AD60

Building the DJH AD60

The completed loco as a teaser for what is to follow in the description of this project. This is a high resolution photo. Right click it in your browser and choose "View Picture" or similar to view it completely or alternatively download it. Introduction Even before I started building my NGG16, a long living love of mine, I already eyed towards the Australian Class 60. This class may not be the biggest Garratt ever, but there is little to surpass this class. Actually I believe it to be the largest standard gauge Garratt built in substantial numbers. I got a DJH kit via my modeller's network (thanks again Trevor and Andy!!) in May 2011 and started the kit almost immediately after finishing the then running projects, the NGG16 and parallel to NS Class 6200. 6042 returning from its "last run", near Tahmoor, Mar 1973, John Hurst It is awesome to see them at work .

60 class Garratts double-head up Fassifern Bank - Winter, 1968	Double headeding a Wangi bound coal train,1968.
While a was building my model of the AD60 no 6029 was being restored to operational condition. When it finally came to life it featured as the largest operational steam locomotive in the southern hemisphere, the UP3985 being the largest of the northern hemishpere and in fact the largest in the world until "Big Boy" UP4014 hits the rails somewhere between 2016 and 2018.

Undergoing yard trials at the Canberra Railway Museum, july 2014	Inaugural run, Feburay 2015

Status of the project

April 7, 2016

Locomotive completed

Jan 27, 2016

Jan 24, 2016

Numbered 6006. Painting about halfway done. I am not happy with the boiler's black coat (too rough).

Dec 31, 2015

The loco is essentially completed. Some minor jobs are needed to undo minor handling damage. But it runs and it runs sweet.

The crackling sound on the background is firework being lit in advance of New Year's Eve

Dec 24, 2015

After completing my SHM 26 and NS 6228, progress on the AD60 picked up really well. The rear unit's chassis is operational. The last set of valve gear of the front unit is awaiting arrival of spare parts. Decals and brass number have been ordered. In the mean time I am working on small details.

June 1st, 2015

Many things have passed. Midway 2014 I picked up this model again and gradually advanced to this stage.

Both undercarriages have been blackened and lightly weathered.

I'm now getting to the stage where the rodding will be done and the electrical drives will be installed

May 1st, 2012

Status as per the summer stop of building

March 27, 2012

Good progress in the last few weeks. Both unit frames ready for painting, front and rear unit's superstructure essentially ready for painting (a few minor issues left). Work on the boiler/cab cradle starts

March 8, 2012

Work has concentrated on the drive, progress up to instruction 86 in the manual except mounting the gear boxes.
Loosely assembled for the sake of the photo.

Cylinders completed and fitted
Motion bracket completed and fitted
Main connecting rods and crossheads ready, one set trial fitted to gain experience and to minimise adjustments later. It will be removed again to paint the chassis before anything like final assembly will be done
To create some diversion from the sometimes tiresome and slow progress on the drives, some work has been done on the running bogies and on the rear bunker
I need to update the progress on this site but work and family jointly keep me from it.

Feb 18, 2012

There does not seem to be much difference with the previous status, but a lot of work has been done. The frames are soldered together and a lot of detailing has been done. Current position: instruction 44 in the manual.

Status as of Feb 12, 2012

The N&W class A is for comparison

Feb 7, 2012

See a video of the rolling chassis

On the vid you can see one of the driving units of the AD60 Garratt. It evidently shows that not all driving axles touch the rail. The second and third driving miss a turn here and there. This impedes the pulling power of the unit. Sprung axle boxes or compensation should solve this issue. I've decided not pursue this issue as my Garratt will spend the major part of its life in a display cabinet

Feb 5, 2012

Inventory made