| South African Class GE 2-8-2+2-8-2 | |
|---|---|
| Class GE 2269, circa 1930 | |
| Power type | Steam |
| Designer | Beyer, Peacock and Company |
| Builder | Beyer, Peacock and Company |
| Serial number | 6193-6198, 6339-6348, 6716-6717[1][2] |
| Model | Class GE |
| Build date | 1924-1930 |
| Total produced | 18 |
| Configuration | 2-8-2+2-8-2 "Double Mikado" Garratt |
| Gauge | 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) Cape gauge |
| Leading wheel diameter |
28.5 in (724 mm) |
| Driver diameter | 46 in (1,170 mm) |
| Trailing wheel diameter |
28.5 in (724 mm) |
| Wheelbase | Total: 70 ft (21.336 m) Engines: 12 ft 9 in (3.886 m) coupled 22 ft 10.5 in (6.972 m) total, 2260-2275 22 ft 11 in (6.985 m) total, 2276-2277 |
| Length | 76 ft 8.75 in (23.387 m) 2260-2275 76 ft 8.25 in (23.374 m) 2276-2277 |
| Height | 12 ft 11.6875 in (3.954 m) |
| Frame | Plate frame, 35 ft (10.668 m) between pivot centres |
| Axle load | 13.45 long tons (13.7 t) on 7th driver, 2260-2275 13.15 long tons (13.4 t) on 2nd driver, 2276-2277 |
| Weight on drivers | 103.5 long tons (105.2 t) 2260-2275 102.75 long tons (104.4 t) 2276-2277 |
| Locomotive weight | 240,800 lb (109.2 t) empty 148.4 long tons (150.8 t) w/o 2260-2275 147.9 long tons (150.3 t) w/o 2276-2277 |
| Fuel type | Coal |
| Fuel capacity | 9 long tons (9.1 t) |
| Water capacity | 3,300 imp gal (15,000 l) front 1,300 imp gal (5,900 l) rear |
| Boiler | 6 ft 9 in (2.057 m) int dia 11 ft 3 in (3.429 m) int length 7 ft 9.25 in (2.369 m) pitch |
| Boiler pressure | 180 psi (1,240 kPa) |
| Firegrate area | 52 sq ft (4.831 m2) |
| Heating surface: Tubes |
288 tubes 2 in (50.8 mm) ext dia 36 tubes 5.5 in (140 mm) ext dia 2,374 sq ft (220.552 m2) |
| Heating surface: Flues |
27 sq ft (2.508 m2) 2276-2277 only |
| Heating surface: Firebox |
215 sq ft (19.974 m2) 2260-2265 202 sq ft (18.766 m2) 2266-2277 |
| Heating surface: Total |
2,589 sq ft (240.526 m2) 2260-2265 2,576 sq ft (239.318 m2) 2266-2275 2,603 sq ft (241.827 m2) 2276-2277 |
| Superheater area | 362 sq ft (33.631 m2) 2260-2265 349 sq ft (32.423 m2) 2266-2275 364 sq ft (33.817 m2) 2276-2277 |
| Cylinders | Four |
| Cylinder size | 18 in (457 mm) bore 2260-2275 19 in (483 mm) bore 2276-2277 24 in (610 mm) stroke[1][3] |
| Valve gear | Walschaerts[4] |
| Tractive effort | At 75% boiler pressure: 45,640 lbf (203.0 kN) 2260-2275 50,850 lbf (226.2 kN) 2276-2277 |
| Career | South African Railways |
| Class | Class GE |
| Number in class | 18 |
| Number | 2260-2277 |
| Delivered | 1925-1931 |
| First run | 1925 |
| Withdrawn | 1979 |
| Disposition | Retired |
Between 1925 and 1931 the South African Railways placed eighteen Class GE Garratt articulated locomotives with a 2-8-2+2-8-2 wheel arrangement in service.[1][3][4]
Contents |
In 1924 specifications were prepared by the South African Railways (SAR) for the Class GE 2-8-2+2-8-2 Garratt locomotive and an order for six locomotives was placed with Beyer, Peacock and Company (BP). They were delivered and placed in service in 1925, numbered 2260 to 2265.[1][3][4]
The locomotives proved to be most successful and a second order for ten was placed with BP in 1926. These were numbered 2266 to 2275 when they were delivered and placed in service in 1927. A third order for two locomotives, also from BP, followed in 1930, numbered 2276 and 2277 and placed in service in 1931.[1][3][4]
The Class GE Garratt was designed as a heavy goods locomotive for use on light 60 pounds per yard (30 kilograms per metre) rail and was an enlargement of the Class GD 2-6-2+2-6-2. They were the first eight-coupled Garratts to be built for the SAR. At the time of their introduction they were, on a tractive effort basis, the most powerful locomotives operating on light track in Africa and the Southern Hemisphere.[3][4][5]
The locomotives of the three orders were visually distinguishable from one another. The first two orders were mechanically identical, but the second batch had redesigned water tanks with rounded top corners, and inset tops on their coal bunkers to improve rearward vision for the crew. They also had slightly smaller firegrate and superheater areas than the first batch.[3][4][5]
The two locomotives in the third batch were similar in general appearance to those in the second, but with arch tubes added, wider cabs and larger cylinders to make them more powerful. All of them had Belpaire fireboxes, plate frames, Walschaerts valve gear and were superheated.[3][4][5]
They were placed in service working goods traffic on the light rail sections from Zeerust to Mafeking and from Pretoria to Pietersburg. Some were later allocated to the Natal North Coast, and a few were later also used for a brief period to work across the Montagu Pass between George and Oudtshoorn.[1][4][5]
Their final duties were on the Nkwalini branch in Natal, where the last survivors of the original eighteen locomotives were finally replaced by Class GEA and Class GO Garratts. The last ten Class GE locomotives were withdrawn from service in April 1975.[4][5]
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