South African Class GO 4-8-2+2-8-4

No. 2592 staged at De Aar, 14 November 1979

Type and origin
Power type	Steam
Designer	South African Railways (L.C. Grubb)
Builder	Henschel and Son
Serial number	Henschel 28705-28729
Model	Class GO
Build date	1953
Total produced	25

Specifications
Configuration:
• Whyte	4-8-2+2-8-4 (Double Mountain)
• UIC	2'D1'+1'D2'h4t
Driver	3rd & 6th coupled axles
Gauge	3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) Cape gauge
Leading dia.	30 in (762 mm)
Coupled dia.	54 in (1,372 mm)
Trailing dia.	30 in (762 mm)
Tender wheels	34 in (864 mm)
Minimum curve	275 ft (84 m)
Wheelbase	86 ft 4 in (26,314 mm)
• Engine	30 ft 4 in (9,246 mm) each
• Leading	6 ft 10 in (2,083 mm) each
• Coupled	14 ft 5 in (4,394 mm) each
Pivot centres	45 ft (13,716 mm)
Wheel spacing (Asymmetrical)	1-2: 4 ft 10 in (1,473 mm) 2-3: 4 ft 9 in (1,448 mm) 3-4: 4 ft 10 in (1,473 mm)
Length:
• Over couplers	93 ft 10 in (28,600 mm)
Height	13 ft (3,962 mm)
Frame type	Cast
Axle load	13 LT 8 cwt (13,620 kg)
• Leading	20 LT 12 cwt (20,930 kg) front 20 LT 18 cwt (21,240 kg) rear
• 1st coupled	13 LT 7 cwt (13,560 kg)
• 2nd coupled	13 LT 7 cwt (13,560 kg)
• 3rd coupled	13 LT 6 cwt (13,510 kg)
• 4th coupled	13 LT 6 cwt (13,510 kg)
• 5th coupled	13 LT 7 cwt (13,560 kg)
• 6th coupled	13 LT 7 cwt (13,560 kg)
• 7th coupled	13 LT 8 cwt (13,620 kg)
• 8th coupled	13 LT 8 cwt (13,620 kg)
• Trailing	11 LT 18 cwt (12,090 kg) front 11 LT 18 cwt (12,090 kg) rear
• Tender bogie	24 LT 17 cwt 3 qtr (25,290 kg)
• Tender axle	12 LT 8 cwt 3 qtr (12,640 kg)
Adhesive weight	106 LT 16 cwt (108,500 kg)
Loco weight	172 LT 2 cwt (174,900 kg)
Tender weight	49 LT 15 cwt 3 qtr (50,590 kg)
Total weight	221 LT 17 cwt 3 qtr (225,400 kg)
Tender type	X-17 (2-axle bogies) X-17, X-20 permitted
Fuel type	Coal
Fuel capacity	11 LT (11.2 t)
Water cap.	1,660 imp gal (7,550 L) front
Tender cap.	6,815 imp gal (31,000 L)
Firebox type	Round-top
• Firegrate area	56.6 sq ft (5.26 m²)
Boiler:
• Pitch	8 ft 9+1⁄2 in (2,680 mm)
• Diameter	6 ft 4+1⁄8 in (1,934 mm)
• Tube plates	13 ft 6+1⁄2 in (4,128 mm)
• Small tubes	241: 2 in (51 mm)
• Large tubes	36: 5+1⁄2 in (140 mm)
Boiler pressure	200 psi (1,379 kPa)
Safety valve	Ross-pop
Heating surface	2,625 sq ft (243.9 m²)
• Tubes	2,399 sq ft (222.9 m²)
• Arch tubes	26 sq ft (2.4 m²)
• Firebox	200 sq ft (19 m²)
Superheater:
• Heating area	546 sq ft (50.7 m²)
Cylinders	Four
Cylinder size	18+1⁄2 in (470 mm) bore 26 in (660 mm) stroke
Valve gear	Walschaerts
Valve type	Piston
Couplers	AAR knuckle

Performance figures
Tractive effort	49,430 lbf (219.9 kN) @ 75%

Career
Operators	South African Railways
Class	Class GO
Number in class	25
Numbers	2572-2596
Delivered	1954
First run	1954
Withdrawn	1977
Scrapped	1984

The South African Railways Class GO 4-8-2+2-8-4 of 1954 was an articulated steam locomotive.

