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British outline locos overseas


Black8
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When it comes to Sharp Stewart and Spain, we're dealing with quite an amount of history, with something like 361 locomotives supplied there - sixteen of which still survive.

 

The 0-6-0ST exemplified by "EL VALLEE" (sic) was something of a standard design, but the only customer in Spain was the FC de Triano which gave names to all their locomotives of this type.  The lack of a nameplate, short wheelbase and positioning of the dome in the "unidentified" photo makes me wonder if the picture is from another country - to me the crew look more South American.  Incidentally two of the ex-Triano SS 0-6-0STs are preserved - as well as a very similar loco in Sweden.

 

Sir D's last photo is of FC de Amorebiieta a Gernika no.1 "ZUGASTEITA" (Sharp Stewart 3435/1888) as preserved at Azpeitia.  Although it is very similar, FC de Cariñena a Zaragoza no. 5 - which became Hulleras de Sabero no. 10 "EL ESLA" - was (and still is, unless it has been removed recently) to be found stored within the closed Sabero factory complex near Cistierna.  

 

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While it was working "EL ESLA" featured heavily in a video production documenting the work of a famous (or infamous) railway photographer and his female assistant - which might explain the remnants of red paint!

Edited by EddieB
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Not exclusively - the first 21 locos all came from Sharp Stewart (1863-69) but comprised four x 0-4-2, four x 2-4-0, seven x 0-6-0T and six x 0-8-0ST.

 

I'm interested in no. 25, an 0-4-0ST named "DODO" which came from Lowca.

You are a real mine of information, Eddie.

 

Is there a book on Mauritian Railways, by any chance? I got my information from an article in 'The Engineer' describing the construction of the railways there, from a paper by C H Gregory dated 1869. He describes just two classes of 0-6-0T, including a larger saddle tank design. Reading the article again, it may just refer to locomotives supplied for the Midland line - not Mauritius Railways as a whole.

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With regard to British exports to Europe, I begun to compile a full listing from secondary sources (i.e. works lists and fleet lists prepared by those who dedicate/d their lives to such work - and of course the same lists provide a mine of information for other countries as well.  Of course, in many instances, errors may have been copied from one compiler to another.  Where discrepancies occur, it may be that the "best available information" cannot be verified (see SGR "AMMON" above, as an example).  It helps to belong to a railway society that has an extensive library of such lists, books and other reference material - though I do try to assemble as much as I can for myself (not always compatible with family life).  I've also tried to track down as many surviving British-built locos in Europe as I can - a task still a long way from completion (not helped by a few that are difficult of access).

 

I don't know of any books specifically on the railways of Mauritius - though the book recommended by the good Doctor (above) is pretty good in its coverage.  (Incidentally, checking the book, I think the "Midland main line" was an arterial line through the centre of the island, not connected to the Midland Railway in the UK).  Apparently there was also an article in Railway Magazine in 1907.  The island sometimes gets a mention due to a pair of diesels that were trialled out of Glasgow before being shipped out, and in connection with surviving Lowca locomotives (but not "DODO" unfortunately).  

 

There have been several attempts to collate lists for the various sugar estate railways, where there are lots of disagreements due to inaccuracies in builders' records and subsequent sales, exchanges and the waters further  muddied by a contractor who "re-badged" locos with his own plates.  The founder and first editor of the magazine "European Railways" had a family connection with Mauritius and was able to spot - but unfortunately not to correct - many of the errors in lists simply compiled from builders' lists.

Edited by EddieB
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I have found one or two articles in French on the Internet, but not much else about Mauritian Railways. Being standard gauge, with bullhead track and all sorts of idiosyncrasies like 4-wheel double deck coaches, it would form the basis of a great model railway.

 

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EddieB is quite right, I've just checked the entry on Mauritius in Steam in Africa, and I've clearly mis-remembered it quite a bit!  I've obviously conflated the Mauritian Midland Line as the Midland Railway UK, and further been confused by a picture of a Garrett on four wheel freight stock on bullhead standard gauge track.  In my defence, I probably haven't looked at the book for over twenty years!

 

I agree it would form the basis for an interesting model, as would most African railways - the variety and interest in the Durrant book is astonishing.  

Edited by Dr Gerbil-Fritters
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Absolutely agree, "Steam in Africa" is a fascinating book. It's what got me interested in the railways of the Belgian Congo. I picked up my copy for $5 in an op-shop without looking at it, thinking it would be a coffee table book. How wrong was I? :)

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

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When one mentions British steam in Turkey one always thinks of the 8F's (aka Churchills in Turkey) but there was a long tradition of British built locos being supplied to Turkey from the earliest days.  The British owned Ottoman Railway Co. opened its first section of line from Izmir in 1858 and, naturally bought their locos from the likes of Sharp Stewart, Neilson, and Robt. Stephenson.  Many of these locos had long lives and at least one of the ORC SS 1869 built 2-4-0's was still in service in the late 50's. A pair of 0-6-0 ordered from SS in 1898 but later cancelled by the ORC went to the LT&SR , they even had half a dozen Dean goods.

Even in the early 80's several British built ex ORC classes could still be seen including the 46101 class 2-8-2's built by Stephenson's in 1929-32.  IIRC one of the RS 0-6-2T's similar to the Lambton tanks is preserved at Camlik.  At the opposite end of the scale there are/were some miniscule Bagnall 0-4-0ST's remaining of the 10 supplied to the coal mines around Zonguldak in 1948. The one in the last photo WB 2860/48 was seen outside the Uzulmez Primary School where, apparently, it once ran around a circle of track!  

