Garratts

I've been looking into the various Garratts that are or have operated in South Africa and have a couple of questions.

1) How do the NGG13s and NGG16s differ, because I can't see it! I seem to remember there are examples of both in the UK?
2) The NGG11s look very attractive and slightly more narrow gauge, as there ever been an attempt to import these into the UK?

Thanks

Chris

 

Subtle differences between the two. Study the dimensions listed here :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_Class_NG_G13_2-6-2+2-6-2
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_Class_NG_G16_2-6-2+2-6-2

 

As I see, very subtle!

 

Main differences seem to be the bearings and other modifications to the running gear.

 

Manifold is inside the cab on NG/G13s compared to outside on NG/G16s. Boilers seem to be interchangeable, one of the WHR NG/G16s has a NG/G13 boiler - can't remember which one at the moment

 

I believe one of the main differences when built was that the NGG13's had a smaller cab and also the steam manifold was mounted inside the cab which made things pretty unbearable in what was already a somewhat cramped and overheated environment. The NGG16's had larger cabs and the manifold mounted further forward, outside of the cab.
Over the years however, boilers were exchanged between the classes, locos modified etc. so the differences in some cases are now hard to see.
There were also a lot of detail differences between the various batches of both classes when built, and even more by the time a few "in service" modifications had been made.

As for the NGG11's, of the 3 surviving examples, one was restored by the Sandstone Heritage trust some years ago and then based at the Paton Country railway. I'm not sure of its current status, the last report I'd heard being that it was still "just about" serviceable, but very rough mechanically.
The other two have been recovered from somewhat uncertain futures over the last few years and have also moved to Sandstone's workshops at Bloemfontain where restoration is currently taking place. I presume when complete they will then join the active fleet at Sandstone itself.
I don't know if any serious approach was ever made to Transnet in respect of purchase/repatriation, but I can't see that happening now.

 

Rode behind the NGG11 from Allwoodburn on the Paton Country Railway in 2007. An interesting journey as it ran away with its train.

 

There are more differences between early and late NGG16's than between an NGG13 and a first batch NGG16. Plus the SAR treated them all as one class and freely swapped boilers and other components. As , probably, will the FR/WHR whenever practical and convenient.

 

NGG11.55 plinthed at Weenan in 1980 and an NG13 at New Furrow on the Escourt -Weenan line, also 1980.