Zimbabwe - The Last Regular Working Garratt (Part 1). July 2017

[@ekimbrough1413]

Hey Andy🙂, I think we're pretty much on the same page about the Garretts (judging by your last reply). The fascination about them to the public (and it's enthusiasts) is it's unorthodox appearance. Check out, 'The final days of steam in South Africa'...and 'True Blue Steam Power' to see what I mean about their power and traction compared to; let's say... an average 2-8-4 (Northern classification in America ) or even your average 'Pacific' (2-6-4).

[@steamsearcher]

Hi, We have just returned from China and two long go's on the Shibanxi line. 3 hours from Lily's home town of Yaan. And yes we discovered a new coal mine railway only 300 metres and 2 electric locomotives but a railway non the less!! Now back in 1965 my family spent the next 3 years in Zambia. My journey to School took me past the main running shed in Brokenhill as it was called then. Your two films brought al the wonderful memories back to me!! My Cousin and his Chinese Wife spent the early part of the year back home also in Yaan and a visit to the railway as well!!

[@AndyDandanFisherSteam]

It''s a few years now since I was in Shibanxi - when it was really genuinely working. I don't know of Yaan, I'm afraid. Are both you and your cousin married to ladies from there? My wife, Dandan, is from Inner Mongolia. I'm pleased that you're enjoying my videos. Thanks for your comment.

[@steamsearcher]

Yes the same home town! With Mei came a wonderful son from her first marriage who has been doing Maths at Cambridge for the past 3 years! We caught the early all locals and original carriages train and did a round trip! Although they have improved the track now it is still a rough ride. The quality of coal has gone up as they dig deeper!! The locomotives are still in a run down and rustic state and driven enthusiastically!! Lily's dad made it to 85 and called it a day last Christmas so we were sorting all the things out. He left us a Canon 500D so were returning with an average of 150 photos a day superb!!

[@johnsawyer2516]

Another great video of the last of steam. Well done Andy.

[@AndyDandanFisherSteam]

Thank you John. I have a lot more to come from Zimbabwe.

[@ekimbrough1413]

Hi Andy, Yes LMS and LNER did have a small amount of them. So did Australia, Africa, and India as well, of course imported from Britain. Just today...I watch the great 'The Great Australian Steam Challenge' where a Garrett was racing with another Steam engine (I didn't see what one); and the the Garrett in some spots actually past the other train only to fall back. Of course as expected: the was a diesel at the end of the train helping it out! In Britain (in the day) freight train were pull by a number of different locos! The Black 5's and other engines pulled freight trains just as long with NO HELP. The ONLY advantage that Garretts were billed for was their ability to pull trains around tight curves. And you are right...most of their fame was on narrow tight gauges with light coal wagons, and shunting work in colliery's in third world countries. Their work on on mail-line Stephenson,and broader gauges were short lived. -Erik

[@AndyDandanFisherSteam]

Erik. You've obviously already set your mind about Garratts. In Australia they weren't really "racing" - it was a photographic event. Diesels are often put on the end of steam hauled trains these days because modern stock is air braked (not vacuum braked and the diesel provides the braking. A "light" 4 wheel mineral wagon (as you said) is designed to carry 16 tons of coal. The wagon weighs about 2 tons, so that's about 18tons each. A typical passenger coach weighs about 15 tons. The Garratts used to pull up to 100 loaded coal wagons at a time in the UK ..... I've personally seen trains with up to 116 loaded wagons. You work it out for yourself. Also, not all Garratts were built in the UK. Many (including many of those in Africa and Australia) were built in France and Belgium. Again, do some research on this you'll find the details online. Please believe me that Garratts were not the world's most powerful locos or the fastest locos but they were very capable locos and (as you say) produced a high power output that was able to get around tight curves - a great advantage over other designs of equally powerful locos. They were designed for a purpose and they fulfilled that purpose very well .... Andy

[@ekimbrough1413]

Sorry Andy it's 4-6 -2 on that Pacific!

[@thefredtkt]

Great video! steam locomotives working in coal mines are always impressive! happy to see that steam is already active on the planet in 2017! last steam locomotives i seen was in 1989 in germany...Alsdorf, Siersdorf! here, it's garrat steam locomotives, frequently used in africa i seen! thanks for sharring your excellent videos and sorry for my bad English, i love English language

[@AndyDandanFisherSteam]

Thank you very much for your kind comment. Your English is far better than my German !

[@thefredtkt]

Same for me, i don't speak german, only some words to search things about steam locomotives! British are the first about this, Germany are also good, Polska i think too! in France, all our steam locomotives are now in other countries! no interest for our industrial patrimoine! no money?

