For those wondering what a Garratt articulated is all about...

[silverstatespecialties]

...check out this site:
http://users.powernet.co.uk/hamilton/pics4.html

Great stuff! The Henschel-built Garratts had distinctly German-looking cabs; when you see one you instantly think "LGB!"

Interestingly, most users ran them in the traditional manner, with the water tender & smokebox facing forward...however, the South Africans typically ran their G-Class Garratts bunker forward, with the smokebox facing rearward, so the exhaust smoke blew to the rear and not in the operator's face.

Incidentally, I am scratchbuilding a 1/24-scale Rhodesian 15A-Class 4-6-4+4-6-4 using BBT 6-wheel drive units, but it is on hold until I sell my existing home and build a new one (probably resume scratchbuilding next Spring...sigh). It will be followed by a South African GMA/M 4-8-2+2-8-4, using BBT 8-wheel drivers.

[vsmith]

Thanks for the link, its good stuff. I was already pretty familiar with Garrat's and always wanted to scratchbuild an American Garratt the Baldwin should have, but never built.

[Anonymous]

Hi
I would have thought unless it was K1 it would have been too big for most backyards.
I thought Henschel built Malletes (spelling ?) and Garrets where built by Beyer Peacock
I don't know of any garrets in the US but they must have been looked at before the advent of the big articulated locomotives.
Regardless of which articulation system is used all I know with certanty is they make very impressive models even the baby's like K1
regards john

[CG9602]

I saw that site when first conducting research into what my Garratt kits will look like when I finish assembly. So far, I've got one GMAM almost finished (have to add on some handrails, re-do some running gear, and then test-run, test-run, test-run) but that site is very helpful. I think that site just might be the most valuable resource when assembling kits of Garratts.

No Garratts were built or used in North America. I think some operating and mechanical officers looked at all that moving gear and figured that they would be maintenance headaches.

[silverstatespecialties]

QUOTE: Originally posted by John Busby

Hi
I would have thought unless it was K1 it would have been too big for most backyards.
I thought Henschel built Malletes (spelling ?) and Garrets where built by Beyer Peacock
I don't know of any garrets in the US but they must have been looked at before the advent of the big articulated locomotives.
Regardless of which articulation system is used all I know with certanty is they make very impressive models even the baby's like K1
regards john

John, it just depends on the size of your backyard [:)]. A typical Garratt in G-Scale is about the same length as a double-headed locomotive set, and can handle curves quite well. In fact, a Garratt isn't much longer than the LGB Mallet loco.

As for other manufacturers, the list besides Beyer-Peacock was quite lengthy, and you can find it here:
http://users.powernet.co.uk/hamilton/other.html

I like the look of the Henschel cab on a Garratt, as well as the overall look of the Henschel Garratts built for use in Angola (#101-106, in 1953).

[silverstatespecialties]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CG9602

I saw that site when first conducting research into what my Garratt kits will look like when I finish assembly. So far, I've got one GMAM almost finished (have to add on some handrails, re-do some running gear, and then test-run, test-run, test-run) but that site is very helpful. I think that site just might be the most valuable resource when assembling kits of Garratts.

No Garratts were built or used in North America. I think some operating and mechanical officers looked at all that moving gear and figured that they would be maintenance headaches.

OOOH, will this GMA/M be G-scale??? I'd LOVE to see photos of it!! What drive unit did you use? I've been looking at alternatives to Barry's Big Train drive units ONLY for the sake of future availability, but have not yet contacted any dealers to see if I can purchase the drive units only (such as the new Aristo-Craft sealed-gear units). I'd be very interested to hear how construction has gone on this unit, especially drive units and side rods/gear linkage (I've obtained Walschaerts gear from Roundhouse Engineering to use).

Too bad no Garratts were considered for North American use; they served well throughout South America and Africa. It seems that the Garratt's primary strength was on very windy, mountainous track, something the mainline US railroads had largely eliminated by the time the Garratt design was widely accepted...not to mention that the widespread introduction of low-cost diesel fuel early on didn't help much either. Many Garratt users favored steam well past the age of diesel, whether because of international sanctions (Rhodesia, South Africa) or an inability to afford imported diesel fuel (Zimbabwe, Angola, Mozambique, et al).

Guess we'll never know! Garratts will flourish in my new garden railway, once I sell this house and have a new one built...til then I'm in modeling purgatory.

[CG9602]

Sorry, Silverstates, my Garratts will be HO scale. I suppose I could post a few pics of them :) The kits have come from DJH Engineering, www.djhmodelloco.co.uk , The construction has taken quite some time for the first one, as some learning had to take place (These are the first engine kits that I've assembled. The rest of my locomotives have been R-T-R). hopefully the next few kits will go a bit easier now that I've had the chance to learn some lessons and get some skills and some tools.

[Anonymous]

What do you think about an Accucraft live steam NGG16?

Smokebox

[silverstatespecialties]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CG9602

Sorry, Silverstates, my Garratts will be HO scale. I suppose I could post a few pics of them :) The kits have come from DJH Engineering, www.djhmodelloco.co.uk , The construction has taken quite some time for the first one, as some learning had to take place (These are the first engine kits that I've assembled. The rest of my locomotives have been R-T-R). hopefully the next few kits will go a bit easier now that I've had the chance to learn some lessons and get some skills and some tools.

