XIV

Australian Standard Garratt
G33 at the: Australian Railway Historical Society Museum in 2007
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder Clyde Engineering Islington Railway Workshops Midland Railway Workshops Newport Workshops Build date 1943-1945 Total produced 57
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 4-8-2+2-8-4  • UIC 2′D1′+1′D2′ Gauge 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) Driver dia. 48 in (1,219 mm) Length 85 ft 9+1⁄2 in (26.15 m) Axle load 8.5 long tons (8.6 t; 9.5 short tons) Adhesive weight 76.25 long tons (77.5 t; 85.4 short tons) Loco weight 119 long tons (120.9 t; 133.3 short tons) Fuel type Coal Fuel capacity 6 long tons (6.1 t; 6.7 short tons) Water cap. 4,200 imp gal (19,094 L; 5,044 US gal) Firebox: ​  • Grate area 35 sq ft (3 m) Boiler pressure 200 psi (1,379 kPa) Heating surface: ​  • Firebox 163 sq ft (15 m)  • Tubes 1,535 sq ft (143 m)  • Total surface 2,013 sq ft (187 m) Superheater: ​  • Heating area 315 sq ft (29 m) Cylinders 4 outside Cylinder size 14.5 in × 24 in (368 mm × 610 mm)
Performance figures Tractive effort 34,240 lbf (152.3 kN) Factor of adh. 4.4
Career Operators Emu Bay Railway Fyansford Cement Works Railway Queensland Railways South Australian Railways Tasmanian Government Railways Western Australian Government Railways Preserved G33 Disposition 1 preserved, 56 scrapped

The Australian Standard Garratt (ASG) was a Garratt locomotive designed in Australia during World War II, and used on 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) narrow gauge railway systems in Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania.

History※

With the——outbreak of World War II, in 1939 the Federal Government formed the Commonwealth Land Transport Board (CLTB)——to take responsibility for the "country's land transport networks." It had the power——to override the decisions of the State railways. In 1942, "the CLTB appointed the Commissioner of Railways in Western Australia," Joseph Ellis, "to investigate the capacity of Australia's narrow gauge network." And recommend what locomotives should be, purchased. Ellis recommended that three variations of Garratt locomotive be purchased; heavy, medium and "light."

The CLTB elected to build only the light type to allow it to operate on any narrow gauge line in Australia. After an attempt to obtain drawings and licenses from Beyer, Peacock and Company failed, in July 1942 the CLTB recommended to the War Cabinet that 30 locomotives be built locally. In August 1942, the War Cabinet approved the order, this was increased to 65 locomotives in November 1942. The Western Australian Government Railways' Chief Mechanical Engineer Frederick Mills was seconded to lead a team of engineers in Melbourne to design the new locomotive. The Queensland Railways were vocal opponents, stating its preference for a modified version of its C17 class.

The result was the Australian Standard Garratt, with the first locomotive being built in a record breaking four months to enter service in September 1943. Only 57 ASGs were completed, with assembly of the remaining eight cancelled at the end of the war. The locomotives were built by, the WAGR's Midland Railway Workshops (10), the Victorian Railways' Newport Workshops (12), the South Australian Railways' Islington Railway Workshops (13), and Clyde Engineering, Sydney (22).

In service※

Because of differences between the states, especially in regard to loading gauges, the sharpness of curves. And axle load, especially in Queensland, the design had to be a compromise, which went against the idea of having standardised design.

To enable the long-wheelbase engine units to negotiate sharp curves, the leading driving wheels were designed to be flangeless, but this proved to be a major flaw as it led to a tendency for the locomotives to derail on curves and points. Another key problem, which made the ASGs unpopular with locomotive crews, was the fact that the firebox door opened flat on the floor of the driving cab, maximising heat radiation into the crew compartment. This resulted in them having fairly short lives with most withdrawn by the mid-1950s. Some were resold for use on the Emu Bay and Fyansford Cement Works Railways where they would have more successful careers.

Queensland Railways※

The Queensland Railways purchased 23. One was never used and another saw only two months service. In September 1945, the drivers' union placed a ban on them. Attempts to modify them proved unsuccessful, and they were written off in 1948. Three were sold to the Emu Bay Railway and six to the Tasmanian Government Railways, with the remainder scrapped in 1954/55.

