Problem of axle loading decreasing with water usage is common to any tank loco. And as for bridge loadings, it was not safe to take a fully coaled and watered Garratt across the Burnett River bridge at Bundaberg. Garratts had to be emptied and hauled across the Burnett "as a vehicle". This, as well as the availability of Blair Athol coal, is why the Garratts were used mostly in the Central Division.

Built in Gorton, Manchester.

@JBofBrisbane the usual thing here is if we didn't invent it, it can't be good...

I'm heading for Queensland in later this year..just so I can ride behind this beauty...she's doing trips out of Ipswich in October.. can't wait.

@EpicureMammon The problem with the Garratt and all tank engine designs is that the axle loading decreases as the water is used up, reducing adhesion and traction. This is not a problem over relatively short runs. QGR Garratts were frequently used on the Rockhamption to Blair Athol for the high grade steaming coal. Total of perhaps 400 km with watering points along the way. Low capacity bridges on the central line in the early 1950s needed light axle loadings, Garratts offered this.

Impressive looking locomotive. We had almost exactly the same type in our home state many years ago, the SAR 400 class garratt - built by Beyer Peacock. Dark green to blackish but instead of coal was oil-fired. Now only two are left. One in museum and no.402 on display at zig zag railways.

Can somebody please tell me if it's true that this engine has been committed to a static display, and will not steam again? Thanks.......jager

They always seemed to me to be awfully complicated... overthought. Too many parts to go wrong. Also, the 'pulling power' jus' don't seem to be there. A big thing: It doesn't have the grace and presence of the behemoths it shares the rails with. (Side-by-side with 'The Red Devil'... which has stance?)

I remember this old train... Fond childhood memories these days. I can't wait until they have it up and running again.

Update on my previous post.... I went Queensland and to my dismay, the Garrett is now just on static display at the Ipswich Workshop Museum... I was informed that they have no plans to put her back in steam.... What a waste.... I settled for a trip on the Mary Valley Rattler instead....a C17steamer that runs from Gympie to Imbil....it was great.

I lived in Emerald, at the junction of the cental rly and the Blair Athol line, so I saw plenty of them My father was a railwayman and most of the men I knew were too. Emerals was a railway town.

@granskare - most U.S. railroads played around with the Mallet articulated design, and paid little attention to what Mr Garratt was doing in Britain.

Unfortunately it is rather unlikely unless a generous benefactor comes along. I believe the cost of returning this locomotive to service has been estimated at $3-4 million...

what an absolutely beautiful locomotive.

@pyrofella yeah, she has been static display since something went bung a number of years ago. there is an increase in rumors that she may be restored to operation for 2015 but so far nothing has started to be done.

Yes that is Brisbane, Out to Fishermans Is back again, Its an Old Video as the Garret was restored back in the 90s. The Flying Scotmans trip through Brisbane started the love affair of steam trains again

What a great clip, such a shame that we will probably never see her in steam again :(

Brings back Good memories. :)

@granskare I think that Garratts are better around tighter corners and the trade offs to achieve that benefit weren't worth it or even necessary on US railways. Maybe they would have been very useful on some lines, I don't know. They definitely are neat looking.

it blew a fusible plug years and years ago and has being sitting in a museum for the last 6-7 years it will never run again

It's a shame this one's been committed to a static display... such a beautiful loco and piece of engineering!

@granskare - I have noticed that, but Anatoly Mallet was hardly a U.S. citizen.

Seriously impressive loco!

Magnificent locomotives

Mainlyhuman. 3 feet 6 inches

what great locomotive ! 5* and fav.

we can always hope :(

Beautiful loco.

In the Wikipedia article they said a fusable plug let go. Probably in the worst spot possible.

I hear the American accent at the end..."Right on Time". Of course it is...it isn't an American train.

My family and I chased the train from Wacol to Ebenezer that say...

Ah those were the days when our DELs were still wearing blue. They must have had the entire fleet of timber carriages hooked up that day.

Nice video Ken, what other treasures you got stowed away?

Roight on toim........Very nice filming, thanks! Kind Regards from Amersfoort, Netherlands, Gert

Umm, "that day". No edit button here...

Should be standard gauge, but it's a magnificent engine. But I was wrong Queensland Rail is narrow gauge, 3 ft 6in. Typical Australian, they run all 3 gauges in different parts of the country.

I saw her in the museum at Ipswich a couple of years ago.. static display.. cobwebs, dust and rust.... what a waste.....

where is this loco running? At first I thought it was running in south Africa after reading the description it turns out its in my home state of QLD. I'm guessing some where up north, because thats not Brisbane (I don't thing could be wrong) and can't be the Gold Coast because the line stops mid Coast at Varsity Lakes + there are not a lot of switches that far south after Brisbane and the line is a bit more modern)

yeah, well, when you consider her as two locomotives, that price sounds about right.

an amazing loco! I don't think it was ever used in the USA...too bad...

what a loco,, good video,

Cool Steam Garratt

Thats is not Ad 60 garrat its Crimson

ah I see, thank you. :)

what is the gauge?

I thought UP #3985 was the largest operating steam locomotive in the world.

5*****!

At the 0.07 mark, it comes up on the screen where its running ...... Roma St, Ebenezer, Fisherman Islands, Roma St. !!!

It says at the beginning of the video where it was running!!!!!!!!!!!!

"...that say" what GR?