| East African Railways 59 class | |
|---|---|
| 5907 Mount Kinangop at Kibwezi | |
| Power type | Steam |
| Builder | Beyer, Peacock & Co. |
| Order number | 11164, 11168 |
| Serial number | 7632–7658, 7700–7706 |
| Build date | 1955 |
| Total produced | 34 |
| Configuration | 4-8-2+2-8-4 Garratt |
| UIC classification | (2′D1′)(1′D2′) h4 |
| Gauge | 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) |
| Driver diameter | 54 in (1,372 mm) |
| Length | 31,373 mm (102 ft 11 in)102 ft 11 in (31.37 m) |
| Weight on drivers | 157 long tons (160 t) |
| Locomotive weight | 248 long tons (252 t) |
| Boiler | 225 psi (1.55 MPa) |
| Firegrate area | 72 sq ft (6.69 m2) |
| Heating surface: Total |
3,560 sq ft (331 m2) |
| Superheater area | 745 sq ft (69.2 m2) |
| Cylinder size | 20.5 × 28 in (521 × 711 mm) |
| Top speed | 43 mph (69 km/h) |
| Tractive effort | 83,350 lbf (370.76 kN) |
| Career | East African Railways |
| Class | 59 |
| Number | 5901–5934 |
| Withdrawn | 1973–1980 |
| Preserved | 5918, 5930 |
The East African Railways 59 Class Garratt was the largest, heaviest and most powerful steam locomotive to operate on any metre gauge railway in the world [1]. Thirty-four of these oil-fired locomotives were supplied to EAR in 1955-56 by Beyer, Peacock & Co. Ltd of Manchester.
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The locomotives had a 4-8-2+2-8-4 wheel arrangement, weighed 252 tons, and delivered a tractive effort of 83,350 lbf (370.76 kN). They were designed to haul 1,200-ton trains on 1.5% gradients and were the mainstay of freight services on the 330-mile run from Mombasa to Nairobi until the late 1970s.
During normal service the locomotives were manned by two regular crews on a 'caboose' basis, one working and one resting in a van with sleeping accommodation, changing over at eight-hour intervals.
The engines, many with Sikh drivers, were kept very clean and the cabs were polished and immaculate. The most famous was 5918 Mount Gelai with a devoted crew known as the 'Magnificent Foursome' who worked her for 16 years.
According to railway photographer Colin Garratt, 'the overall condition of Mount Gelai is possibly unrivalled anywhere in the world today. Her cab interior is more akin to a Sikh Temple than a locomotive footplate for its boiler face abounds in polished brasswork, embellished with mirrors, clocks, silver buckets and a linoleum floor'. [2]
Withdrawal started in 1973 with the last locomotive removed from service in 1980. Mount Gelai was saved from the scrapyard and is now preserved at Nairobi Railway Museum.
The locomotives were named after mountains in East Africa: