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

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

Between 1954 and 1958, the South African Railways placed 120 Class GMA Garratt articulated steam locomotives with a 4-8-2+2-8-4 Double Mountain type wheel arrangement in service. All the locomotives could be configured as either a Class GMA branchline or a Class GMAM mainline engine. This was the most numerous Garratt class in the world.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Manufacturers

The light rail branchline Class GMA and mainline Class GMAM Garratt locomotive, a single Class which could be configured for either branchline or mainline working, was a development of the large Class GM branchline locomotive which was introduced on the South African Railways (SAR) in 1938. Like the Class GM, the Class GMA was a tank-and-tender Garratt which ran with a semi-permanently coupled auxiliary water tender to augment its meagre water capacity.^[1][3]

L.C. Grubb

The locomotive was designed in 1952 under the supervision of L.C. Grubb, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the SAR from 1949 to 1954. An order for the first 25 of these locomotives was placed with Henschel and Son in Germany. They were built in 1953 and were delivered and placed in service in 1954, numbered in the range from 4051 to 4075. These first 25 locomotives were equipped with Type X-17 water tenders, built by the SAR in its Pietermaritzburg shops in 1953.^[6][7][8][9]

A second batch of 35 locomotives was delivered by Beyer, Peacock and Company (BP) in 1956. Of these, 23 were built by BP and numbered in the range from 4076 to 4098, while the other twelve, numbered in the range from 4099 to 4110, had been subcontracted by BP to the North British Locomotive Company (NBL). These twelve engines therefore bore works plates showing BP as well as NBL as builders.^{[6][10][11][12]}

BP & NBL works plate off no. 4140

This was followed by a third and final batch of sixty locomotives in 1958. Of these, thirty were delivered by BP, of which only ten, numbered in the range from 4121 to 4130, had actually been built by BP. The other twenty, numbered in the ranges from 4111 to 4120 and 4131 to 4140, had once again been subcontracted by BP to NBL. These twenty therefore also bore works plates showing BP as well as NBL as builders. The other thirty locomotives of the third batch, numbered in the range from 4141 to 4170, were again built by Henschel in Germany.^{[1][6][7][10][11][12]}

The locomotives of the second and third batches were equipped with Type X-20 water tenders, built by in the Pietermaritzburg shops between 1956 and 1958.^[1][8][13]

Characteristics

The light rail branchline Class GMA and the mainline Class GMAM were the same locomotive, of which the water and coal capacities could be adjusted to suit by installing or removing plates in the coal and water spaces. As a result, it is virtually impossible to list the GMA and GMAM versions separately since they could easily be converted back and forth between the two versions, and often were. Up until about 1962, for example, the division was 20 Class GMA and 100 Class GMAM, but by 1969 there were 69 Class GMA and 39 Class GMAM, two locomotives having by then been scrapped after accident damage. By 1975, on the other hand, there were only 25 Class GMA against 93 Class GMAM.^[1][3][4]

As was done with the predecessor Class GM, the new locomotive carried water only in its front tank, but with the capacity increased from the Class GM's 1,600 imperial gallons (7,270 litres) to either 1,650 imperial gallons (7,500 litres) for the Class GMA or 2,100 imperial gallons (9,550 litres) for the Class GMAM. Likewise, the rear bunker carried only coal, but with the capacity increased from the Class GM's 10 long tons (10,160 kilograms) to either 11 long tons 12 hundredweight (11,790 kilograms) for the Class GMA or 14 long tons (14,220 kilograms) for the Class GMAM.^[1][4]

Type X-17 water tender

Type X-20 water tender

As with the Class GM, the Class GMA's water supply was augmented by semi-permanently coupling a purpose-built auxiliary water tender. The first batch of 25 locomotives were tended by the same Type X-17 water tender which was used with the Class GM, with a capacity of between 6,750 and 6,815 imperial gallons (30,700 and 31,000 litres). The rest of the locomotives were tended by Type X-20 water tenders with a capacity of 6,790 imperial gallons (30,900 litres).^[1][5]

The locomotive was designed to operate on 60 pounds per yard (30 kilograms per metre) rails despite the maximum axle loading of 15 long tons 14 hundredweight (15,950 kilograms) of the Class GMAM. This had been accomplished by restricting the weight on the leading and trailing bogies to 22 long tons (22,350 kilograms) and balancing the coupled wheels so that the hammer blow was equal for all wheels and did not exceed one ton on any wheel at 45 miles per hour (72 kilometres per hour).^[1]

The locomotive was thoroughly modern in design, with a one-piece Commonwealth cast steel frame with Franklin spring-loaded wedge horns, manufactured in the United States of America. Like the Class 25 locomotive, it 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 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][4][5]

The boiler's inside diameter was 6 feet 11 ¹⁄₂ inches (2,121 millimetres) at the first ring and 7 feet 1 ¹⁄₄ inches (2,165 millimetres) at the firebox end. The boiler had an inspection manhole, fitted to the top of the boiler aft of the dome. The locomotive was superheated, with a mechanical stoker and Walschaerts valve gear. 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]

