DHR B Class
Class of narrow gauge steam locomotives built for Darjeeling Himalayan Railway
- Sharp, Stewart & Co. (12)
- North British Locomotive Co. (16)
- Baldwin Locomotive Works (3)
- DHR Tindharia Works (3)
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Configuration: | |
| • Whyte | 0-4-0ST |
| • UIC | B n2t |
| Gauge | 2 ft (610 mm) |
| Driver dia. | 26 in (0.660 m) |
| Axle load | 7.75 long tons (7.87 t) |
| Loco weight | 14 long tons (14 t) |
| Firebox: | |
| • Grate area | 9 sq ft (0.84 m2) |
| Boiler pressure | 140 psi (0.97 MPa) |
| Heating surface | 316 sq ft (29.4 m2) |
| Superheater | None |
| Cylinders | Two, outside |
| Cylinder size | 11 in × 14 in (279 mm × 356 mm) |
| Performance figures | |
|---|---|
| Tractive effort | 7,750 lbf (34.47 kN) |
| Career | |
|---|---|
| Operators |
|
| Class | B |
| Numbers |
|
| Disposition | Some still in service |
The DHR B Class is a class of 2 ft (610 mm) gauge 0-4-0ST saddle tank steam locomotives used on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) in West Bengal, India.[1][3]
Service history
A total of 34 B Class locomotives have served on the DHR. Some are still on the working roster. One (DHR 778) was sold for private preservation, and four others were sold to Coal India, Assam. The remaining class members have been either plinthed in various locations in northern India or scrapped. Of the few in active service, the locomotives 788 'Tusker' and 'Victor' haul trains between Darjeeling to Ghum stations via Batasia loop, quite a few times a day. [2] Another loco, DHR 780 is kept preserved with two narrow gauge coaches at Eco Park, Rajarhat, as an exhibit.
19B was re-imported to the UK c. 2000 and underwent restoration before spending two decades operating at the Beeches Light Railway.[4]
Livery
Initially, all members of the class were liveried in DHR green. For a short period after World War II, they were repainted black. Later, they ran in an unlined red colour. They were given their current Caledonian blue with white lining after coming into ownership of the Northeast Frontier Railway in 1958.[5][6]
Preserved examples
| DHR Nº | Manufacturer | Serial Nº | Built | IR Nº | Location | Current status | Image | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 | 4978 | 1903 | 785 | Dehradun railway station | Display |  | ||
| 32 | North British Locomotive Co. | 20143 | 1913 | 787 | Siliguri Junction station | Display |  | |
| 33 | North British Locomotive Co. | 20144 | 1913 | 788 | Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, India | Operational |  | |
| 41 | 44914 | 1917 | 794 | Neral shed | Display |  |
See also
References
Notes
- ^ a b Hughes 1994, p. 34.
- ^ a b Marshall 2001, pp. 60–61.
- ^ Marshall 2001, p. 60.
- ^ Holden, Michael (24 May 2023). "Adrian Shooter's two-foot gauge replica Indian Hill railway up for auction". Rail Advent. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
- ^ Reed 1972.
- ^ Gammell 1985, p. 7.
Bibliography
- Gammell, C.J. (1985). Relics of the Raj. London: G.R.Q. ISBN 0946863016.
- Hughes, Hugh (1976). Steam in India. Truro, Cornwall: D. Bradford Barton Ltd. ISBN 0851532586.
- Hughes, Hugh (1994). Indian Locomotives: Part 3 – Narrow Gauge 1863–1940. Harrow, Middlesex: The Continental Railway Circle. ISBN 0-9521655-0-3. OCLC 39496543.
- Manning, Peter (2013). The Anatomy of the Darjeeling Garratt and the Engine it tried to Replace: the DHR Class "B" saddle tank. Coromandel Valley, South Australia: Peter Manning Design & Drafting. ISBN 9780980621228.
- Marshall, Lawrence G (2001). Indian Narrow Gauge Steam Remembered. East Harling, Norfolk: Plateway Press. ISBN 1871980488.
- Reed, Brian (1972). Darjeeling Tanks. Loco Profile 23. Windsor, UK: Profile Publications. OCLC 498607897.
External links
Media related to DHR B Class at Wikimedia Commons
- v
- t
- e
| Barsi Light Railway |
|
|---|---|
| IRS designs |
|
| Darjeeling Himalayan Railway | |
|---|---|
| IRS designs |
|
