Beautiful locos and great puzzle.

Thanks, Don. I completed the puzzle in one afternoon from about 2:00 until 5:00. It was relatively easy being a 500 piece "jobbie".

While I am no expert on these beautiful locomotives, I do know that they were in existence in Africa, Asia, Australasia, South America and a few places in Europe and perhaps North America (I'm not sure about that last continent). I'm wondering if the steam experts out there might be able to place this locomotive as no location was listed on the Springbok Puzzle box.

Yes, Chris...that front locomotive is the "blue scheme"!

Hi Mike,

The Garratt looks like something from the African continent. The word "springbok" implies South Africa, and the quality of the restoration of the ROD loco implies SA rather than one of the other African countries. The Garratt appears to be traveling backwoods. Have a look at this site and see if you can match the images with your jigsaw box cover.

http://users.powernet.co.uk/hamilton/pics6.html

My guess is; South African Railways - Class GEA

Hello Rod, Thank you very much for that lead! Indeed, the locomotive on the cover resembles the South African Garratts in the website you quoted. Hey, I noticed a photograph at the site posted by a Ted Hamer...no relative, but an interesting coincidence.

I quickly perused the other pages of the site, Rod, and was amazed at all the variences to the Garratts from around the world as well as the many, varied and (sometimes) remote locations they worked! Fascinating! I'll have to revisit that site and spend more time studying those beautiful locomotives. [:-apple][:-apple][:-apple]

Mike,

I am forwarding your request to the Yahoo group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ausnarrowgauge/. Although the group focuses on Australian Narrow Gauge, one of the knowledgable members might ID the loco for you.

Mike,

You can spend your day trying to figure out both locos. Have a look at this site;

http://www.prorail.co.uk/rcjdetail/p...y/SARcheck.php

Rod, Thanks for digging deeper! It still amazes me that a question I have can be answered by someone on the other side of the planet and in the other hemishpere!

As for Springbok, I was unaware of the South African connection with that name having lived my entire life in Canada. Springbok is the name of the puzzle manufacturer and their puzzles have been around for decades and they are known for the high quality of the product.

The only South African connection I do have is that a good friend of mine, Derek Debeer, now living in Ottawa was originally from Zimbabwe and he was the drummer for the renowned musical group "Johnny Clegg and Juluka" later known as "Savuka". I'll have to show him the puzzle box when he comes over next.

Thanks again, Rod! :up: :up:

Mike,

You need to take up Rugby or Cricket

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Springbok

Mike,

Replies from ausnarrowgauge group:

Ist:

G'day Rod,

Not often I get the chance to add something knowledgeable to the group. The photo of the train is one I had for ages and have now sadly been unable to find - it is buried away in my hard copy archives somewhere under a heading I obviously thought appropriate at the time and now cannot remember what it was. The caption on the photo I had was that the Garratt was a Seth Efrican GEA and it was on the head of the "Blue Train". Springbok certainly gives the location away but then as they don't play Cricket or Rugby Union in North America the connection may not have been immediately apparent.

Cheers,David Axup

2nd: from a Canada;

Rod

Not being a B-G fan, (much perfer Kitson-Meyer) but the engine appears to be a SAR GMA/M class rather than a GEA. GMA/Ms were built from 1953 till 1958. "Garratt Locomotives of the World" by A.E.Durrant shows (pg 131)the GMA/M class with auxillary water tank as shown on the puzzle photo.

Ken C

Calgary Ab

GWN

MERRY XMAS & a HAPPY NEW YEAR Ehh!

3rd:

There are stacks of S. African Garratts. Looking through 'Locomotives of the South African Railways - A Concise Guide' by 'Leith Paxton' and 'David Bourne', the Garratt will be one of GEA, GMA/M, GO. There is probably not enough detail to tell, not really a lot of difference between them all, except GOs where for 45lb rail, the others for 60lb rail. It also looks like the front tank on the GEA is much longer then the either of the other two, and that GMA/M has the shortest front tank.

Just a quick point on the 'Blue Train' - the carriages are Blue. The lead loco is a '10' Class variant. Of course, the next book I opened shows the last steam hauled 'Blue Train' - the carriages are cream and brown!

Best regards,Mike Chapman

Hi Mike, Merry Christmas - My suspicion is that the photo is from one of the Rovos rail tours. See

http://www.rovos.co.za/capital-park.html

and scroll down to the locomotives, They own 3 Class 19's plus have a GMAM class Garratt on hire from the Sandstone Trust. (see http://www.sandstone-estates.com/ ) ROVOS operate luxury steam train tours in South Africa. Some of the 19 class had Vanderbilt tenders as on the front loco in your puzzle.

I hope that this helps

Regards, John Garaty

Unanderra in Oz

Mike,

A springbok is a small deer that is indigenous to Africa, hence the association between the name of the puzzle and the country.

I wish someone would come out with an affordable (read as plastic, not brass) version of the Garrett. It is such a unique engine.

Just a chuff chuff chuff as I sing those south african "Blues"

"SPRINGBOKS" and DJH Beyer-Garratts

Two things about this subject.

There are not many sports fans here; as even a Cleveland

Indian/New York Jet fan - recognizes that "SPRINGBOKS",

is the name for the SAR's international teams.

Since they are as famous as the "ALL BLACKS", who also

show up as a principal foe of the Aussies in rugby, it

is clear that spectator sports ain't this groups thing.

The puzzle company is trading upon the worldwide

recognition of that name as do company's with

monikers like "MAPLE LEAF HAM", "YANKEE ALE", and so

forth - do in Anglo North America.

With respect to the subject of B-G loco models, DJH

has made kits for most of them in several scales

over the last thirty-five years. Several other

makers have also produced them from time to time;

and probably, all that had multiple engines in a

given class of engines, have been produced as

fabricated brass, highly detailed, models made

(mosty) in the Orient. Large scale live steam

locos from ASTER, and others, also are made.

If 'HO' scale is your thing: the loco on the

puzzle box is produced in kit form in

both 'HOm' and 'HO'; as well as an

expensive assembled model in the 'HO' scale

form. They also make a kit for another earlier

SAR B-G that had six wheeled engines.

By going to:

then choosing: "3.5 MM HO"

followed with: "rest of the world"

you will find yourself with DJH's

'HO' offerings.These also include Australian

prototype Garratts, as well as other

loco kits.

8D Good- Luck,

Peter Boylan

Hello all...and a belated Merry Christmas too. I can see the fascination with the Garratt, it is an ingenious design...often wonder why we never really saw them in North America. Thank you to Rod, Peter, John, Mike and Chris for your input. As for the puzzle, I believe I will laminate it and have it somewhere in the crew lounge as a conversation piece...perhaps one day I'll model one...or...better still, visit one in person upon my retirement in a few short years! [:-apple] [:-apple]

Rod, you'll have to thank Dave, Ken and Mike from the yahoo site on my behalf!