In 1954, the South African Railways placed 25 Class GO light branch line tank-and-tender Garratt articulated steam locomotives with a 4-8-2+2-8-4 Double Mountain type wheel arrangement in service. It was the last new steam locomotive type to be acquired by the Railways.^[1]^[2]^[3]

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Transcription

Manufacturer

The Class GO 4-8-2+2-8-4 tank-and-tender Garratt locomotive was designed to operate on lighter rails. The designs were prepared in 1952 under the supervision of L.C. Grubb, the Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the SAR from 1949 to 1954, and an order for 25 of these locomotives was placed with Henschel and Son in Germany. Their construction immediately followed that of the first batch of the Class GMA Garratt, which was built by the same manufacturer.^[1]^[4]^[5]

They were built in 1953 and were delivered and placed in service in 1954, numbered in the range from 2572 to 2596. The Class GO turned out to be the last new steam locomotive type to be acquired by the Railways before full-scale electrification and dieselisation commenced. The Class 5E mainline electric locomotive entered service a year after the Class GO and the Class 31-000 diesel-electric locomotive followed in 1958.^[3]

Characteristics

In design and general appearance, the Class GO was very similar to the Class GMA and many parts were interchangeable. It was also superheated, with a mechanical stoker, Walschaerts valve gear and piston valves, and was built on an identical one-piece cast steel frame with Franklin spring-loaded wedge horns, manufactured by Commonwealth Steel Castings Corporation in the United States of America. The chief differences were aimed at reducing weight, such as a smaller boiler with a reduced diameter, a smaller firebox and firegrate area and a half ton smaller capacity coal bunker.^[1]^[3]^[6]^[7]

The boiler was of telescopic construction with an inside diameter of 6 feet 2+3⁄4 inches (1,899 millimetres) at the first ring and 6 feet 4+1⁄8 inches (1,934 millimetres) at the firebox end. As a result of the smaller diameter boiler, the Class GO had a slightly longer chimney than the Class GMA. On the coal bunker, the reduced capacity involved altering the inverted "L" front end profile of the Class GMA bunker to a "\" profile on the Class GO bunker, as well as lowering the bunker height from more or less in line with the cab roof on the Class GMA to somewhat below the cab roofline on the Class GO.^[1]

The engine units were identical to those of the Class GMA, except that the cylinders were lined and sleeved to reduce the bore from 20+1⁄2 to 18+1⁄2 inches (521 to 470 millimetres) to suit the smaller boiler. This resulted in a correspondingly reduced tractive effort, from 60,700 to 49,430 pounds-force (270.0 to 219.9 kilonewtons) at 75% of boiler pressure. It also had roller bearing axle boxes on all wheels, but not on the crank-pins, with cannon boxes on all axles, except those of the inner Bissel trucks which had outside bearings. It had mechanical lubrication throughout, self-adjusting pivots, a U-shaped foundation ring welded to the inner and outer firebox bottom edges, and an all-welded firebox. The engine units also had Commonwealth cast steel type frames..^[1]^[3]^[6]^[7]

Like the Classes GM and GMA, the Class GO was a tank-and-tender Garratt. As was done with the Class GM and Class GMA, the Class GO carried water only in its front tank, while the rear bunker carried only coal. The meagre water supply was augmented by semi-permanently coupling a purpose-built Type X-17 water tender with a capacity of 6,815 imperial gallons (31,000 litres) to the locomotive. The Class GO and the first batch of the Class GMA were both equipped with the second version of the Type X-17 water tender which was built in 1953. The tenders were numbered for their engines and were painted black with red buffer beams.^[1]

To minimise rail stress, coupled wheel balancing was arranged to limit the hammer blow effect to a maximum of one ton per wheel at 45 miles per hour (72 kilometres per hour). The end result was a locomotive with a maximum axle load of 13 long tons 8 hundredweight (13,620 kilograms) which could operate on 45 pounds per yard (22 kilograms per metre) rails. It could negotiate curves of 275 feet (84 metres) radius with a gauge widening of not more than 3⁄4 inch (19 millimetres) and a superelevation of 4+1⁄2 inches (114 millimetres).^[1]^[3]^[6]^[7]

