South African Class GCA 2-6-2+2-6-2

Class GCA no. 2615 at Greyville, November 1971

Type and origin
Power type	Steam
Designer	Beyer, Peacock and Company
Builder	Friedrich Krupp AG
Serial number	970-982, 1042-1068
Model	Class GCA
Build date	1927-1928
Total produced	39

Specifications
Configuration	2-6-2+2-6-2 "Double Prairie" Garratt
Gauge	3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) Cape gauge
Leading dia	28.5 in (724 mm)
Driver diameter	42.75 in (1,086 mm)
Trailing dia	28.5 in (724 mm)
Wheelbase	Total: 56 ft 8 in (17,272 mm) Engines: 8 ft (2,438 mm) coupled 17 ft 8.25 in (5,391 mm) total
Length	64 ft 9 in (19,736 mm)
Height	12 ft 7 in (3,835 mm)
Frame	Bar frame, 29 ft 8 in (9,042 mm) between pivot centres
Axle load	1st order: 11.8 long tons (12.0 t) on 6th driver 2nd order: 11.7 long tons (11.9 t) on 5th driver
Adhesive weight	1st order: 66.15 long tons (67.2 t) 2nd order: 66.85 long tons (67.9 t)
Loco weight	1st order: 178,556 lb (81.0 t) empty 104.3 long tons (106.0 t) w/o 2nd order: 181,888 lb (82.5 t) empty 105.8 long tons (107.5 t) w/o
Fuel type	Coal
Fuel capacity	7 long tons (7.1 t)
Water cap	2,000 imp gal (9,100 l) front 1,000 imp gal (4,500 l) rear
Firebox: • Firegrate area	34 sq ft (3.159 m²)
Boiler	5 ft 2 in (1,575 mm) inside diameter 11 ft 3.625 in (3,445 mm) inside length 7 ft 4.375 in (2,245 mm) pitch
Boiler pressure	180 psi (1,240 kPa)
Heating surface	1,388 sq ft (128.949 m²)
• Tubes	141 tubes 2 in (51 mm) diameter 24 tubes 5.5 in (140 mm) diameter 1,225 sq ft (113.806 m²)
• Flues	21 sq ft (1.951 m²)
• Firebox	142 sq ft (13.192 m²)
Superheater: • Heating area	331 sq ft (30.751 m²)
Cylinders	Four
Cylinder size	14 in (356 mm) bore 23 in (584 mm) stroke
Valve gear	Walschaerts

Performance figures
Tractive effort	28,470 lbf (127 kN) at 75% pressure

Career
Operators	South African Railways
Class	Class GCA
Number in class	39
Numbers	2190-2202, 2600-2625
Delivered	1927-1928
First run	1927
Withdrawn	1975

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The South African Railways Class GCA 2-6-2+2-6-2 of 1927 is an articulated steam locomotive.

In 1927 the South African Railways placed thirteen Class GCA Garratt articulated steam locomotives with a 2-6-2+2-6-2 Double Prairie type wheel arrangement in branchline service. Another twenty-six locomotives were acquired in 1928.^[1]^[2]^[3]

Manufacturer

The Class GCA 2-6-2+2-6-2 Double Prairie type Garratt locomotive was based on the Class GC and built to the same specifications, with the same tractive effort and main dimensions but with bar frames instead of plate frames. They also differed in general appearance, having round top fireboxes instead of the Belpaire fireboxes of the Class GC and with water tanks and built-up coal bunkers of a different shape. They were ordered from Friedrich Krupp AG of Essen in Germany, who delivered thirteen locomotives in 1927, numbered in the range from 2190 to 2202.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]

A second order for another twenty-six locomotives was placed with the same manufacturer in 1928. These were numbered in the range from 2600 to 2625 when they were delivered in that same year. The second order locomotives differed slightly from the first order, being slightly heavier. Like the Class GC, they were all superheated and had Walschaerts valve gear.^[1]^[2]^[3]

