SAR NGG 13 Class - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

In 1927 and 1928 the South African Railways placed twelve Class NG G13 Garratt

Garratt

A Garratt is a type of steam locomotive that is articulated in three parts. Its boiler is mounted on the centre frame, and two steam engines are mounted on separate frames, one on each end of the boiler. Articulation permits larger locomotives to negotiate curves and lighter rails that might...

articulated steam locomotive

Steam locomotive

A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...

s with a 2-6-2+2-6-2

2-6-2+2-6-2

A 2-6-2+2-6-2, in the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives by wheel arrangement, is an articulated locomotive type used on Garratt and Fairlie locomotives...

wheel arrangement in service on the Langkloof

Langkloof

Langkloof is a 160 km long valley in South Africa, lying between Herold, a small village north of George, and Humansdorp. The kloof was given its name by Isaq Schrijver in 1689, and more thoroughly explored by a later expedition under ensign August Frederik Beutler in 1752.The valley has been...

and Alfred County Railway narrow gauge lines.

Manufacturer

In 1927 Hannoversche Maschinenbau AG

Hanomag

Hanomag was a German producer of steam locomotives, tractors, trucks and military vehicles. Hanomag first achieved international fame by delivering a large number of steam locomotives to Romania and Bulgaria before World War I....

(Hanomag), in consultation with the South African Railways (SAR), designed a locomotive which was to become the standard 2 feet (609.6 mm) narrow gauge Garratt locomotive in South Africa for the next forty years. It was greatly improved from the Class NG G11

South African Class NG G11 2-6-0+0-6-2

Between 1919 and 1925 the South African Railways placed five Class NG G11 Garratt articulated steam locomotives with a 2-6-0+0-6-2 wheel arrangement in service on the Avontuur narrow gauge line through the Langkloof and also in Natal...

, with trailing wheels added to each engine unit, outside bar frames instead of plate frames, round top fireboxes instead of Belpaire firebox

Belpaire firebox

The Belpaire firebox is a type of firebox used on steam locomotives. It was invented by Alfred Belpaire of Belgium. It has a greater surface area at the top of the firebox, improving heat transfer and steam production...

es, and larger dimensions in most respects except the grate area.

The initial order was for three Class NG G13 locomotives, numbers 58 to 60, that were delivered and placed in service in 1927. These locomotives were superheated and sported an extremely compact arrangement of Walschaerts valve gear and outside bar frames. The pilot wheels were arranged as conventional pony trucks, while the inner carrying wheels were built to the Gölsdorf

Gölsdorf axle

The Gölsdorf axle system is used on railway locomotives to achieve quiet running and low wear-and-tear when negotiating curves. It comprises a combination of fixed axles and axles that can slide radially, all within a single, rigid locomotive frame....

system that allowed the axle some lateral movement.

Performance trials of the Class NG G13 proved it to be both powerful and free steaming, despite having a smaller grate area than the predecessor Class NG G11. This resulted in an immediate order for another two locomotives, numbers 49 and 50, and even before these were delivered, another seven, numbers 77 to 83. The second and third orders were both delivered in 1928.

Natal

The first five locomotives, numbers 49, 50 and 58 to 60, were used almost exclusively on the narrow gauge lines in Natal. Some of these routes had curves of 45 metres (148 ft) and gradients of up to 3 in 100, but the Garratts were well suited to hauling the diverse freight traffic of pulpwood, sugar beet and bananas.

One of these lines, the 122 kilometres (76 mi) branch from Port Shepstone to Paddock via Izotsha, was eventually privatised as the Port Shepstone and Alfred County Railway (ACR) after the SAR ceased operations there in 1986. The ACR conducted both freight and tourist passenger operations, with the tourist train becoming known as the Banana Express.

Cape Province

The third order of seven locomotives, numbers 77 to 83, initially all went to the Avontuur line where most of them remained for their entire service lives. In 1965 numbers 77 and 78 were exchanged for two Class NG G11 locomotives, numbers 54 and 55, from the Natal system. The Avontuur locomotives ended their service lives working out of Loerie, either hauling limestone trains to Van Stadens or doing duty on the Patensie branch line.

The 283 kilometres (176 mi) Avontuur line stretches from Port Elizabeth to Avontuur through the Langkloof

Langkloof

. The narrow gauge track enabled the trains to pick up fruit virtually directly from the Langkloof fruit farms and ship it directly, without reloading, to the ripening warehouses, distributors and ships at Port Elizabeth. The route became known as the Apple Express after the main crop it transported. The line also carried pulpwood, as well as limestone to supply the cement factories which were located on the route.

Retirement

When the lower section of the Avontuur line was dieselised upon the arrival of the Class 91-000 diesel-electric locomotives in 1973, the Class NG G13 locomotives were all withrawn from service. Beginning at about the same time, the Natal locomotives were also progressively withdrawn from service.

