About the Garratt 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. Articulation permits locomotives to negotiate curves that might restrict large rigid-framed locomotives. The design also provides more driving wheels per unit of locomotive weight, permitting operation on lightly engineered track. Garratt locomotives produced as much as twice the power output of the largest conventional locomotives of railways that introduced them, reducing the need for multiple locomotives and crews. Most states of Australia had sets of Australian Standard Garratt with varying degrees of success during the Second World War and for the decade after. National The Australian Standard Garratt (ASG) was a Garratt locomotive designed in Australia during World War II, and used on 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) narrow gauge railway systems in Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania. These were a 4-8-2+2-8-4 with 57 being produced tractive effort was 34,240 lbf (152.3 kN). New South Wales New South Wales Government Railways introduced the 4-8-4+4-8-4 AD60 Garratt in 1952, built by Beyer, Peacock. The AD60 weighed 265 tonnes, with a 16-tonne axle loading. As delivered, it developed a tractive effort of 60,000 lbf (270 kN)) Queensland Queensland Rail ordered the 4-8-2+2-8-4 Queensland Railways Beyer-Garratt class these produced 32,770 lbf (145.77 kN) South Australia South Australian Railways 400 class comprised ten 4-8-2+2-8-4 articulated steam locomotives built in France in 1952 and 1953 under licence tractive effort was 43,520 lbf (193.6 kN). Tasmaina In 1912, the Tasmanian Government Railways took delivery of two 4-4-2+2-4-4 Garratt locomotives from Beyer, Peacock & Co, Manchester. They were designed to haul express passenger trains between Launceston and Hobart. With the introduction of the R class, M1 was withdrawn in 1923 and sold to the Mount Lyell Mining and Railway Company while M2 was withdrawn in 1931 and scrapped in 1953. Victoria Victorian Railways operated two Beyer Garratts, used on the Crowes and Walhalla narrow-gauge railway lines. The two engines were classified as G class, numbered G41 and G42; the latter engine has been restored. It is currently in use at the Puffing Billy Railway near Melbourne. West Australia M/ Ms class The WAGR M class was a class of 2-6-0+0-6-2 Garratt-type articulated steam locomotives operated by the Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR) between 1912 and 1955. A total of 13 were built by Beyer, Peacock & Co, Manchester in two batches. The first batch of six engines was constructed in 1911. These engines, entered into service with WAGR in 1912, were only the third Garratt design to be produced and represented a significant step in the development of the type. The second batch, which consisted of seven units, was built in 1913/14 and designated as the Ms class due to the use of superheated steam. One of the engines from the first batch was retrofitted with a superheater and given a Ms classification. Msa The WAGR Msa class was a class of 2-6-0+0-6-2 Garratt articulated steam locomotives. The class was built at the Midland Railway Workshops and operated by the Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR) between 1930 and 1963. It was the first Garatt type to be designed and constructed entirely in Australia.