Some of these locomotives, intended for working in areas where there were tunnels such as on the East London mainline, were initially equipped with steam-operated smoke deflecting cowls over their chimneys. When the smoke cowls were later removed, these specific locomotives could still be identified by their almost non-existent chimneys, which had to be shorter in order to enable the cowls to fit within the loading gauge.^[1][5]

Service

South African Railways

The 120 locomotives of this class made it the most numerous Garratt class in the world. The Class GMA and Class GMAM saw service on main and secondary lines in many parts of South Africa. Prior to electrification, a number were employed in Transvaal on the Komatipoort line across the pass between Waterval Onder and Waterval Boven, and also on the coal line from Witbank to Germiston and the line from Krugersdorp via Zeerust to Mafeking.^[1][3][4][5]

In Natal, the bulk of the Class was based at Pietermaritzburg, from where they worked most trains on the two heavily graded branchlines to Greytown and Franklin. Others worked on the Natal North Coast line between Stanger and Empangeni, while some assisted the Class GL on the coal line between Vryheid and Glencoe.^[1][3][4][5]

The Cape Western system's locomotives were stationed at Worcester, from where they worked the old New Cape Central Railway (NCCR) line via Riversdale to Mosselbaai until it was dieselised. Between 1981 and 1984, a number were allocated to the Cape Northern system to work the line from Vryburg to Mafeking, where they largely replaced the Class 19D locomotives which had earlier dominated on this line. This turned out to be their last term in mainline service, since they were replaced by Class 25NC locomotives in 1984, when the line was relaid with heavier rail.^[4][5]

Most of the Class was then allocated to the Cape Midland system, with most of them initially stationed at Voorbaai where, in 1984, they replaced the Class GEA on trains from Mosselbaai to Riversdale and across the Montagu Pass to Oudtshoorn. Their allocation was later extended to the sheds at Sydenham in Port Elizabeth, Rosmead, Klipplaat and Graaff-Reinet, with the result that they worked most of the trains over the route from Port Elizabeth to Rosmead via Klipplaat and across the Lootsberg Pass from Graaff-Reinet.^[4][5]

Towards the end of their service lives, the Eastern Transvaal system still had an allocation of them, where locomotives from the Waterval Boven and Breyten sheds worked the line down to Vryheid in Natal.^[4][5]

They were the last class of Garratt to remain in service with the SAR. All but three were withdrawn from service by April 1988 and those three were also retired shortly afterwards.^[3][4]

Zimbabwe and Mozambique

GMAM no. 4065 with raised coal bunker sides at Bulawayo Locoshed, 15 April 1980

During the period from August 1979 to September 1981, altogether 26 locomotives of the Class were hired to Zimbabwe-Rhodesia, but not all at the same time since they were rotated, with Capital Park in Pretoria as their nominal home for the occasions when they had to return to South Africa for major repairs. On the Rhodesia Railways (RR), later the National Railways of Zimbabwe, they worked from Bulawayo to Gwelo and to Wankie and beyond to Victoria Falls.^{[4][5][14][15][16]}

Six of these locomotives were loaned by RR to the Caminhos de Ferro de Moçambique (CFM) for a short while, to work the CFM Centro line from Beira to Umtali in Zimbabwe.^{[4][5][14][15]}

In Zimbabwe-Rhodesia, these locomotives normally worked chimney first, with the water tank at the rear. Since the Rhodesian bush war was still ongoing in 1979, the locomotives were equipped with armour plating around the cab. Since this obscured the number plates, the engine numbers were then usually stencilled on the cabsides. The Class GMAM was similar in size with a similar coal capacity to the Rhodesia Railways 20th class 4-8-2+2-8-4 Garratt, but it had a voracious appetite for coal and frequently ran low on fuel, with the result that trains often had to be dumped. In an attempt to solve this problem, RR extended the height of the Class GMAM's coal bunker by a foot to increase the capacity.^[14][15][16]

Industrial and private

REGM R12 Number plate, ex SAR no. 4136

Several locomotives of the class were sold into industrial service and some later ended in preservation in private ownership. The majority went to the Randfontein Estates Gold Mining Company (REGM), while two were sold to the Hotham Valley Railway in Western Australia where they were to haul tourists in ex SAR passenger coaches. These two locomotives, however, never left South Africa.^[4][17]

