Tell us something really trivial about your life (vol 24)
Discussion
SWTH said:
slopes said:
Agreed, it is very very therapeutic to sit and watch flames dance around, knowing that the reason they do that is down to you making it properly 
Indeed This particular fire was very therapeutic for me:
Not only was it in this:
But it also consisted of coal, wood and most importantly, all the uniform I had left from the employer I'd just resigned from
SWTH, that's an interesting steam engine, details if you would be so kind? slopes said:
SWTH said:
slopes said:
Agreed, it is very very therapeutic to sit and watch flames dance around, knowing that the reason they do that is down to you making it properly
Indeed This particular fire was very therapeutic for me:
Not only was it in this:
But it also consisted of coal, wood and most importantly, all the uniform I had left from the employer I'd just resigned from
It's a Beyer-Garratt.
The concept was patented in the early 1900's by Herbert William Garratt. The idea was to place the driven axles on separate subframes that pivoted under the boiler cradle. On these subframes the water and coal storage was mounted. This meant a much bigger boiler could be fitted and also give a lower centre of gravity. The concept was to provide a more powerful engine over lines where a conventional locomotive wouldn't fit (usually because of tight curves in mountainous terrain), and to avoid double-heading with the associated crew and maintenance costs.
Beyer Peacock of Manchester took on the concept and built the first one in 1909 - we have that one at the Welsh Highland Railway too
- the type became very popular in Africa and Australia. There were even a few built for UK railways. The last ones built by Beyer Peacock were a batch of 2ft gauge machines built for South African Railways in 1958 (though a further batch to the same design were locally assembled in SA in 1968 with boilers built by Hunslet in Leeds). 138 (the red machine in the picture) is one of the 1958 batch, we also have 143 - the last Garratt built by Beyer Peacock. Classified 'NGG16' by South African Railways, they're the most powerful machines in the world on 2ft gauge track - a pair on them generate more tractive effort than a Gresley A3 (Flying Scotsman). They weigh 62.5t in full working order, with 1,400 gallons of water capacity and 4.5t of coal capacity. Boiler pressure is 180lb/sq.in, tractive effort 21,500lbs.
The Welsh Highland Railway imported 3 in the mid '90's, to work between Caernarfon and Porthmadog. It's a very twisty, steeply graded route (over 8 miles of 1 in 40 gradients in both directions) climbing from sea level in Caernarfon to the summit at 670ft near the village of Rhyd Ddu, before dropping down through Beddgelert to sea level, in Porthmadog.
They are huge fun to crew, and get worked hard - unlike most standard gauge stuff that trundles along at 25mph, hardly working, on the WHR the conditions are exactly what they were designed for - heavy loads on long, steep gradients.
I'll sort some pics out in a bit if anyone's interested?
The concept was patented in the early 1900's by Herbert William Garratt. The idea was to place the driven axles on separate subframes that pivoted under the boiler cradle. On these subframes the water and coal storage was mounted. This meant a much bigger boiler could be fitted and also give a lower centre of gravity. The concept was to provide a more powerful engine over lines where a conventional locomotive wouldn't fit (usually because of tight curves in mountainous terrain), and to avoid double-heading with the associated crew and maintenance costs.
Beyer Peacock of Manchester took on the concept and built the first one in 1909 - we have that one at the Welsh Highland Railway too
- the type became very popular in Africa and Australia. There were even a few built for UK railways. The last ones built by Beyer Peacock were a batch of 2ft gauge machines built for South African Railways in 1958 (though a further batch to the same design were locally assembled in SA in 1968 with boilers built by Hunslet in Leeds). 138 (the red machine in the picture) is one of the 1958 batch, we also have 143 - the last Garratt built by Beyer Peacock. Classified 'NGG16' by South African Railways, they're the most powerful machines in the world on 2ft gauge track - a pair on them generate more tractive effort than a Gresley A3 (Flying Scotsman). They weigh 62.5t in full working order, with 1,400 gallons of water capacity and 4.5t of coal capacity. Boiler pressure is 180lb/sq.in, tractive effort 21,500lbs. The Welsh Highland Railway imported 3 in the mid '90's, to work between Caernarfon and Porthmadog. It's a very twisty, steeply graded route (over 8 miles of 1 in 40 gradients in both directions) climbing from sea level in Caernarfon to the summit at 670ft near the village of Rhyd Ddu, before dropping down through Beddgelert to sea level, in Porthmadog.
They are huge fun to crew, and get worked hard - unlike most standard gauge stuff that trundles along at 25mph, hardly working, on the WHR the conditions are exactly what they were designed for - heavy loads on long, steep gradients.
I'll sort some pics out in a bit if anyone's interested?
SWTH said:
It's a Beyer-Garratt.
Stuff
I'll sort some pics out in a bit if anyone's interested?
Yes please to pics!Stuff
I'll sort some pics out in a bit if anyone's interested?
And now having read that description, I realise I've seen that engine in the metal, at Porthmadog last Christmas/New year time
You simply cannot beat the smell of burning coal mingled with hot steam cylinder oil
Here's an engine I was helping to crew recently:
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