K1 - The worlds first Garratt

Tasmanian Govt. Rly
K1
Built Beyer Peacock & Co, Manchester, 1909
K1 was the world's first Garratt locomotive. It was built by Beyer Peacock for the North East Dundas Tramway in Tasmania. After withdrawal in Tasmania it was purchased by Beyer Peacock for their museum collection. It later came to the Festiniog Railway, from where it was loaned for display in the National Railway Museum. The locomotives restoration was started in 1995, returning to steam in 2004.
We first see the locomotive at the Crewe Works Open Day in 2005, before the locomotive returned to Manchester in 2009 at the Great Garratt Gathering at the Museum of Science and Industry.
We see the locomotive at the 2014 Superpower event shortly before withdrawal. The steam locomotives overhaul was started by a loyal team at Dinas, but other priorities meant that progress was slow until 2019, when the locomotive moved to the Statfold Barn Railway. The engine steamed in 2020 and we see the engine in action during Open Days during 2020 and 2021. We then see the K1 on its return to the Welsh Highland Railway in 2021 during the AGM/Superpower event and Photo Charter work.
www.preservedrailway.co.uk
(C) Lee Andrew Davies 2021

[@nigelkthomas9501]

Looks great for its age! And in such a beautiful surroundings as well!

[@giuseppearditi7963]

Ho potuto constatare che la macchina è veramente. Stupenda nello stesso tempo e originale congratulazioni per il video

[@Pesmog]

Great to see so much filming at Statfold Barn Railway. Is that now the K1's permanent home?

[@hywelroberts1653]

Blimey 113 years old this K1 is

[@SimonTog]

Looks really good :)

[@rsinclair6560]

If we rebuild and convert railway the gauge between Lebrina and Wyena, will you bring it back to Tasmania...please?

[@kupferbergbahn7952]

Nope! Tasmania were going to scrap it and I doubt it would've been cared for if K1 stayed there.

[@rsinclair6560]

@@kupferbergbahn7952 Yes, I was kidding but agree. There is a photo of Tasmanias M & L class, 8 cylinder garratts( before garratts took off everywhere else) in 1960's lined up to cut up. Even a couple of ex New Zealand tank emgines which would have been perfect for my plan. The State despite what they claim, is one of worst places in the WORLD to destroy industrial / transportation history. Lucky the poms took K1 back..thanks. Most remaining heritage steam was saved by people who migrated from England in the 1960's. Don River Railway for example. I tried to one of the most interesting railway constructions listed on our hertage register back in 1997 Scottsdale to Ledgerwood. I am now trying to conserve 6km between Lebrina and Wyena back to a picnic camp ground and cafe station at Lebrina, the only way make a railway make money.

[@JonGamingPizza]

The train is nice it just triggered me when a saw a box on it

[@thepress8229]

no way

[@pvtimberfaller]

I still don’t understand the type, much longer wheelbase than a mallet & having to pipe steam & exhaust farther, blind forward. It looks to me like the larger ones with the fuel & water tanks over the engine units would loose traction as supplies were used up. I suspect the only value in the design was to skirt a patent.

[@RiflemanMoore]

The entire weight of the engine is carried on the power units, the boiler isn't magically levitating. Weight loss during service is minimal compared to the overall weight of the locomotive, they'd lose traction only as much as any loco which carries its fuel and water on board, as per some Mallets, Fairlies and any tank engine. As for wheelbase, the only wheelbase to really be concerned about is the fixed wheelbase of the power units, provided the loco is within loading gauge on curves the total articulated wheelbase is a non-issue. One advantage over other articulated designs is that you can make the firebox as big as you like, within the loading gauge, as it's in no way constricted by trailing or driving wheels. Bottom line, Garratts were extremely successful.

[@billyp4850]

Another benefit over the Mallet type is that the boiler is carried between the power units, so when cornering the boiler mass is carried on the inside of the curve radius. Whereas a Mallet mas the mass of the boiler over the front power unit swing out, away from the curve. This is not what you want for stability. Tl;dr Garretts are much more stable than Mallets.

[@JonGamingPizza]

3rd comment

[@jdcompany2019]

Old whistle was better