Ray.

 

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Here's a plate from a Wonder Book of Railways from the WW1 era, of a British built 4-4-0 hauling the Great Indian Peninsular Railway's Vice-Regal train. It gives no more information about the loco, although it seems to have decidedly Midland looks with a touch of Great Eastern around the cab - perhaps!

Looking back through the thread - belatedly, to see if anyone else had uploaded this plate, I saw a very similar Dubs loco in one of the early posts. The outside frame on the bogie seemed to be the main difference, although this Indian one would have been on their broader gauge.

attachicon.gifGIPR 4-4-0 on Vice Regal Train c 1915.jpg

 

For what it's worth, I think the loco is one of the 15 Kitson built C5 class dating from 1896 - 1898.

 

Readers of this thread might be interested in viewing my (very) small collection of pre-partition original negatives .........

https://mikemorant.smugmug.com/Trains-Railway-overseas/Asian-railways/Indian-railways-archive/Indian-pre1947/

 

My Dutch web galleries also feature plenty of British built locos ..............

Pre-WW2          https://mikemorant.smugmug.com/Trains-Railway-overseas/Europe-Scandinavia/Dutch-Railways/Holland-Nederland-1/

Post-war           https://mikemorant.smugmug.com/Trains-Railway-overseas/Europe-Scandinavia/Dutch-Railways/Holland-2-Nederland/

Edited by upneysidings
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Don't know if anything is happening with repairs to 56115, but 56106 has had a cab removed at Leicester depot. Could it be on its way to Hungary to repair 56115?

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I'm afraid those links are no longer working.

 

It might also be of interest that Eric Lomax - alias "The Railway Man" of the feature film fame - visited the Netherlands in the aftermath of WW2 and his railway photographs are listed and available for sale through the Stephenson Locomotive Society.

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55 of these 220 class 4-6-2's were Built in 1942 by The North British Locomotive Company for the War Department for use on 3'6" lines in places such as Africa. (see post 152)

20 of them remained in the UK in storage, of which 14 came to Western Australia in 1946 and designated U class.

 

They were built as oil burners and were stored in 1957 as they cost three times as much to run as a coal burner of equivalent power but they were returned to service for a while in 1961 and again in 1966 / 67. Withdrawals took place 1969/70

 

U655 (as pictured) was last to be withdrawn and is preserved at the Bassendean Rail Museum. Another was converted to a 4-6-4 tank Engine in 1957 and is also preserved.

 

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Edited by The Blue Streak
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The 2-4-0 locomotive known as "Steam Locomotive Number 1", which hauled the first revenue-earning train to run in Japan in 1872, preserved in JR East's railway museum a little to the north of Tokyo.

 

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locomotive-no-1 by Rail Squid, on Flickr

 

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locomotive-no-1-plate by Rail Squid, on Flickr

 

Also available in model form (N gauge but not quite N scale I believe):

 

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steam-locomotive-no-1-p1 by Rail Squid, on Flickr

Edited by railsquid
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The 1936 replica of 'Adler', built by Robert Stephenson & Co. in 1835 for the Bavarian Ludwig Railway (Bayerische Ludwigsbahn) for service between Nürnberg and Fürth. 'Adler' was the first successful steam locomotive used in Germany. It is seen here at a the 2002 Eisenbahnfest in Nürnberg (Nurenberg), a few years before it was damaged when a fire struck the museum where it was normally kept. It has since been rebuilt and was running again in time for the 175th anninversary of the first run of the original.

 

There are also glimpes of the replica of 'Saxonia', the first 'home-grown' german steam locomotive, built four years after the original 'Adler', but based on another british locomotive 'Comet', with some improvements. It is somewhat larger than 'Adler'.

 

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This little tram loco at the Steam Railway in Hoorn is a British Product.

 

 

The builders plate shows it to be a product of Merryweather and Sons London

 

 

 

Jim

It used to be in the museum at Utrecht, but probably wasn't in keeping with that museum's artistic redevelopment.  Is it still a static display or has it been restored to working condition?

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It used to be in the museum at Utrecht, but probably wasn't in keeping with that museum's artistic redevelopment.  Is it still a static display or has it been restored to working condition?

 

I don't think that it is in working order, according to the website it is on permanent loan from Utrecht, there is another tram loco HTM 8 "Stork" that is in use.

 

Jim

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Someone mentioned the Class 158 Sprinters that went to Thailand, and I have just taken delivery of some 3D printed body shells of those from Shapeways. Back in the 70s some Hunslet shunters were sold to the SRT and although they have now all been withdrawn, one is on display in the "Railway Hall of Fame" in Chatuchak Park, Bangkok

 

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Before that though there wasn't a great deal of success for British locomotive builders selling their wares to the Thais. You have to go right back to 1920 and a large class of 4-6-0s to a design created for the Indian metre gauge lines. That sale was facilitated by WW1, and Siam (as it was then) joining the Allied side, wiping out the competition from Germany. A few years ago one was gently mouldering at the side of Makkasan works

 

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Just a few yards further along the same siding was this curious 0-6-0T

 

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Curious because it was built by Brush Electric Engineering, a rather unusual source for steam locos.

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