "Double Baltic" Garratts. – the other class being the Rhodesia Railways 15th class.
The Rhodesia Railways 15th class, was the second-largest class of Garratt locomotives, with 74 locomotives built. Only the Class GMA/GMAM of the South African Railways was more numerous at 120 locomotives.
The Rhodesia Railways 16A class, later Zambia Railways and National Railways of Zimbabwe 16A classes.
Zimbabwe Steam: Bulawayo - Garratt City #1 - April 1997 A few scenes of Bulawayo in 1997 with Classes 14A, 15A and 16A Garratts at work on various duties around the city, along with shed and workshop scenes. (Time 12:16)
External videos
Zimbabwe Steam: Bulawayo - Garratt City #2 - April 1997 Some morning scenes at Bulawayo Steam Shed in 1997 with 14A, 15A and 16A Garratts leaving the shed. Then we see 15A 417 "Umathebene" hauling a goods train out to Cement and shunting the yard there. (Time 5:38)
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