Queensland Government Rlys Beyer-Garratt Locomotives in Australia


Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class BG (Locobase 540)

See also Queensland Railways, The Beyer-Garratt Locomotive Operating Manual, Issued by the Authority of the Commissioner of Railways (1950); and "Beyer-Garratt Class" on the Queensland Railways Interest Group's website at [link], last accessed 8 October 2021.

10 Double Mountain Garratts. Beyer, Peacock works numbers were 7341-7350. An additional 20-- engine numbers 1190-1109-- by Franco-Belge under subcontracts. BP works numbers 7433-7452 (Franco-Belge works numbers 2905-2924)..

OS Nock (RWC VI, pl 42) states that the tractive effort was 32,770 lb, but gives no dimensions. His plate shows the "Midland Red" livery and the engine's Belpaire boiler. Qrig's account explains that the class was originally planned to pull an air-conditioned Mail Trains service. "This never eventuated," adds Qrig, "although [the engines] did regularly haul the "Midlander", mainly between Emerald and Bogantungan for some years. They were used on the Rockhampton Mail and Sunshine Express in the early 1950s.

The "large and deep" Belpaire firebox allowed quick steam raising, claimed the 1950 manual, but that guide cautioned against drawing upon that supply until the boiler was thoroughly heated, "Particular care must be taken to see that coal is fed into the back corners and along the sides of the grate."

Of typical Beyer-Garratt appearance, the class had Timken roller bearings on the inner trucks and outer bogies and Ajax air-operated butterfly fire doors. These latter earned a special note in the operating manual. Explaining that the doors' action exposed the grate to cold air rushing in through the firehole for a minimum length of time, the manual carefully described the various human motions needed to operate them.

"Some firemen may find it strange at first in synchronising the movement of their arms and body with the operation of the door," the manual added,"but after a little practice no difficulty should be experienced."

Three arch tubes supported the firebox's brick arch.

Although most accounts described them as a significant improvement over the Australian Standard Gauge Garratts (Locobase 4386), Qrig commented that they "failed to live up to all expectations," proving finicky in their choice of coal fuel (poor performance on South Queensland coals, steaming well on Balir Athol coal.). Also their boilers had a tendency to prime and they cost three times as much to overhaul than a B18 1/4.

Boiler priming attacked the glossy Midland Red livery, causing it to discolor. Once placed in goods train service, their appearance "deteriorated."

Whatever their shortcomings, the class remained in active service into the mid-1960s, when rapid dieselization led to a mass withdrawal of 22 in 1968 and the final 8 in 1969.

After its retirement, 1009 went on static display at Queensland Railways Steam Locomotive Museum, Redbank from 1970-1992. The QR then restored the 1009 to active service in 1995 but leaks soon required attention and after reviews showing the high cost of repair, the engine was once again placed on static display at the Workshops. (This facility originally formed part of the Ipswich shops.)

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
ClassBG
Locobase ID540
RailroadQueensland Government Rlys
CountryAustralia
Whyte4-8-2+2-8-4
Number in Class30
Road Numbers1001-1030
Gauge3'6"
Number Built30
Builderseveral
Year1951
Valve GearWalschaert
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m)18.83
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)22,736 / 9805
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)172,704 / 78,337
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)306,320 / 138,945
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)306,320 / 138,945
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)4560 / 17.27
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT) 6.60 / 6
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)36 / 18
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)51 / 1295
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)204.50 / 1410
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)13.5" x 26" / 343x660 (4)
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)32,301 / 14651.50
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 5.35
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)178 / 16.54
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)39 / 3.62
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)1668 / 155.02
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)453 / 42.10
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)2121 / 197.12
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume193.62
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation7976
Same as above plus superheater percentage9650
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area44,045
Power L113,388
Power MT1367.22

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