Kenya Uganda Garratts built for conversion to 1065mm gauge

[Steve Appleton]

Just come across this article apparently sourced from the The Railway Gazette, July 21, 1939, BEYER, PEACOCK & CO. LTD., Locomotive Engineers. http://www.garrattmaker.com/images/home ... fmengo.pdf .

What is interesting is that these massive metre-gauge 4-8-4 + 4-8-4 locos built in 1939/40 were designed for possible conversion to the 3ft 6in (1065 mm) gauge and vacuum braking.The cylinders and motion are apparently centred for the wider gauge and the wheel tyres designed to be moved outward. I note from pictures that the buffer beams also seem to have been prepared to accept the higher-level bell-couplers in use on the 1065 mm system at that time.

What this indicates from a historical perspective is that there must have been serious consideration given at the time (the late 1930s) to a gauge-change necessary to link the Kenya-Uganda and Tanganikan systems to those of its 1065 mm southern and northern neighbours. Whilst the merits or demerits of the 1065 "narrow" gauge can be argued, it is still a pity that this change did not happen. An opportunity to establish a uniform, integrated African south to north railway was lost.

[John Ashworth]

Thanks, Steve. An interesting bit of history that I was unaware of. But do you think it was because they really thought East Africa might convert to Cape Cauge, or simply so that the same design of locomotive might be used for both metre and Cape Gauge? Or even that second hand locos could easily be converted for sale to another country with the different gauge? I believe there was a transfer of Garratts between Rhodesia and Sudan at one point, although those two countries were the same gauge.

[Steve Appleton]

John, you raise interesting interpretations. I personally don't think that the KUR would have purchased those 12 locos with resale in mind. The East African system would have been growing at that time. However, your point about a universal design is indeed a good possibility. Assuming the type was successful there would have been a large potential market for not only metre gauge versions but possibly an even larger market for 1065 mm -- South Africa, the Rhodesias, Portuguese East and West Africa, Sudan, Nyasaland, Queensland and Western Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Japan, and many more.

The paper does say that "This new type has been designed by Beyer, Peacock & Co. Ltd. to the detailed specification of the Chief Mechanical Engineer, Mr. K. C. Strahan (now retired), and the subsequent requirements of Mr. H. B. Stoyle, present Chief Mechanical Engineer and previously Locomotive Running Superintendent of the railway." which implies that this was not entirely a design of the KUR, but rather a collaborative effort, unlike the many almost wholly South African designs. The multi-gauge facility could have been a requirement of Beyer-Peacock.

Still, that theory does get negated by this passage: "Further, it was specified that the engines were to be designed to facilitate conversion to 3 ft. 6 in. gauge with the minimum of alteration; thus the cylinders and rods and motion are centred for the wider gauge, a wider wheel centre providing for the shifting of the tyres outwards. The engine has also been designed to take care of the possible conversion of the Westinghouse brake to vacuum, when the gauge is altered, and also for the ultimate introduction of automatic couplers. All of these definately imply that gauge widening on the KUR was indeed being considered at that time.

The paper goes on to say the the coupled wheels were made larger than before specifically for the KUR because "with the gradual speeding up of traffic and the extended use of Garratt engines over the whole main line, where the grades are easier, it was decided to increase the size of wheel in the present engines to 4 ft. 6 in., thus reducing the revolutions per mile by 20 per cent. with a consequently better balanced and freer running engine."

On balance, I still think this means that a change of gauge was indeed being considered in the late 1930s.

On another point, the paper states that "The barrel is clothed, as are also firebox and cylinders with J. W. Roberts's Limpet asbestos mattresses." I wonder what H&S would think of that today?

John are there any examples of this type still existant in Kenya?

[John Ashworth]

are there any examples of this type still existant in Kenya?

As far as I know there is one, no 87 Karamoja, in the Nairobi Railway Museum. I think the article makes reference to it. There are some photos of 87 on the FOTR forum here.