Preservation

Since withdrawal from SAR service, some locomotives were sold into private hands, while others ended up in various degrees of preservation ranging across the spectrum from operational to plinthing to total abandonment. One known ex SAR Class NG G13 Garratt, number 49 serving at the Sandstone Estates

Sandstone Estates

Sandstone Estates are an extensive farming complex located in Free State, South Africa, close to Bloemfontein. Owned by entrepreneur Wilf Mole, they are also a global-scale hub of transport preservation.-Farm:...

near Ficksburg, is being kept in excellent running order. Two were plinthed, number 80 at Joubertina

Joubertina

Joubertina is a small town in the Cacadu District Municipality of the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.Joubertina is located on the R62 road in the Langkloof valley.The town has a station on the narrow gauge avontuur railway.-External links:*...

station and number 81 at Patensie station.

The last known locations of all the Class NG G13 locomotives are shown in the table.
South African Class NG G13 2-6-2+2-6-2
Locations as at circa 2009


Number	Works No.	Country	Location	Notes
49	10599/1928	South Africa South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...	Sandstone Estates Sandstone Estates Sandstone Estates are an extensive farming complex located in Free State, South Africa, close to Bloemfontein. Owned by entrepreneur Wilf Mole, they are also a global-scale hub of transport preservation.-Farm:...	Operational
50	10598/1928	United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...	Hempstead, Texas Hempstead, Texas Hempstead is a city in Waller County, Texas, United States. The community, located at the junctions of U.S. Highway 290, Texas State Highway 6, and Texas State Highway 159, is around fifty miles northwest of Downtown Houston. The population was 4,691 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of...	In Store. Bought by the Hempstead and Northern Railroad in Hempstead, Texas Hempstead, Texas Hempstead is a city in Waller County, Texas, United States. The community, located at the junctions of U.S. Highway 290, Texas State Highway 6, and Texas State Highway 159, is around fifty miles northwest of Downtown Houston. The population was 4,691 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of...
58	10549/1927	South Africa South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...	SANRASM, Krugersdorp	First NG G13 delivered to SAR
59	10550/1927	South Africa South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...	Scrapped	Wrecked after a roll over accident on the Weenen to Escourt Estcourt, KwaZulu-Natal Estcourt is a town in the uThukela District of KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. The main economic activity is farming with large bacon and processed food factories situated around the town. The N3 freeway passes close to the town, linking it to the rest of South Africa.-Location:Estcourt is... line in the early 1980s
60	10551/1927	Switzerland Switzerland Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....	Schinznach-Dorf Schinznach-Dorf Schinznach-Dorf is a municipality in the district of Brugg in canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-Geography:Schinznach-Dorf has an area, , of . Of this area, or 37.1% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 46.0% is forested...	In Store
77	10629/1928	England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...	Exmoor Steam Railway Exmoor Steam Railway The Exmoor Steam Railway is a narrow gauge steam railway and locomotive manufacturer, located at Bratton Fleming in North Devon.-12¼ in gauge:The railway was built by the Stirland family and first opened as a tourist attraction in August 1990...	In Store
78	10630/1928	Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...	Emmerich	Privately owned, Dr. Muhr
79	10631/1928	South Africa South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...	Humewood Station Humewood Road railway station Humewood Road railway station is a railway station located in Humewood, Port Elizabeth, South Africa.A separate station to the main Port Elizabeth railway station, built in 1899, it is the southern terminus of the narrow gauge Avontuur Railway, which at is the longest 2ft gauge railway in the world...	Under a roof but open to the elements
80	10632/1928	South Africa South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...	Joubertina Joubertina Joubertina is a small town in the Cacadu District Municipality of the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.Joubertina is located on the R62 road in the Langkloof valley.The town has a station on the narrow gauge avontuur railway.-External links:*... station	Plinthed
81	10633/1928	South Africa South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...	Patensie station	Plinthed
82	10634/1928	England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...	Phyllis Rampton Trust Phyllis Rampton Trust The Phyllis Rampton Narrow Gauge Railway Trust is a British charity which is registered with the British Charity Commission as 292240 under the classification of "Education/TrainingEnvironment/Conservation/Heritage"...	In Store at a private site in Surrey. Previously resided at the Brecon Mountain Railway Brecon Mountain Railway The Brecon Mountain Railway is a narrow gauge preserved railway that runs through the Brecon Beacons along the full length of the Pontsticill Reservoir...
83	10635/1928	Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...	Berlin Berlin Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...	German Museum of Technology German Museum of Technology (Berlin) Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin was founded in 1982 in Berlin, Germany, and exhibits a large collection of historical technical artifacts. The museum's main emphasis is on rail transport, but it also features exhibits of various sorts of industrial technology. Recently, it has opened both maritime...

Gallery

The main picture shows NG G13 number 49 at work on the Sandstone Estates, near Ficksburg

Ficksburg

Ficksburg is a town situated at the foot of the 450m high Imperani Mountain in Free State province, South Africa. The town was set up by General Johan Fick who won the territory in the Basotho Wars...