[@AndyDandanFisherSteam]

Well I do speak a little French ! You do still have a few steam locos working in France don't you? It's all a matter of having the will to save them. As you probably know, we're building new ones in the UK !

[@thefredtkt]

We had in the years 1985-1990 many steam engines of the national railway, the problem, associations had no more enough money to make them work, the government charged to these asking to much money to borrow one kilometer of way belonging to the SNCF(FRENCH NATIONAL RAILWAY COMPANY)! Today, there is only the 241p17 of Creusot, the 141R 1298 then the others narrow gauge tourist railways! What is this new steam locomotive in your country! the informations about this project are not clean for me! yes, you would speak french, it would be more easy for me! have a good day and thanks for your answer!

[@AndyDandanFisherSteam]

I'm afraid my French isn't good enough for a reply. We built the pacific A1 Class Tornado from donations in 2008 and this has been such a huge success that there are several other new locos being built around the UK now by different groups. Tornado travelled on the East Coast Mainline at 100mph (160kph) recently - another milestone passed !

[@447CDH]

Cracking video Beyer had great time filming it

[@AndyDandanFisherSteam]

Thanks Colin. There's many more to come soon !

[@thehighwayguy]

Were they doing runbys for you? It seems like they were just moving the same three cars back and forth ..... This is not a criticism! I love Garratts!

[@saltleywsc]

great video!!!!

[@AndyDandanFisherSteam]

Thank you for your kind comment.

[@armedreptile7889]

Hopefully it gets preserved and not cut up for scrap.

[@AndyDandanFisherSteam]

There are a handful still steamable (on request) at the Bulawayo depot of NRZ. I'd desperately like to see one be preserved but they've started to cut them up.

[@sir_skrallex]

Are you visiting these places private or have you got any travel group? Because i really enjoy your videos and would like to visit some places by my self.

[@AndyDandanFisherSteam]

I usually travel with FarRail Tours (www.farrail.com). I help out with the organisation of the small groups. You can also travel alone if you prefer though. Let me know if you need any advice.

[@sir_skrallex]

Thanks a lot. If i need any i will ask.

[@leifliltorp3277]

Where are they getting the diesel fuel from????The coal they have themselves????

[@AndyDandanFisherSteam]

Well this is, of course, why they're still with us - but for how much longer?

[@mandlandlovu2311]

kulungiswa nini lezi zinto logovemernt akwaziyo ukuhlukumeza umphakathi kuphela

[@AndyDandanFisherSteam]

Ndiyoyika ukuba andinakuphendula. I'm afraid I cannot answer that. ........ Andy

[@TexasRailfan21-RailfanRyan]

The Garretts were supposed to be in charge of the passenger train from Bulawayo to Victoria Falls known as the train Deluxe I sincerely hope that they don't scrap this example of an articulated locomotive being the last of anything is a bad and Dreadful loss I pray that this engine will be saved for the tourism of Victoria Falls

[@AndyDandanFisherSteam]

The Vic Falls tourist service is in the hands of an Henschel built B-Class (I think it is). Anyway, certainly not a Garratt. Zimbabwe Railways do have a handful of steamable examples that can be fired up in exchange for money but how long these will exist is anyone's guess, particularly with the recent change in leadership in the country. Andy

[@ekimbrough1413]

To Andy and Dandan... Yes they are O.K. for tourism. They smoke like California forest fire. Rarely, have I seen them in a video pilling a long train apportionate to their size without a a helper unit. They are slow and slogging with dismal tractive advance on percent grades! A poorly designed locomotive relegated to Third World countries when the West realizes there poor performance!

[@AndyDandanFisherSteam]

You have a very odd impression of the Garratts. The LMS had a small fleet in the UK for hauling heavy coal trains on the Midland Line (unaided) and the LNER had a single one for banking freight trains up the Worsborough Bank. They're not "miracle locos" .... they just do their jobs. Incidentally, the ones doing tourist work are small 2ft gauge versions which, again, do their jobs well ..... Andy

[@barryphillips7327]

SAD and stupid in many ways; Africa has HUGE resources of coal and water plus cheap labour crude oil and imported fuels are EXPENSIVE but greenies will NOT burning the coal 😡😠😠😡MORONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 😡😠😠😡

[@AndyDandanFisherSteam]

If you'd witnessed the guys at Bulawayo shed desperately trying to keep the last few Garratts operational with no money to do it, you might understand better why they've finally gone. It is sad though .... Andy

[@ekimbrough1413]

The world's most useless locomotive!

[@AndyDandanFisherSteam]

Garratts useless? Many hundreds were built and worked hard for many years. There's quite a large number still working well on tourist lines around the world. They're far from "useless"! .... Andy