South African Class GCA 2-6-2+2-6-2

South African Class GCA 2-6-2+2-6-2

No. 2615 at Greyville, November 1971
Type and origin
♠ First order - Second order
Power type Steam
Designer South African Railways
(Col F.R. Collins DSO)
Builder Friedrich Krupp AG
Serial number 970-982, 1042-1068
Model Class GCA
Build date 1927-1928
Total produced 39
Specifications
Configuration 2-6-2+2-6-2 (Double Prairie)
Driver 3rd & 4th coupled axles
Gauge 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) Cape gauge
Leading dia. 28 12 in (724 mm)
Coupled dia. 42 34 in (1,086 mm)
Trailing dia. 28 12 in (724 mm)
Wheelbase 56 ft 8 in (17,272 mm)
  Engine 17 ft 8 14 in (5,391 mm) each
  Coupled 8 ft (2,438 mm) each
Pivot centres 29 ft 8 in (9,042 mm)
Length:
  Over couplers 64 ft 9 in (19,736 mm)
Height 12 ft 7 in (3,835 mm)
Frame type Bar
Axle load ♠ 11 LT 16 cwt (11,990 kg)
11 LT 14 cwt (11,890 kg)
  Leading ♠ 10 LT 2 cwt (10,260 kg) front
10 LT 17 cwt (11,020 kg) rear
10 LT 10 cwt (10,670 kg) front
10 LT 9 cwt (10,620 kg) rear
  1st coupled ♠ 10 LT 19 cwt (11,130 kg)
10 LT 16 cwt (10,970 kg)
  2nd coupled ♠ 10 LT 12 cwt (10,770 kg)
10 LT 19 cwt (11,130 kg)
  3rd coupled ♠ 10 LT 12 cwt (10,770 kg)
10 LT 19 cwt (11,130 kg)
  4th coupled ♠ 11 LT 2 cwt (11,280 kg)
11 LT 13 cwt (11,840 kg)
  5th coupled ♠ 11 LT 2 cwt (11,280 kg)
11 LT 14 cwt (11,890 kg)
  6th coupled ♠ 11 LT 16 cwt (11,990 kg)
10 LT 16 cwt (10,970 kg)
  Trailing ♠ 8 LT 8 cwt (8,535 kg) front
8 LT 16 cwt (8,941 kg) rear
8 LT 14 cwt (8,840 kg) front
9 LT 6 cwt (9,449 kg) rear
Adhesive weight ♠ 66 LT 3 cwt (67,210 kg)
66 LT 17 cwt (67,920 kg)
Loco weight ♠ 104 LT 6 cwt (106,000 kg)
105 LT 16 cwt (107,500 kg)
Fuel type Coal
Fuel capacity 7 LT (7.1 t)
Water cap 2,000 imp gal (9,090 l) front
1,000 imp gal (4,550 l) rear
Firebox type Belpaire
  Firegrate area 34 sq ft (3.2 m2)
Boiler:
  Pitch 7 ft 4 38 in (2,245 mm)
  Diameter 5 ft 2 in (1,575 mm)
  Tube plates 11 ft 3 58 in (3,445 mm)
  Small tubes 141: 2 in (51 mm)
  Large tubes 24: 5 12 in (140 mm)
Boiler pressure 180 psi (1,241 kPa)
Safety valve Pop
Heating surface 1,388 sq ft (128.9 m2)
  Tubes 1,225 sq ft (113.8 m2)
  Arch tubes 21 sq ft (2.0 m2)
  Firebox 142 sq ft (13.2 m2)
Superheater:
  Heating area 331 sq ft (30.8 m2)
Cylinders Four
Cylinder size 14 in (356 mm) bore
23 in (584 mm) stroke
Valve gear Walschaerts
Valve type Piston
Couplers AAR knuckle
Performance figures
Tractive effort 28,470 lbf (126.6 kN) @ 75%
Career
Operators South African Railways
Class Class GCA
Number in class 39
Numbers 2190-2202, 2600-2625
Delivered 1927-1928
First run 1927
Withdrawn 1975

The South African Railways Class GCA 2-6-2+2-6-2 of 1927 was an articulated steam locomotive.

