South African Class GB 2-6-2+2-6-2
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 Class GB no. 2166, Voorbaai, 4 September 1997 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The South African Railways Class GB 2-6-2+2-6-2 of 1921 was an articulated steam locomotive.
In June 1921, the South African Railways placed a single experimental Class GB Garratt articulated steam locomotive with a 2-6-2+2-6-2 Double Prairie type wheel arrangement in service. Six more of these locomotives entered service in 1924.[1][2][3]
The first experimental model of eventually seven Class GB branch line Garratt articulated locomotives was one of altogether five Garratts which were ordered by the South African Railways (SAR) from Beyer, Peacock & Company in 1914. The rest of the order consisted of three narrow gauge Class NG G11 2-6-0+0-6-2 locomotives and a single experimental Class GA 2-6-0+0-6-2 mainline locomotive. Production was disrupted by World War I, however, and Beyer, Peacock & Company was only able to deliver the narrow gauge locomotives in 1919 and the two Cape gauge locomotives in 1921, after cessation of hostilities.[1][2][3][4][5]
Characteristics
The Class GB was numbered 1650, but the engine number was later changed to 2166. The locomotive was erected in the Durban shops and placed in service in June 1921. It was superheated, with a Belpaire firebox, plate frames and Walschaerts valve gear. The boiler was provided with the Gresley type air valve and mechanical lubrication was provided for the coupled wheel axle boxes.[1][2][3]
In 1924, six more locomotives of this Class were placed in service, also built by BP and numbered in the range from 2160 to 2165. They embodied all the improvements which experience with the first engine had shown desirable. The main differences between these locomotives and the original were revised boiler proportions and a larger water bunker capacity. The most obvious difference was a more completely enclosed cab with side windows instead of the curved cut-outs in the cab sides of the first locomotive. They were also heavier, 76 long tons 1 hundredweight (77,270 kilograms) compared to the 71 long tons 13 hundredweight (72,800 kilograms) of the engine of 1921.[1][2][3]