I've seen those and they are very nice! The South African Railways modelers speak highly of them.

[silverstatespecialties]

QUOTE: Originally posted by smokebox1

What do you think about an Accucraft live steam NGG16?

Smokebox

I WANT ONE!!

I wonder if it will be configured to run on 45mm track width, or the more prototypical 32mm (ala 0-guage) track, as the NGG-series were 2-footers? How exciting!!! When they make it available, it will be my first live-steamer! I can't wait!!

Thanks SB!!

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by silverstatespecialties

...check out this site:
http://users.powernet.co.uk/hamilton/pics4.html

Great stuff! The Henschel-built Garratts had distinctly German-looking cabs; when you see one you instantly think "LGB!"

Interestingly, most users ran them in the traditional manner, with the water tender & smokebox facing forward...however, the South Africans typically ran their G-Class Garratts bunker forward, with the smokebox facing rearward, so the exhaust smoke blew to the rear and not in the operator's face.

Incidentally, I am scratchbuilding a 1/24-scale Rhodesian 15A-Class 4-6-4+4-6-4 using BBT 6-wheel drive units, but it is on hold until I sell my existing home and build a new one (probably resume scratchbuilding next Spring...sigh). It will be followed by a South African GMA/M 4-8-2+2-8-4, using BBT 8-wheel drivers.

[Anonymous]

ive always like garratts cuz my name is: garrett
lol[8D][8D][8D][:D][:D][:D]
sorry id like to buy one of those kits where u take the 2 LGB porter trucks and u have a garratt!

[Anonymous]

These steam locomotives have always intrigued, me those 4 driver types would work nicely in my garden railway if more along the USA outline.

mikadousrp

[Bucksco]

Did someone say LGB...

[Anonymous]

Well Jack

That is a nice model - but it was put out to the market in 2001?

(and how well did it sell?)

If LGB is serious about a Garratt, what about the 400 class that Franco Belge built under licence for the South Australian Railways.

Even using LGBs unofficial 22.5:1 it would sit nicely as a metre gauge (whats 67mm between friends and be about 1.3m (about 4 feet for the unmetricated) about a foot longer than the NGG

Being Beyers Standard Light Garratt it would satifisy the Australian LGB (us here in South Australian, and the tropically affected Banana Benders in Queensland) enthusiast and the "other" SAR enthusiasts in South Africa for the EAR "60"'s, the Burmese enthusiast, and those who love the Luanda Railways - that must make it a profitable proposition - a total market of 6!!!!

R1 compatibility not a problem for me!

The challenge for LGB would be to make it gauge convertable - to cover 42", 56.5 and 63" that the 400 were designed to work.

To see a real 400, sadly none in steam - http://www.natrailmuseum.org.au/exhibits/nrm_409.html.

The next step is to take a power unit and create a Silverton or WAGR W - These were apparently spun out from the SLG power unit after Beyer recognised issues with the original design proposed by Mills!

Heres some pix of a W (a Silverton one) - http://www.natrailmuseum.org.au/exhibits/nrm_w25.html (there are a few in steam in WA (see www.hvtr.org.au) and a couple ambling along at one of the tourist railways here in SA (www.prr.org.au)

[RhB_HJ]

Hi all,

For those interested in garratts have a look at this website http://www.garrattmaker.com/
All built to run on 45mm track, but forget about R1 it requires a five foot+ radius.

Don't drool on the keyboard or the monitor![;)][;)][:)][:)]

[cabbage]

Ok settle down now -"Sir" is going to speak....

The principle builders of Garratts were Messrs Beyer Peacock of Gorton Manchester. The first Garratt sold for use in Africa was by Franco Belge SA. Garratts were also made by North British Locomotive for the SAR/SASw -however you will never find them listed...

As to compounded Garratts there were two -the K series for The Tasmanian Govt Railways and the one built for the Royal Thai railways.

Tha Australian Standard Garratt was a disaster -my father who examined one last February was horrified!!!

As to Garratts in the US of A -well there is one ex SAR/SASw NGG16 in Texas. Interestingly enough the 'super garratt' or 'mallett garratt' design was licenced to ALCO and a railway in North Texas was a potential customer.

Interestingly enough in my collection of articulated locomotives I only have one garratt -and this is the US designed ACE 6000G -which was never made.

Growing up in Bulawayo Shop (Pop was 'outreach' for Beyer Peacock) and going to school on Garratts does sort of give you a love of the things!!!

The EAR locos always ran smoke stack forwards to keep the crew warm and both the RR and SAR/SASw ran there locos cab forwards -to keep the crew cool!

regards

ralph

[Anonymous]

Ah Yes,

The Australian Standard Garratt - another of Mills Masterpieces - the subject of a rather long enquiry.

The last one left is at the Williamstown Museum in Melbourne - also home to Heav Harry http://www.australiansteam.com/vic/g33.jpg

heres a tassie link http://www.railtasmania.com/loco/garratts.htm