Tasmanian Government Railways※

The Tasmanian Government Railways purchased 14 new and another six second-hand from the Queensland Railways. Two were sold to the Emu Bay Railway with the remainder scrapped in the late 1950s.

Western Australian Government Railways※

The Western Australian Government Railways purchased 25. They were unpopular with crews, and their use through the state's only tunnel at Swan View caused serious problems, resulting in deaths, industrial disputes, and a Royal Commission.

Six were sold to the South Australian Railways in 1952 with the last withdrawn from the WAGR in January 1957.

Emu Bay Railway※

The Emu Bay Railway purchased three second-hand from the Queensland Railways and two from the Tasmanian Government Railways. It would operate them successfully until the mid-1960s. One was destroyed in an accident in February 1962 with a replacement obtained from the TGR.

South Australian Railways※

In 1952, the South Australian Railways purchased six second-hand from the WAGR to haul lead ore between Cockburn and Port Pirie as an interim solution pending the delivery of the 400 class Garratts, with all condemned by February 1956.

Fyansford Cement Works Railway※

The Fyansford Cement Works Railway purchased G33 from Commonwealth Disposals in August 1945. It was withdrawn in 1957. But maintained in operational condition until the railway closed in 1966 when it was donated to the Geelong division of the Australian Railway Historical Society.