The most obvious visible differences between the Class GMA and Class GO were their coal bunker front ends, with the inverted "L" profile of the Class GMA and the "\" profile of the Class GO, and the longer chimney of the Class GO. On both locomotives, the engines for their mechanical stokers were situated in the cutout on the front or cabside ends of their coal bunkers, but on the right or driver's side on the Class GMA and on the left or stoker's side on the Class GO.^[1]

Service

Upon delivery, they were briefly put on trials on the line from Krugersdorp to Zeerust, after which they were relocated to the line from Belfast to Steelpoort in the Eastern Transvaal, shedded at Lydenburg. This is one of the toughest lines on the SAR with a ruling gradient of 1 in 33 (3%), which climbs in 95 miles (153 kilometres) from a nadir at an altitude of 2,427 feet (740 metres) to the summit at Nederhorst at 6,875 feet (2,096 metres), the highest point on the SAR.^[3]^[7]^[8]

When the Steelpoort line was dieselised in 1972, the locomotives went to work on the branch line from Umtata to Amabele in Transkei and on the Greytown branch line out of Pietermaritzburg in Natal. They were unpopular in Transkei, however, being too small to replace two Class 14CRB locomotives, while their coupled wheelbase per engine unit was longer than that of the Class 14CRB and therefore took less kindly to the sharp curves at the Kei River crossing.^[7]

As a result, the Transkei locomotives were soon also relocated to Natal, where most of them ended up on the North Coast line, shedded at Stanger, Empangeni and Gingindlovu. From Empangeni, they also worked the line to Golela on the Swaziland border and they also served briefly on the Eshowe and Nkwalini branch lines. They were soon withdrawn from the Eshowe branch, however, as a result of their tendency to start fires while climbing the 1 in 30 (3⅓%) gradients through sugar cane fields.^[1]^[3]^[6]^[7]

Like the Class GMA, the Class GO was a successful locomotive which gave good service. However, after they were displaced by diesel-electric locomotives, the whole Class was relocated to De Aar in 1977, where the locomotives spent seven years standing idle before they were abruptly all written off in 1984 after only 22 years of actual revenue service. None were sold into industrial service.^[1]^[6]

Preservation

Of the Class GO, only one survived into preservation. By 2018

Number	Works nmr	THF / Private	Leaselend / Owner	Current Location	Outside SOUTH AFRICA	?
2575	Hensc 28705	THF	Transnet Heritage Foundation	Outiniqua Transport Museum

Illustration

The main picture shows no. 2592 staged at the De Aar loco depot in 1979. The only preserved Class GO locomotive is no. 2575 which is on display at the Outeniqua Transport Museum in George.

No. 2583 at Germiston Shed, 16 September 1973
No. 2575 on an excursion trip, George, 30 May 2005
No. 2575 at the Outeniqua Transport Museum, 26 August 2012

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to South African Class GO 4-8-2+2-8-4.

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j Holland, D. F. (1972). Steam Locomotives of the South African Railways. Vol. 2: 1910-1955 (1st ed.). Newton Abbott, England: David & Charles. pp. 113–114. ISBN 978-0-7153-5427-8.
^ South African Railways and Harbours Locomotive Diagram Book, 2'0" & 3'6" Gauge Steam Locomotives, 15 August 1941, as amended
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Paxton, Leith; Bourne, David (1985). Locomotives of the South African Railways (1st ed.). Cape Town: Struik. p. 96. ISBN 0869772112.
^ Hamilton, Gavin N., The Garratt Locomotive - Garratt Locomotives from Other Builders, retrieved 10 November 2012
^ Henschel-Lieferliste (Henschel & Son works list), compiled by Dietmar Stresow
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Durrant, AE (1989). Twilight of South African Steam (1st ed.). Newton Abbott: David & Charles. p. 118. ISBN 0715386387.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Durrant, A.E. (1981). Garratt Locomotives of the World. David & Charles. pp. 132-136. ISBN 0-7153-7641-1.
^ Soul of A Railway, System 7, Western Transvaal, based in Johannesburg, Part 24: Krugersdorp-Zeerust-Mafeking (Home Signal), Part 1 by Les Pivnic. Caption 9. (Accessed on 5 May 2017)