• No. 4059 became REGM's no. R16 Sarah.
• No. 4060 became REGM's first no. R15 May, later scrapped.
• No. 4073 became REGM's no. R17 Coria.
• No. 4079 became REGM's second no. R15 May and was later restored as Lindie Lou by Sandstone Estates.
• No. 4083 went to New Zealand for preservation, fitted with the front engine of no. 4126 and the rear engine of no. 4088.
• No. 4084 became REGM's no. R10.
• No. 4088 went to REGM's Cooke Plant.
• No. 4090 was to go to the Hotham Valley Railway in Western Australia, but was still on the inventory of the Transnet Heritage Foundation (THF) by 2009 and staged at Bloemfontein Loco.
• No. 4107 became REGM's first no. R14 Cherrie.
• No. 4108 went to Tweefontein Colliery.
• No. 4110 became REGM's no. R15.
• No. 4112 went to Scotland for preservation at the Summerlee Heritage Park in Coatbridge.
• No. 4114 became REGM's no. R6.
• No. 4119 became REGM's second no. R14 Cherrie.
• No. 4123 became REGM's no. R11 Vivienne.
• No. 4125 was sold to Dunns, first hired to Durnacol and later to Tweefontein Colliery as their no. 2 Margret.
• No. 4126 went to Tweefontein Colliery and was later restored by the Umgeni Steam Railway as no. 4074.
• No. 4128 became REGM's no. R9 Kathy.
• No. 4129 was to go to the Hothan Valley Railway in Western Australia, but was still on the inventory of the THF by 2009 and staged at Bloemfontein Loco.
• No. 4130 became REGM's no. R8.
• No. 4133 became REGM's no. R10.
• No. 4135 became REGM's third no. R14 Cherrie and, by December 2015, remained stored at Hermanstad, Pretoria.
• No. 4136 became REGM's no. R12 Barbara.
• No. 4168 was sold to Dunns, first hired to Durnacol and later to Tweefontein Colliery as their no. 1.

Works numbers

The builders, works numbers and years built of these locomotives are listed in the table.^{[6][7][10][11][12]}

Illustration

The main picture shows Class GMAM no. 4079 Lindie Lou turning around on the triangle at Capital Park in Pretoria in September 2006. The following pictures illustrate the locomotive in service and in preservation.

• 
  GMAM no. 4117 at Vryburg station, en route to Mafeking, 16 April 1983
• 
  Randfontein Estates Gold Mine's no. R1, c. 1993
• 
  Ex SAR no. 4059, REGM no. R16 Sarah, c. 1993
• 
  GMAM no. 4122 on a tourist special train at Santa, c. 1993
• 
  GMAM no. 4122 preserved at Voorbaai, 19 October 2009
• 
  GMAM no. 4079 at Rovos Rail in Capital Park, 28 September 2006

References

External links

External video

South African Steam - Garratts at Randfontein Estates Gold Mine 1994-1995. (30.16 minutes)

Wikimedia Commons has media related to South African Class GMA (4-8-2+2-8-4).

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 4' 8½" 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 3' 6" 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 3' 6" 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 3' 6" 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 SAR Class ES SAR Class ES1 SAR Class Exp-AC SAR Class 1E SAR Class 2E SAR Class 3E SAR Class 4E SAR Class 5E s1 SAR Class 5E s2 SAR Class 5E s3 SAR Class 5E1 s1 SAR Class 5E1 s2 SAR Class 5E1 s3 SAR Class 5E1 s4 SAR Class 5E1 s5 SAR Class 6E SAR Class 6E1 s1 SAR Class 6E1 s2 SAR Class 6E1 s3 SAR Class 6E1 s4 SAR Class 6E1 s5 SAR Class 6E1 s6 SAR Class 6E1 s7 SAR Class 6E1 s8 SAR Class 6E1 s9 SAR Class 6E1 s10 SAR Class 6E1 s11 SAR Class 7E SAR Class 7E1 SAR Class 7E2 s1 SAR Class 7E2 s2 SAR Class 7E3 s1 SAR Class 7E3 s2 Spoornet Class 7E4 SAR Class 8E SAR Class 9E s1 SAR Class 9E s2 SAR Class 10E SAR Class 10E1 s1 Spoornet Class 10E1 s2 SAR Class 10E2 SAR Class 11E SAR Class 12E Spoornet Class 14E Spoornet Class 14E1 TFR Class 15E Spoornet Class 16E Spoornet Class 17E Spoornet Class 18E s1 TFR Class 18E s2 TFR Class 19E TFR Class 20E TFR Class 21E TFR Class 22E
Gas-electric	SAR Gas-electric
Diesel	3' 6" 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 2' gauge Diesel-electric SAR Class 91-000 3' 6" gauge Diesel-hydraulic SAR Class 61-000 3' 6" gauge Electro-diesel Spoornet Class 38-000
List of South African locomotive classes South African locomotive numbering and classification

South African steam locomotive tenders
Cape gauge	Type CL Type CZ Type ET Type ET1 Type EW Type EW1 Type EW2 Type FT Type GT Type HT Type JT Type JT1 Type JV Type KT Type LP Type MP Type MP1 Type MR Type MS Type MT Type MT1 Type MT2 Type MX Type MY Type MY1 Type SH Type SK Type TJ Type TL Type TM Type WE Type WG Type X-17 Type X-20 Type XC Type XC1 Type XD Type XE Type XE1 Type XF Type XF1 Type XF2 Type XJ Type XM Type XM1 Type XM2 Type XM3 Type XM4 Type XP1 Type XS Type YB Type YC Type YE Type YE1 Type ZA Type ZB Type ZC Type ZE
List of South African locomotive classes South African locomotive history