In 1926 the Victorian Railways, Australia, ordered two 2-6-0+0-6-2 Garratt locomotives for service on Victoria's 30" gauge
country lines. The two outside framed locomotives were named 'G-41' and 'G-42. The Garratts had long and successful careers
running on the 4 narrow gauge lines in the state. Both locomotives remained in service through to the 1950s, where the worn
out G-41was used to keep G-42 running. Finally in the early 1960s, the last Narrow Gauge lines were facing closure, and the
aging G-42 was placed into storage. The last remaining narrow gauge line was marked for preservation in 1952, named the
Puffing Billy Railway (the 2nd line in the world to be preserved after Wales' Tallylyn railway) . G-42 was moved to the Puffing
Billy Railway in the 1960s for static display in their narrow gauge museum.
In the early 1980s the Garrett was hauled cold to the workshops for possible restoration, a project that was not completed until
2003! Today G-42 is fully restored and operation on the line and is a 'must see'.
Unique as she may be today, this type of Garratt was a standard class and several similar locos were built for Australia and the
colonies. Almost identical 2-6-0+0-6-2 Garratts were built for the Cement works in Victoria, but built as inside frame 42" gauge
locomtives. Infact the boiler on the restored G-42 today is an original unused boiler for the 42" gauge version.
Ron's model of G-42
Ron's model of G-42 was built atop the two chassis' from an LGB Euro 0-6-6-0 Mallet. The running gear and cylinders are
unaltered. The superstructure is entirely scratchbuilt in styrene following original engineering drawings and photos to a
scale of 1:22.5. While G-42 was an outside frame loco, with exposed counterweights, Ron's model demonstrates an inside
frame version.
Maybe not spot on for G-42, the model is exacting to Beyer peacock standards, and would be identical to the inside frame
42" gauge version.
Maybe not spot on for G-42, the model is exacting to Beyer peacock standards, and would be identical to the inside frame
42" gauge version.