Class list※

Class List
Num	Assembled at	Service with	Entered service	Withdrawn	Scrapped	Notes
G1	Newport Workshops	Queensland Railways	September 1943	September 1945	1955
G2	Newport Workshops	Queensland Railways	November 1943	September 1945	1955
G3	Newport Workshops	Queensland Railways	December 1943	September 1945	1955
G4	Newport Workshops	Queensland Railways	December 1943	September 1945	1955
G5	Newport Workshops	Queensland Railways	February 1944	September 1945	1955
G6	Newport Workshops	Tasmanian Government Railways
G7	Newport Workshops	Tasmanian Government Railways
G8	Newport Workshops	Tasmanian Government Railways
G9	Newport Workshops	Tasmanian Government Railways				Delivered to Queensland Railways but did not enter service, sold to Tasmanian Government Railways in December 1948
G10	Newport Workshops	Western Australian Government Railways
G11	Islington Railway Workshops	Queensland Railways Tasmanian Government Railways	December 1943			Sold to Tasmanian Government Railways in June 1946
G12	Islington Railway Workshops	Queensland Railways Tasmanian Government Railways Emu Bay Railway	December 1943			Sold to Tasmanian Government Railways in February 1950, sold to Emu Bay Railway 1962 as 20a as replacement for G25
G13	Islington Railway Workshops	Queensland Railways	February 1944	September 1945	1955
G14	Islington Railway Workshops	Queensland Railways	June 1944	September 1945	1955
G15	Islington Railway Workshops	Queensland Railways	May 1944	September 1945	1955
G16	Islington Railway Workshops	Queensland Railways Emu Bay Railway	August 1944	September 1945	1955	Sold to Emu Bay Railway, delivered July 1950, entered service July 1952 as 16
G17	Islington Railway Workshops	Queensland Railways Emu Bay Railway	August 1944	September 1945	1955	Sold to Emu Bay Railway, delivered March 1954, entered service October 1956 as 18
G18	Islington Railway Workshops	Queensland Railways Tasmanian Government Railways	July 1945	September 1945	1955	Sold to Tasmanian Government Railways in February 1950
G19	Islington Railway Workshops	Queensland Railways Tasmanian Government Railways	April 1945	September 1945	1955	Sold to Tasmanian Government Railways in December 1948
G20	Islington Railway Workshops	Western Australian Government Railways
G21	Clyde Engineering	Queensland Railways	January 1944
G22	Clyde Engineering	Queensland Railways	February 1944
G23	Clyde Engineering	Queensland Railways Emu Bay Railway	June 1944			Sold to Emu Bay Railway, delivered September 1950, entered service September 1953 as 17
G24	Clyde Engineering	Queensland Railways	May 1944
G25	Clyde Engineering	Queensland Railways Tasmanian Government Railways Emu Bay Railway	May 1944	February 1962		Sold to Tasmanian Government Railways in June 1946 as 20, resold to Emu Bay Railway destroyed in accident February 1962
G26	Midland Railway Workshops	Western Australian Government Railways South Australian Railways	22 November 1943			Sold to South Australian Railways 1952 as 305
G27	Midland Railway Workshops	Western Australian Government Railways
G28	Midland Railway Workshops	Western Australian Government Railways
G29	Midland Railway Workshops	Western Australian Government Railways South Australian Railways	10 March 1944			Sold to South Australian Railways 1952 as 302
G30	Midland Railway Workshops	Western Australian Government Railways South Australian Railways	5 April 1944			Sold to South Australian Railways 1952 as 304
G31	Newport Workshops	Western Australian Government Railways South Australian Railways	2 March 1945			Sold to South Australian Railways 1952 as 303
G32	Newport Workshops	Western Australian Government Railways South Australian Railways	1 June 1945			Sold to South Australian Railways 1952 as 300
G33	Islington Railway Workshops	Fyansford Cement Works Railway	1946	1957		Donated to Australian Railway Historical Society Museum in 1966, transferred to Bellarine Railway in 2013
G34	Not assembled
G35	Not assembled
G36	Not assembled
G37	Clyde Engineering	Tasmanian Government Railways
G38	Clyde Engineering	Tasmanian Government Railways
G39	Not assembled
G40	Not assembled
G41	Not assembled
G42	Not assembled
G43	Not assembled
G44	Islington Railway Workshops	Western Australian Government Railways
G45	Islington Railway Workshops	Western Australian Government Railways
G46	Midland Railway Workshops	Western Australian Government Railways
G47	Midland Railway Workshops	Western Australian Government Railways
G48	Midland Railway Workshops	Western Australian Government Railways
G49	Midland Railway Workshops	Western Australian Government Railways South Australian Railways	20 October 1944			Sold to South Australian Railways 1952 as 301
G50	Midland Railway Workshops	Western Australian Government Railways
G51	Clyde Engineering	Queensland Railways	July 1944		1955
G52	Clyde Engineering	Queensland Railways	August 1944		1955
G53	Clyde Engineering	Queensland Railways	September 1944		1955
G54	Clyde Engineering	Western Australian Government Railways
G55	Clyde Engineering	Western Australian Government Railways
G56	Clyde Engineering	Western Australian Government Railways
G57	Clyde Engineering	Western Australian Government Railways
G58	Clyde Engineering	Western Australian Government Railways
G59	Clyde Engineering	Western Australian Government Railways
G60	Clyde Engineering	Tasmanian Government Railways
G61	Clyde Engineering	Tasmanian Government Railways
G62	Clyde Engineering	Tasmanian Government Railways
G63	Clyde Engineering	Western Australian Government Railways
G64	Clyde Engineering	Western Australian Government Railways
G65	Clyde Engineering	Western Australian Government Railways

Preservation※

The only surviving complete ASG is: G33, which ran on the Fyansford Cement Works Railway until 1957. It was on static display at the Australian Railway Historical Society Museum in North Williamstown until May 2013, when (along with a spare boiler) it was moved by road to the Bellarine Railway, Queenscliff, with the aim of full restoration.

Many front ASG water tanks have survived: one at Yatina, South Australia, two on a farm south of Peterborough, South Australia, one at the Workshops Rail Museum in Queensland, two at the Don River Railway in Tasmania, and several dotted around that state. They were used as water tanks for steam and fire fighting until the early 1980s. Another also survives with the Launceston & North East Railway in Launceston, Tasmania. It was used as a waste oil tank by TasRail until the closure of the Hobart railway yard in 2014, possibly being the last steam engine component used by TasRail.

References※

Bibliography※

Further reading※

• Whiting, Alan (1988). Engine of Destruction - The Australian Standard Garratt Scandal. A. Whiting. ISBN 0-7316-1466-6.

External links※

• Operating Manual for Australian Standard Garratt
• Forum discussion of whereabouts of former ASG tanks