Sentinel Steam Railcars

[PhilJ W]

This came about from a discussion on another thread. I decided to look up on the internet to see if there is any survivors. One railcar is still operational in Peru but fitted with a diesel engine. I have since discovered another railcar that is still operational still powered by steam! What is more it has two sisters one of which is out of use but intact and one that is described as a 'shell'. These cars are on a narrow gauge (2' 6") system in Sri Lanka. >> http://www.internati.../srilanka05.htm

Page down and there is a series of photographs of the railcar.

[Weekday Cross]

There was at least one other slightly earlier Sentinel at Tacna in Peru when I visited in the late 1990s - I assume it is still there, but not in service. This is a slightly earlier design than the one still running. Both were built originally for the Central Railway of Peru and were converted to diesel traction quite early on.

[PhilJ W]

Yes that one is still operational but fitted with a Volvo diesel engine. It has been suggested that one of the Sri Lanka examples be repatriated and operated on the Welshpool and Lanfair or the Sittingbourne and Kemsley Dale.

[EddieB]

Here is a link to a picture* of the Spanish one (Sentinel 7604 of 1929), which was removed to Venta de Baños from Zaragoza a few years ago. This unique railcar was originally built for Zafra a Huevla as class XF no. 1001, passing to RENFE as running number 9091 in 1941. After withdrawal it found its way to AZAFT, but was stored in the open beside that organisation's centre in Zaragoza, where it suffered vandalism and fire damage. The AZAFT collection had to be moved and the site cleared for the construction and opening of a new station at Zaragoza Delicias. The Sentinel was then acquired by Asociación Venteña de Amigos del FC who moved it to its present location with hopes of salvaging and restoring what remains.

 

http://www.locomotor.../9091pizias.jpg

 

*Sorry, but easier than scanning one of my slides!

[stewartingram]

There is a Sentinel m/u preserved at Quainton Road.

 

http://www.brc-stockbook.co.uk/smu.htm

 

Stewart

[Weekday Cross]

Yes that one is still operational but fitted with a Volvo diesel engine. It has been suggested that one of the Sri Lanka examples be repatriated and operated on the Welshpool and Lanfair or the Sittingbourne and Kemsley Dale.

 

No what I meant is there is another one i.e the volvo in disguise and a disused one

[PhilJ W]

The count so far is about 10 although the continued existence of some is doubtful. We have the Egyptian one at Quainton and the one on Jersey, the one in Spain. Two? in Peru with another (metre gauge) one reported in Argentina. The 3 in Sri Lanka with one other being reported as preserved in Australia. Of those two are running , one of them being fitted with a diesel engine. Does any one know of any others.

[EddieB]

Six more.

 

There were four surviving in Tasmania and two ex-TGR in Victoria, based on an LCGB list dated 2000: These were TGR SP4, SP5, SP6, SP7, SP8 and SP7 (Sentinel 8812, 9201, 9202 9234, 9235 and 9238 respectively of 1937)., but all were converted to non-powered coaches around 1949. Despite plans, I'm not aware that any have been restored to powered operation.

 

http://www.railtasmania.com/ttms/exhibit.php?id=sp4

http://www.donriverrailway.com.au/carriages.html (see image 21 of 26)

http://www.bpr.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=42&Itemid=63

 

General site http://www.railtasmania.com/pres/

 

I cannot find a recent record of SP6, which was listed as being on the Derwent Valley Railway in the LCGB list, and SP9 reported as in use as a store on the Wee Georgie Wood Steam Railway, Tullah, Tasmania.

[PhilJ W]

That makes 16 by my reckoning. I am surprised that that many survive.

Here is another pic of Sri Lanka 331 in action >>

http://www.dorneypho...otos_id=5842285

Note the track it is on. Looks like mixed gauge 2' 6" + 5' 6".

[EddieB]

The following are taken from James Hefner's "Surviving World Steam" project (as referenced in a link on the previous "Jersey" thread), where he also lists the Egyptian railcar set at Quainton Road, RENFE 9091. and ex-TGR SP5/SP8 at Queenscliffe, Victoria, Aus. Hefner notes that the one at Quainton may be the only oil-fired steam railcar in existence (I'll "pass" on that for the moment).

 

For reasons of time I cannot provide additional verification for all these, but have added further detail and corrections where possible.

 

Boyanup Museum odf Transport, WA, Aus. WAGR ASA 445 (S 8189/1930) rebuilt as coach (as per LCGB list, see above).

 

Viceroy Special, Dematagoda, Sri Lanka: CGR V2 331 (S 7303/1928)

 

Dematagoda Running Shed, Dematagoda, Sri Lanka. CGR V2 332 (S 7304/1928)

 

National Railway Musuem, Laguna Paiva, Argentina. Buenos Aires Midland Ry/FCGB T 302 (S 8522/1931)

 

/EDIT/

Now at San Luis see http://groups.yahoo....age/24959?var=1, and see also this message http://dir.groups.yahoo.com/group/steam_tech/message/24996 which describes this as a locomotive, not a railcar (and tallies with the record of it being an 0-4-4-0T in Reg Carter's Argentine Locomotive list.)

 

FC Tacna-Arica, Tacna, Peru. FC Central Peru 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7 (S 8983, 8985, 8986/1934 and ????, ????/1936), all converted to diesel by Wickham in 1938.

6 (FCTA 257) and 7 (FCTA 0261) stated to be operational, others derelict.

 

 

(Sadly some pages are missing from the SLS Sentinel list, so I can't verify all the builders numbers).