Australian Standard Garratt

The Australian Standard Garratt (ASG) was a Garratt steam engine designed in Australia during the Second World War, which was utilised on various narrow railway systems, these being Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania.

Overview

The narrow gauge (3 ft 6 in (1067 mm)) Australian Standard Garratt (ASG) of 1943, a 4-8-2+2-8-4 locomotive was designed during the crisis days of World War II immediately following the bombing of Darwin. As an emergency measure the Australian Land Board designed a new class of Garratt in Melbourne. The Australian government sought to obtain drawings and licenses from Beyer-Peacock but this was denied. The class of 65 locomotives was designed in 1942 and built from scratch within four months in 1943 and construction lasted until 1945. The locomotives delivered 34,521 lbs of tractive effort. A major flaw in the Australian design was the unflanged leading drivers which derailed on curves and points. Twenty-three ASGs saw service in Queensland, where crews hated them and eventually refused to work them and they were withdrawn. In Western Australia twenty-five ASGs saw service until they too were withdrawn following industrial disputes.

In Tasmania, however, following modifications, the ASG locomotives remained in government railway service until 1957. Also in that state the Emu Bay Railway in Western Tasmania operated ASG surplus Garratts until 1966.

Some WAGR ASGs were sold to South Australia and used for coal haulage until 1956. In Victoria, only one ASG was known to be used, at Fyansford cement works near Geelong and this locomotive withdrawn in 1966, is now a static display at Williamstown.

Because of differences between the states, especially loading gauge, sharpness of curves and axle load, especially in Queensland, the design inevitably had to be a compromise, which went against the idea of having a standard design. At least one problem that made the locomotives unpopular with locomotive crews was the way the firebox door opened flat on the floor, maximizing heat radiation into the crew compartment.

Queensland and South Australia both purchased much more successful designs of Garratt engines from Beyer-Peacock, post-war, which lasted until the end of steam.

Although produced for heavy work during war-time, few engines lasted through the 1950s, and most were scrapped in that decade. On the other hand, the design was relatively successful on the private Emu Bay Railway.

In Western Australia the use of the Australian Standard Garratt of the 1940s through the state's only tunnel at Swan View caused serious problems as stated above, resulting in deaths and a Royal Commission. Designed and built in Victoria in 1943, the ASG was also used in Queensland. However, by September 1945 the class had been withdrawn, as it had a tendency to derail due to its unflanged leading coupled wheels. Queensland Rail later introduced Beyer Garratts and these were considerably more successful than the ASG.

In Tasmania the Emu Bay Railway utilised ASG engines with success and few problems at the same time. Tasmania by coincidence was also the location of the railway to run the very first Garratt locomotives the TGR K Class (K1 and K2).

Preservation

One ASG survives Australian Portland Cement No. G33 (V.R. Newport, 1945) at the Williamstown Railway Museum in North Williamstown, Melbourne, Victoria.

References

• Barry, Kevin, Labour divided : the Garratt strike of 1946. Papers in labour history, No.17(Dec.1996), p.46-67.
• Western Australia. Royal Commission Appointed to Inquire into Australian Standard Garratt Locomotive. Perth : Govt. Printer, 1946.
• Oberg, Leon, Locomotives of Australia, Reed, Sydney, 1975