KCR ex-WD Austerity 2-8-0

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77509 being unloaded KCR locomotive 77509.jpg
77509 being unloaded

The Kowloon-Canton Railway class of ex-WD Austerity 2-8-0 was a class of 12 steam locomotives, ex-WD Austerity 2-8-0. Unlike other KCR locomotives, they apparently did not receive a class letter designation.

At the end of the war several WD Austerity 2-8-0s were in store at the Longmoor Military Railway and 12 were bought by the Crown Agents. They were overhauled at Royal Woolwich Arsenal and despatched from Tilbury and King George V Docks in 1946 and 1947 as shipping became available.

In Hong Kong, the livery was green with red buffer beam and 2-8-0 type wheels, white smokebox doors, numbers on cabsides and tender sides.

Nos 21-5 were converted to oil firing. Hulson grates were fitted to the remainder. 25 was later converted back to coal firing. They were replaced by diesels and fell out of use before withdrawal. All were scrapped. The last loco to run in service was 26 on September 2 1962

22 was destroyed on April 27 1956. The firebox crown collapsed leading to an explosion which killed six people

Details were as follows:

KCR No.Former WD No.BuiltBuilderWorks No.DespatchedLanded KowloonOut of serviceWithdrawn
21786601944 North British (Hyde Park)786601946January 1947May 1956August 1957
22772681944 North British (Hyde Park)251391946December 1946April 1956August 1957
23708051944 North British (Queens Park)253131946December 1946June 1958August 1959
24775091944 Vulcan Foundry 50251946December 1946April 1957August 1957
25774901944 Vulcan Foundry 50061946February 1947August 1957August 1957
26774781944 Vulcan Foundry 49941946February 1947September 1962May 1963
27772691944 North British (Hyde Park)251401946August 1947December 1960March 1962
28708201944 North British (Queens Park)248981946August 1947September 1955August 1957
29786941944 Vulcan Foundry 50951947March 1948September 1962March 1963
30774501943 Vulcan Foundry 49661947March 1948June 1956August 1957
31786591944 Vulcan Foundry 50601947March 1948May 1955August 1957
32792371944 Vulcan Foundry 51801947March 1948December 1956August 1959

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