TGR K Class
Encyclopedia
The Tasmanian Government Railways
(TGR) K Class was a class of steam locomotive
. The class numbered two locomotives, K1 and K2 built in 1909. They were 0-4-0+0-4-0
Garratt
s and the first garratt locomotives ever produced. K1 survives at the Welsh Highland Railway
in Wales
.
Although considered the first Garratt locomotives ironically they differed in two important details from Herbert Garratt's
original concept. They are actually compound locomotive
s, with two high pressure cylinders on the rear engine, and a pipe leading to two larger low pressure cylinders on the front engine. Both sets of cylinders were placed facing each other inside their engine units, rather than facing out as in all other garratts. This was especially a problem in the Australian summer, as one pair of cylinders was under the cab, making the cab uncomfortably hot.
The North East Dundas Tramway
on which they worked closed in 1929. The boiler of K1 was sold to a sawmill, and in 1947 K1 was sold back to its maker Beyer, Peacock and Company
, with the boiler of K2 attached. It was then shipped back to Britain.
Beyer, Peacock & Co. closed in 1966, having offered K1 to the Narrow Gauge Railway Museum
in 1961 and it was then sold to the Ffestiniog Railway
in 1966. However, K1 was too tall and wide for use within the FR's restricted loading gauge
, and after ten years of storage at Porthmadog
, K1 was loaned to the National Railway Museum
where it was cosmetically restored.
As the Welsh Highland Railway
rebuilding project reached fruition, K1's potential for the line was recognised and in 1995 it left the NRM. A new boiler was found to be required. Parts were restored at various locations, but it was reassembled at Boston Lodge
. After conversion to oil-firing, it steamed again in 2004 and finally received HM Railway Inspectorate
approval in September 2006 to haul trains single headed. K1's first public workings were at the Welsh Highland Railway's 'Superpower' weekend (9 and 10 September) when it worked a shuttle service between Caernarfon
and Dinas.
K1 is to be converted back to coal-firing for the 2007 season after rising oil prices forced a change of policy for the WHR.
Tasmanian Government Railways
The Tasmanian Government Railways was the former Government of Tasmania managed operator of mainline railways in Tasmania, Australia...
(TGR) K Class was a class of steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
. The class numbered two locomotives, K1 and K2 built in 1909. They were 0-4-0+0-4-0
0-4-0+0-4-0
A 0-4-0+0-4-0, in the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives by wheel arrangement, is an articulated locomotive, usually of the Garratt type. It features no leading or trailing wheels at either end, having only two sets of four driving wheels...
Garratt
Garratt
A Garratt is a type of steam locomotive that is articulated in three parts. Its boiler is mounted on the centre frame, and two steam engines are mounted on separate frames, one on each end of the boiler. Articulation permits larger locomotives to negotiate curves and lighter rails that might...
s and the first garratt locomotives ever produced. K1 survives at the Welsh Highland Railway
Welsh Highland Railway
The Welsh Highland Railway is a long restored narrow gauge heritage railway in North Wales, operating from Caernarfon to Porthmadog, and passing through a number of popular tourist destinations including Beddgelert and the Aberglaslyn Pass. At Porthmadog it connects with the Ffestiniog Railway...
in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
.
Overview
Herbert William Garratt
Herbert William Garratt was an English mechanical engineer and the inventor of the Garratt system of articulated locomotives....
original concept. They are actually compound locomotive
Compound locomotive
A compound engine unit is a type of steam engine where steam is expanded in two or more stages.A typical arrangement for a compound engine is that the steam is first expanded in a high-pressure cylinder, then having given up heat and losing pressure, it exhausts directly into one or more larger...
s, with two high pressure cylinders on the rear engine, and a pipe leading to two larger low pressure cylinders on the front engine. Both sets of cylinders were placed facing each other inside their engine units, rather than facing out as in all other garratts. This was especially a problem in the Australian summer, as one pair of cylinders was under the cab, making the cab uncomfortably hot.
