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South African class GG
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South Africa | 1925
only one produced
Photo from the Beyer, Peacock catalog, 1931
Photo from the Beyer, Peacock catalog, 1931

The sole member of the SAR class GG was a Double Prairie Garratt built for fast passenger service in the Touws River area. For this task it had the largest drivers yet seen on a Garratt in South Africa with 57 inches. A coal pusher was installed in the tender to ease the work of the fireman or 1,448 mm. It could reach a speed of 57 mph or 92 km/h, but at speed its running was somewhat unsteady due to the single leading axle. So it had to give way to 4-8-2 locomotives and was usually only used for slower passenger and freight trains. On an incline of 1 in 80 (1.25%) it could haul 1,245 tons, what was reduced to 340 tons on 1 in 40 (2.5%). It was withdrawn from active service in 1938 and scrapped nine years later.

General
Built1925
ManufacturerBeyer, Peacock & Co.
Wheel arr.2-6-2+2-6-2T (Double Prairie (Garratt)) 
Gauge3 ft 6 in (Cape gauge)
Dimensions and Weights
Wheelbase67 ft 4 in
Rigid wheelbase10 ft
Service weight330,848 lbs
Adhesive weight211,680 lbs
Axle load36,288 lbs
Water capacity5,524 us gal
Fuel capacity22,400 lbs (coal)
Boiler
Grate area52 sq ft
Firebox area210 sq ft
Tube heating area2,366 sq ft
Evaporative heating area2,576 sq ft
Superheater area390 sq ft
Total heating area2,966 sq ft
Power Plant
Driver diameter57 in
Boiler pressure180 psi
Expansion typesimple
Cylindersfour, 18 x 26 in
Power
Power sourcesteam
Estimated power1,700 hp (1,268 kW)
Top speed57 mph
Starting effort45,224 lbf
Calculated Values
steam locomotive
passenger
Garratt
last changed: 10/2025
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