South Australian Railways G class

The South Australian Railways G Class locomotives first appeared on the South Australian Railways in 1869 after being purchased from Beyer, Peacock and Company. More locomotives were purchased and in service by 1880, and again in 1886. The G class was extinct by 1923.[1]

South Australian Railways G Class
South Australian Railways G Class Locomotive
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
BuilderBeyer, Peacock and Company
Serial number858-859 2739-2741 1900-1902
Build date1869-1886
Total produced8
RebuilderIslington Railway Workshops
Rebuild date1884 (No. 23) 1886 (No. 24) 1905 (No. 99) 1914 (No. 100) 1901 (No. 101)
Number rebuilt5
Specifications
Configuration:
 • Whyte2-4-0T
 • UIC1'B T
Gauge5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm)
Driver dia.4 ft 0 in (1,219 mm)
Length23 ft 2+14 in (7.07 m)
Height11 ft 6.00 in (3,505.2 mm)
Axle load81 long tons 10 cwt (182,600 lb or 82.8 t)
Loco weight21 long tons 0 cwt (47,000 lb or 21.3 t)
Fuel typeCoal
Fuel capacity0 long tons 10.5 cwt (1,200 lb or 0.5 t)
Water cap.325 imp gal
(390 US gal; 1,480 L)
Firebox:
 • Grate area7.43 sq ft (0.690 m2)
Boiler pressure130 psi (896 kPa)
Heating surface:
 • Firebox37 sq ft (3.4 m2)
 • Tubes368.9 sq ft (34.27 m2)
Cylinders2
Cylinder size11 in × 18 in (279 mm × 457 mm)
Performance figures
Tractive effort5,013 lbf (22.30 kN)
Career
OperatorsSouth Australian Railways
ClassG
Number in class8
Numbers23-24, 99-101, 156 & 161-162
First run1869
Withdrawn1904-1923
DispositionAll scrapped

History

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Only five of the G class locomotives were purchased new by the South Australian Railways from Beyer, Peacock and Company. The rest of the class were acquired upon the takeover of the Glenelg and Grange railway lines from private operators. On 2 August 1873, the Adelaide, Glenelg and Suburban Railway Company opened a line between Adelaide and Glenelg via King William Street and South Terrace, Adelaide. This is the route currently used by trams on the Glenelg tram line. On 25 May 1880, the Holdfast Bay railway line was officially opened and a line from the Adelaide railway station, North Terrace to Glenelg through Richmond and Plyptom. These two lines were eventually amalgamated in 1881 and formed the Glenelg Railway Company. The Glenelg Railway Company in turn passed over the Government control on 15 December 1899. The Grange Railway Company built and operated a line between Woodville and Grange in 1882, which was then acquired by the South Australian Railways on 1 January 1893.

G class locomotives No. 23 and No. 24 were the first of two locomotives of the class imported to work over the newly opened Roseworthy-Tarlee section of the Northern Railway in 1869. No. 23 was the first of many locomotives purchased from Beyer Peacock by the SAR. No. 23 and No. 24 were later employed to work on the Strathalbyn to Victor Harbor railway line. The remaining three G class locomotives (No. 99, 100 and 101) replaced the Belgian Steam Railcar on the Strathalbyn to Milang and to Victor Harbor railway line.[2][3]

References

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  1. ^ Drymalik, Chris. "Broad Gauge G-class 2-4-0 tank locomotives". Chris's Commonwealth Railways Information (ComRails). Retrieved 30 July 2019.
  2. ^ FLUCK, R. E.; SAMPSON, R.; BIRD, K. J. (1986). STEAM LOCOMOTIVES AND RAILCARS OF THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN RAILWAYS. South Australia: Mile End Railway Museum (S.A.) Inc. pp. 47–50. ISBN 0959-5073-37.
  3. ^ Drymalik, Chris. "Broad Gauge G-class 2-4-0 tank locomotives". Chris's Commonwealth Railways Information (ComRails). Retrieved 30 July 2019.