South African Class GB 2-6-2+2-6-2

The South African Class GB 2-6-2+2-6-2 of 1921 is a South African steam locomotive from the South African Railways era.

In June 1921 the South African Railways placed a single experimental Class GB Garratt articulated steam locomotive with a 2-6-2+2-6-2 Double Prairie type wheel arrangement in service. Six more of these locomotives entered service in 1924.^[1][3]

Manufacturer

The first experimental model of the eventual seven Class GB branchline Garratt articulated locomotives was one of altogether five Garratt locomotives that were ordered by the South African Railways (SAR) from Beyer, Peacock and Company (BP) in 1914. The rest of the order consisted of three narrow gauge Class NG G11 2-6-0+0-6-2 locomotives and a single experimental Class GA 2-6-0+0-6-2 mainline locomotive. Production was disrupted by World War I, however, and BP was only able to deliver the narrow gauge locomotives in 1919 and the Cape gauge locomotives in 1921, after cessation of hostilities.^[1][3][4]

The Class GB was numbered 1650, but the engine number was later changed to 2166. The locomotive was erected in the Durban shops and placed in service in June 1921. It was superheated, with a Belpaire firebox, a plate frame and Walschaerts valve gear.^[1][3]

Service

The locomotive was placed in service working passenger trains on the Natal South Coast line. It proved to be a successful locomotive, having good riding qualities and flexibility on light track with poor ballasting and many curves of 300-foot (91-metre) radius.^[1]

In 1924 six more locomotives of this class were placed in service, also built by BP and numbered in the range from 2160 to 2165. A couple of them joined the first one on the South Coast line for a brief period. There were slight differences between these second batch locomotives and the original, mainly in terms of revised boiler proportions and a larger water bunker capacity. Visually, the most obvious difference was a more completely enclosed cab with side windows in place of the curved cut-outs in the cab sides of the first locomotive.^[1][3]

Most of the second batch of locomotives went directly to the Aliwal North to Barkley East line, famous for its reverses. The Natal locomotives were soon also relocated to work there, when the Class GC replaced them on the South Coast line later in 1924. They remained on the Barkley East branch for many years until they were withdrawn from service in 1967.^[1][3]

Features illustrated

The main picture shows the retired first Class GB, number 2166, originally number 1650, at Voorbaai near Mosselbaai on 4 September 1997. Since the top of the front bunker is only about 7 feet 6 inches (2.286 metres) above the railhead, these locomotives were later equipped with a pedestal between the headlight and the water inlet to enable crew members to reach the overhead equipment when taking water.

• 

  Class GB no. 2160, circa 1930, with bell couplers and cab side windows

• 

  Class GB no. 2166 with curved cut-out cab sides, Voorbaai, 4 September 1997

See also

• Articulated locomotive numbering and classification
• List of South African locomotive classes
• South African Class GC 2-6-2+2-6-2
• South African Class GCA 2-6-2+2-6-2
• South African Class GD 2-6-2+2-6-2
• South African Class GDA 2-6-2+2-6-2
• South African Class GG 2-6-2+2-6-2
• South African Class GK 2-6-2+2-6-2
• South African locomotive history
• The 2-6-2+2-6-2 "Double Prairie"

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: South African Class GB (2-6-2+2-6-2)

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