Service

The first order locomotives were placed in service on the Natal South Coast line, while the second order locomotives were distributed wherever their services were required. These could be found working around Pietermaritzburg on the Donnybrook to Underberg and Greytown to Mount Alida branchlines, while some ended up at Nelspruit in the Eastern Transvaal Lowveld for service on the Graskop branchline. They proved to be good locomotives, although some trouble was experienced with coupling rods breaking, attributed to driving them at excessive speed while maintaining schedules with their small driving wheel diameter of only 42.75 inches (1,086 millimetres).^[1]^[3]

By 1973, the thirty-nine original members of the Class had dwindled to seven, all stationed at Mason’s Mill in Pietermaritzburg from where they still worked the light rail Underberg branch, often double-heading. By April of that year, however, the number had dropped to five. They were all withdrawn from service in October 1975. One of their last tasks was to work the track re-railing train that laid the heavier rails which enabled diesel-electric locomotives to finally replace them.^[5]

Illustration

No. 2621 plinthed at Nelspruit, April 1993

References

1 2 3 4 Holland, D.F. (1972). Steam Locomotives of the South African Railways, Volume 2: 1910-1955 (1st ed.). Newton Abbott, Devon: David & Charles. pp. 52–54. ISBN 978-0-7153-5427-8.
1 2 3 South African Railways and Harbours Locomotive Diagram Book, 2’0” & 3’6” Gauge Steam Locomotives, 15 August 1941, as amended
1 2 3 4 Paxton, Leith; Bourne, David (1985). Locomotives of the South African Railways (1st ed.). Cape Town: Struik. p. 90. ISBN 0869772112.
↑ Hamilton, Gavin N., The Garratt Locomotive - Garratt Locomotives from Other Builders, retrieved 10 November 2012
1 2 Durrant, A E (1989). Twilight of South African Steam (1st ed.). Newton Abbott, London: David & Charles. p. 110. ISBN 0715386387.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to South African Class GCA (2-6-2+2-6-2).

Locomotives of South Africa

Steam

7' ¼" gauge	East London Harbour 0-4-0 Table Bay Harbour 0-4-0ST Table Bay Harbour 0-4-0T Table Bay Harbour 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 Coffee Pot CGR 0-6-0ST 1902 CGR 0-6-0T 1876 Back-to-Back 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 1876 CGR 1st Class 4-4-0T 1875 CGR 2nd Class 4-4-0T 1882 CGR 3rd Class 2-6-0T CGR Railmotor CSAR Class C CSAR Class E CSAR Rack CSAR Railmotor DSWA Eight-Coupled Tank 2-8-0T Durban's Congella Durban's Edward Innes Durban's John Milne Durban's Sir Albert Port Elizabeth Harbour 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 14 Tonner NZASM 18 Tonner NZASM 19 Tonner NZASM 32 Tonner NZASM 40 Tonner PPR 26 Tonner PPR 35 Tonner Portuguese SAR 0-4-0ST 1903 SAR 0-4-0T no. 69 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 Clayton Railmotor

3' 6" gauge Tender engines	CGR 1st Class 2-6-0 1876 Beyer, Peacock 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 1879 CGR 1st Class 4-4-0TT 1881 CGR 2nd Class 2-6-2TT 1875 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 1884 CGR 5th Class 4-6-0 1890 CGR 5th Class 4-6-0 1891 DSWA Eight-Coupled Tender 2-8-0 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 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 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 Red Devil

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 0-6-0T 1871 Cape Copper Britannia Cape Copper Caledonia Cape Copper Clara Class Cape Copper Condenser Cape Copper Scotia Class Namaqua Copper Pioneer

2' & 600mm gauges	ACR Class NG-G16A CGR NG 0-6-0T CGR NG 4-6-2T CGR Type A 2-6-4T CGR Type C 0-4-0T DSWA Class Ha DSWA Class Hb DSWA Class Hc DSWA Class Hd DSWA Jung DSWA Zwillinge NGR Class N 4-6-2T SAR NG 0-4-0T 1899 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

Electric

Amcoal Class E38

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 SAR Class 36-000 SAR Class 36-200 SAR Class 37-000 Spoornet Class 39-000 TFR Class 35-800 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

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