Locomotives of South Africa

Steam

7' ¼" gauge	East London 0-4-0VB Table Bay 0-4-0ST Table Bay 0-4-0T Table Bay 0-4-0WT
Standard gauge	Cape 0-4-0T Blackie Cape 0-4-2 Cape 2-4-0T CGR 0-4-0ST Aid Natal 0-4-0ST Durban Natal 0-4-0WT Natal Natal 4-4-0T Perseverance
Cape gauge Tank engines	CGR 0-4-0ST 1873 CGR 0-4-0ST 1874 CGR 0-4-0ST 1881 CGR 0-4-0ST 1881 Coffee Pot CGR 0-6-0ST CGR 0-6-0T CGR 2-6-0ST 1900 CGR 2-6-0ST 1902 CGR 1st Class 0-4-0ST 1875 CGR 1st Class 0-4-0ST 1876 CGR 1st Class 2-6-0ST CGR 1st Class 4-4-0T CGR 2nd Class 4-4-0T CGR 3rd Class 2-6-0T CGR Railmotor CSAR Class C CSAR Class E CSAR Rack 4-6-4RT CSAR Railmotor Durban's Congella Durban's Edward Innes Durban's John Milne Durban's Sir Albert Port Elizabeth 0-4-0ST Kowie Railway 0-6-0T Kowie Railway 4-4-0T Metropolitan & Suburban 4-6-2T NGR 2-6-0T Durban & Pietermaritzburg NGR Class I 2-6-2T NGR Class K 0-4-0ST NGR Class K 0-6-0ST NGR Class K 2-6-0T NZASM 10 Tonner NZASM 13 Tonner NZASM 14 Tonner NZASM 18 Tonner NZASM 19 Tonner NZASM 32 Tonner NZASM 40 Tonner PPR 26 Tonner PPR 35 Tonner Portuguese SAR Class A SAR Class B SAR Class C SAR Class C1 SAR Class C2 SAR Class D SAR Class E SAR Class F SAR Class G SAR Class H SAR Class H1 SAR Class H2 SAR Class J SAR Class K SAR Railmotor SAR Dock 0-4-0ST SAR Dock 0-4-0T SWA 2-8-0T
Cape gauge Tender engines	CGR 1st Class 2-6-0 1876 BP CGR 1st Class 2-6-0 1876 Kitson CGR 1st Class 2-6-0 1879 CGR 1st Class 2-6-0 1891 CGR 1st Class 4-4-0 CGR 1st Class 4-4-0TT CGR 2nd Class 2-6-2TT CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1883 CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1884 CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1889 CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1898 CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1901 CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1903 CGR 4th Class 4-4-2 CGR 4th Class 4-6-0TT 1880 CGR 4th Class 4-6-0TT 1882 CGR 4th Class 4-6-0TT 1882 Joy CGR 4th Class 4-6-0TT 1884 CGR 5th Class 4-6-0 1890 CGR 5th Class 4-6-0 1891 NGR Havelock NGR Class I SAR Class Exp 1 SAR Class Exp 2 SAR Class Exp 3 SAR Class Exp 4 SAR Class Exp 5 SAR Class Exp 6 SAR Class S SAR Class S1 SAR Class S2 SAR Class 1 SAR Class 1A SAR Class 1B SAR Class 2 SAR Class 2C SAR Class 3 SAR Class 3A SAR Class 3B SAR Class 4 SAR Class 4A SAR Class 5 SAR Class 5A SAR Class 5B SAR Class 6 SAR Class 6A SAR Class 6B SAR Class 6C SAR Class 6D SAR Class 6E SAR Class 6F SAR Class 6G SAR Class 6H SAR Class 6J SAR Class 6K SAR Class 6L SAR Class 6Y SAR Class 6Z SAR Class 7 SAR Class 7A SAR Class 7B SAR Class 7C SAR Class 7D SAR Class 7E SAR Class 7F SAR Class 8 SAR Class 8A SAR Class 