In 1927, the South African Railways placed thirteen Class GCA Garratt articulated steam locomotives with a 2-6-2+2-6-2 Double Prairie type wheel arrangement in branchline service. Another batch of twenty-six locomotives was acquired in 1928.[1][2][3]

Manufacturer

Col F.R. Collins DSO

The Class GCA 2-6-2+2-6-2 Double Prairie type Garratt steam locomotive was built to the specifications and design of Colonel F.R. Collins DSO, Chief Mechanical Engineer of the South African Railways (SAR), based on the design of the Class GC Garratt. Thirteen locomotives were ordered from Friedrich Krupp AG of Essen in Germany, who delivered them during October 1927, numbered in the range from 2190 to 2202.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]

A second order for another 26 locomotives was placed with the same manufacturer in 1928. These were numbered in the range from 2600 to 2625 when they were delivered during August in that same year.[1][3][4][5]

Characteristics

The Class GCA had the same tractive effort and main dimensions as the Class GC, but was built on bar frames instead of plate frames. They also differed in general appearance by having round-topped fireboxes, compared to the Belpaire fireboxes of the Class GC, and with water tanks and built-up coal bunkers of a different shape. The second batch of locomotives differed slightly from the first, being 1 long ton 10 hundredweight (1,524 kilograms) heavier. Like the predecessor Class GC, they were all superheated and had Walschaerts valve gear.[1][3]

The Class GCA proved to be good locomotives, although some trouble was experienced with coupling rods breaking, much of which was attributed to running them at excessive speed to maintain schedules, with their small coupled wheel diameter of only 42 34 inches (1,086 millimetres).[1][2][3]

Experience showed that the performance of these locomotives could have been better if they had been fitted with somewhat larger cylinders, since their boilers still had an appreciable margin of capacity.[2]

Service

The first batch of locomotives were placed in service on the Natal South Coast line, while the second batch were distributed wherever their services were required. These could be found working around Pietermaritzburg on the Donnybrook to Underberg and Greytown to Mount Alida branchlines, while some ended up at Nelspruit in the Eastern Transvaal Lowveld, for service on the Graskop branchline.[1][2][3]

By 1973, the thirty-nine original members of the Class had dwindled to seven, all stationed at Mason's Mill in Pietermaritzburg, from where they still worked the light rail Underberg branch, often double-heading. By April of that year, however, the number had dropped to five. They were all withdrawn from service in October 1975. One of their last tasks was to work the track re-railing train which laid the heavier rails which enabled diesel-electric locomotives to finally replace them.[7]

Knuckle couplers

Transition era knuckle coupler

In 1927, the SAR began to convert the couplers of its Cape Gauge rolling stock from the bell-shaped link-and-pin coupling system, which had been in use since the establishment of the Cape Government Railways in 1873, to AAR knuckle couplers. Judging from the official SAR Locomotive Diagram Book, the dimensional drawings as published by Holland, which were for the most part based on the original as-delivered and unmodified loco­motives, as well as contemporary photographs, the Class GCA were acquired new with knuckle couplers fitted, as were the Classes 18, GF, HF and U, which also entered service in 1927.[1][4][5]

Conversion of all rolling stock was to take several years and both coupler types could still be seen on rolling stock into the late 1950s. During the transition period, knuckle couplers on locomotives had a horizontal gap and a vertical hole in the knuckle itself to accommodate, respectively, a link and a pin, to enable it to couple to vehicles which were still equipped with the older link-and-pin couplers.[1][4][5]

Illustration

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Holland, D.F. (1972). Steam Locomotives of the South African Railways, Volume 2: 1910-1955 (1st ed.). Newton Abbott, Devon: David & Charles. pp. 52–54. ISBN 978-0-7153-5427-8.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Espitalier, T.J.; Day, W.A.J. (1946). The Locomotive in South Africa - A Brief History of Railway Development. Chapter VII - South African Railways (Continued). South African Railways and Harbours Magazine, January 1946. pp. 12-13.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Paxton, Leith; Bourne, David (1985). Locomotives of the South African Railways (1st ed.). Cape Town: Struik. p. 90. ISBN 0869772112.
  4. 1 2 3 4 South African Railways & Harbours/Suid Afrikaanse Spoorweë en Hawens (15 Aug 1941). Locomotive Diagram Book/Lokomotiefdiagramboek, 3'6" Gauge/Spoorwydte. SAR/SAS Mechanical Department/Werktuigkundige Dept. Drawing Office/Tekenkantoor, Pretoria. p. 30.
  5. 1 2 3 4 South African Railways & Harbours/Suid Afrikaanse Spoorweë en Hawens (15 Aug 1941). Locomotive Diagram Book/Lokomotiefdiagramboek, 2'0" & 3'6" Gauge/Spoorwydte, Steam Locomotives/Stoomlokomotiewe. SAR/SAS Mechanical Department/Werktuigkundige Dept. Drawing Office/Tekenkantoor, Pretoria. p. 30.
  6. Hamilton, Gavin N., The Garratt Locomotive - Garratt Locomotives from Other Builders, retrieved 10 November 2012
  7. 1 2 Durrant, A E (1989). Twilight of South African Steam (1st ed.). Newton Abbott, London: David & Charles. p. 110. ISBN 0715386387.
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