The North East Dundas Tramway
North East Dundas Tramway
The North East Dundas Tramway was a gauge tramway on West Coast Tasmania that ran between Zeehan and Deep Lead . It was part of Tasmanian Government Railways...
on which they worked closed in 1929. The boiler of K1 was sold to a sawmill, and in 1947 K1 was sold back to its maker Beyer, Peacock and Company
Beyer, Peacock and Company
Beyer, Peacock and Company was an English railway Locomotive manufacturer with a factory in Gorton, Manchester. Founded by Charles Beyer and Richard Peacock, it traded from 1854 until 1966...
, with the boiler of K2 attached. It was then shipped back to Britain.
Beyer, Peacock & Co. closed in 1966, having offered K1 to the Narrow Gauge Railway Museum
Narrow Gauge Railway Museum
The Narrow Gauge Railway Museum is a purpose-built museum dedicated to narrow gauge railways situated at the station of the Talyllyn Railway in Tywyn, Gwynedd, Wales....
in 1961 and it was then sold to the Ffestiniog Railway
Ffestiniog Railway
The Ffestiniog Railway is a narrow gauge heritage railway, located in Gwynedd, Wales. It is a major tourist attraction located mainly within the Snowdonia National Park....
in 1966. However, K1 was too tall and wide for use within the FR's restricted loading gauge
Loading gauge
A loading gauge defines the maximum height and width for railway vehicles and their loads to ensure safe passage through bridges, tunnels and other structures...
, and after ten years of storage at Porthmadog
Porthmadog
Porthmadog , known locally as "Port", and historically rendered into English as Portmadoc, is a small coastal town and community in the Eifionydd area of Gwynedd, in Wales. Prior to the Local Government Act 1972 it was in the administrative county of Caernarfonshire. The town lies east of...
, K1 was loaned to the National Railway Museum
National Railway Museum
The National Railway Museum is a museum in York forming part of the British National Museum of Science and Industry and telling the story of rail transport in Britain and its impact on society. It has won many awards, including the European Museum of the Year Award in 2001...
where it was cosmetically restored.
As the Welsh Highland Railway
Welsh Highland Railway
The Welsh Highland Railway is a long restored narrow gauge heritage railway in North Wales, operating from Caernarfon to Porthmadog, and passing through a number of popular tourist destinations including Beddgelert and the Aberglaslyn Pass. At Porthmadog it connects with the Ffestiniog Railway...
rebuilding project reached fruition, K1's potential for the line was recognised and in 1995 it left the NRM. A new boiler was found to be required. Parts were restored at various locations, but it was reassembled at Boston Lodge
Boston Lodge
This article is about the locomotive works. For the station see Boston Lodge Halt.Boston Lodge is situated at Penrhyn Isa, Minffordd, Penrhyndeudraeth, on the A487 road about 1 mile SE across the Afon Glaslyn causeway from Porthmadog, Gwynedd in north-west Wales.It has a station on the Ffestiniog...
. After conversion to oil-firing, it steamed again in 2004 and finally received HM Railway Inspectorate
HM Railway Inspectorate
Established in 1840, HM Railway Inspectorate was the British organisation responsible for overseeing safety on Britain's railways and tramways...
approval in September 2006 to haul trains single headed. K1's first public workings were at the Welsh Highland Railway's 'Superpower' weekend (9 and 10 September) when it worked a shuttle service between Caernarfon
Caernarfon
Caernarfon is a Royal town, community and port in Gwynedd, Wales, with a population of 9,611. It lies along the A487 road, on the east banks of the Menai Straits, opposite the Isle of Anglesey. The city of Bangor is to the northeast, while Snowdonia fringes Caernarfon to the east and southeast...
and Dinas.
K1 is to be converted back to coal-firing for the 2007 season after rising oil prices forced a change of policy for the WHR.
Further reading
- Belibin, Bruce and McKillop, Bob - K1 steams again Light Railways, Number 193 February 2007 pp. 3-7
External links
- http://www.whrsoc.org.uk/Projects/K1Loco.html
- http://www.railtasmania.com/loco/garratts.htm
- http://www.whrsoc.org.uk/WHRProject/k1.htm
- TGR K class Drawing
- Drawing of TGR K class