8B SAR Class 8C SAR Class 8D SAR Class 8E SAR Class 8F SAR Class 8R SAR Class 8X SAR Class 8Y SAR Class 8Z SAR Class 9 SAR Class 10 SAR Class 10A SAR Class 10B SAR Class 10C SAR Class 10D SAR Class 11 SAR Class 12 SAR Class 12A SAR Class 12B SAR Class 13 SAR Class 14 SAR Class 14A SAR Class 14B SAR Class 14C 1st SAR Class 14C 2nd SAR Class 14C 3rd SAR Class 14C 4th SAR Class 15 SAR Class 15A SAR Class 15B SAR Class 15C SAR Class 15CA SAR Class 15E SAR Class 15F SAR Class 16 SAR Class 16A SAR Class 16B SAR Class 16C SAR Class 16D SAR Class 16DA 1928 SAR Class 16DA 1930 SAR Class 16E SAR Class 17 SAR Class 18 SAR Class 19 SAR Class 19A SAR Class 19B SAR Class 19C SAR Class 19D SAR Class 20 SAR Class 21 SAR Class 23 SAR Class 24 SAR Class 25 SAR Class 25NC SAR Class 26 SAR Katanga SWA 2-8-0
Cape gauge Articulated engines	CGR Fairlie CGR Kitson-Meyer SAR Class FC SAR Class FD SAR Class GA SAR Class GB SAR Class GC SAR Class GCA SAR Class GD SAR Class GDA SAR Class GE SAR Class GEA SAR Class GF SAR Class GG SAR Class GH SAR Class GK SAR Class GL SAR Class GM SAR Class GMA SAR Class GO SAR Class HF SAR Class KM SAR Class MA SAR Class MB SAR Class MC SAR Class MC1 SAR Class MD SAR Class ME SAR Class MF SAR Class MG SAR Class MH SAR Class MJ SAR Class MJ1 SAR Class U
2' 6" gauge	Cape Copper John King & Miner Cape Copper Britannia Cape Copper Caledonia Cape Copper Clara Cape Copper Condenser Cape Copper Scotia Namaqua Copper Pioneer Walvis Bay 2-4-2T Hope
2' & 600mm gauges	ACR Class NG-G16A CGR NG 0-4-0T CGR NG 0-6-0T CGR NG 4-6-2T CGR Type A 2-6-4T CGR Type C 0-4-0T NGR Class N 4-6-2T SAR Dutton SAR NG 0-4-0T SAR Class NG1 SAR Class NG2 SAR Class NG3 SAR Class NG4 SAR Class NG5 SAR Class NG6 SAR Class NG7 SAR Class NG8 SAR Class NG9 SAR Class NG10 SAR Class NG-G11 SAR Class NG-G12 SAR Class NG-G13 SAR Class NG-G14 SAR Class NG15 SAR Class NG-G16 SWA Class Ha SWA Class Hb SWA Class Hc SWA Class Hd SWA Jung SWA Zwillinge

Electric

Amcoal Class E38

Gas-electric

SAR Gas-electric

Diesel

Cape gauge Diesel-electric	PRASA Class Afro 4000 SAR Class DS SAR Class DS1 SAR Class 31-000 SAR Class 32-000 SAR Class 32-200 SAR Class 33-000 SAR Class 33-200 SAR Class 33-400 SAR Class 34-000 SAR Class 34-200 SAR Class 34-400 SAR Class 34-500 SAR Class 34-600 SAR Class 34-800 SAR Class 34-900 SAR Class 35-000 SAR Class 35-200 SAR Class 35-400 SAR Class 35-600 TFR Class 35-800 SAR Class 36-000 SAR Class 36-200 SAR Class 37-000 Spoornet Class 39-000 TFR Class 39-200 TFR Class 43-000 TFR Class 44-000 TFR Class 45-000
2' gauge Diesel-electric	SAR Class 91-000
Cape gauge Diesel-hydraulic	SAR Class 61-000
Cape gauge Electro-diesel	Spoornet Class 38-000