Prins August

Last updated
Prins August
Lok Prins August.JPG
Prins August in 2006
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
Builder Beyer, Peacock & Company
Serial number33
Build date1856
Specifications
Configuration:
   Whyte 2-4-0
Gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Length12.714 m (41 ft 8.6 in)
Fuel typeCoal and water
Performance figures
Maximum speed75 km/h (47 mph)
Career
Operators Swedish State Railways
Class B
Official namePrins August
Last run1906
DispositionPreserved Swedish Railway Museum

The Prins August is a preserved Swedish steam locomotive, built in 1856 by Beyer, Peacock and Company in England. [1] It is the world's oldest operating standard gauge steam locomotive, and one of the world's oldest operating steam locomotives overall, currently in the collection of the Swedish Railway Museum. [2]

Contents

The name of the locomotive honors Prince August, Duke of Dalarna, who was fond of railways.

In Service

The locomotive is one of 45 B class types built for service on the Southern Main Line and the Western Main Line, used in mixed freight and passenger service by the Swedish State Railways (SSR).

This type was the SSR's first locomotive, originally built for passenger service. The units arrived from England without a cab and were capable of 75 km/h (47 mph) in service. [3]

Preservation

The locomotive was taken out of service in 1906 and preserved as a museum object. Kept at the Swedish Railway Museum, it is occasionally used for excursion service, as happened in 2006 for the 150th anniversary celebration of the Malmö–Lund rail line.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Locomotive</span> Self-propelled railway vehicle

A locomotive or engine is a rail transport vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. If a locomotive is capable of carrying a payload, it is usually rather referred to as a multiple unit, motor coach, railcar or power car; the use of these self-propelled vehicles is increasingly common for passenger trains, but rare for freight trains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rail transport</span> Mode of transport

Rail transport is a means of transport using wheeled vehicles running in tracks, which usually consist of two parallel steel rails. Rail transport is one of the two primary means of land transport, next to road transport. It is used for about 8% of passenger and freight transport globally, thanks to its energy efficiency and potentially high speed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">4-6-2</span> Locomotive wheel arrangement

Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-6-2 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles and two trailing wheels on one axle. The 4-6-2 locomotive became almost globally known as a Pacific type after a locomotive built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia was shipped across the Pacific Ocean to New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">0-6-0</span> Locomotive wheel arrangement

0-6-0 is the Whyte notation designation for steam locomotives with a wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels. Historically, this was the most common wheel arrangement used on both tender and tank locomotives in versions with both inside and outside cylinders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tanfield Railway</span> Preserved railway in County Durham, England

The Tanfield Railway is a 4 ft 8+12 instandard gauge heritage railway in Gateshead and County Durham, England. Running on part of a former horse-drawn colliery wooden waggonway, later rope & horse, lastly rope & loco railway. It operates preserved industrial steam locomotives. The railway operates a passenger service every Sunday, plus other days, as well as occasional demonstration coal, goods and mixed trains. The line runs 3 miles (4.8 km) between a southern terminus at East Tanfield, Durham, to a northern terminus at Sunniside, Gateshead. Another station, Andrews House, is situated near the Marley Hill engine shed. A halt also serves the historic site of the Causey Arch. The railway claims it is "the world's oldest railway" because it runs on a section dating from 1725, other parts being in use since 1621.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">4-6-0</span> Railway steam locomotive wheel arrangement

A 4-6-0 steam locomotive, under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives by wheel arrangement, has four leading wheels on two axles in a leading bogie and six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles with the absence of trailing wheels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2-8-2</span> Locomotive wheel arrangement

Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-8-2 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, usually in a leading truck, eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles and two trailing wheels on one axle, usually in a trailing truck. This configuration of steam locomotive is most often referred to as a Mikado, frequently shortened to Mike.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Tyneside Steam Railway</span> Visitor attraction in North East England

The North Tyneside Steam Railway and Stephenson Steam Railway are visitor attractions in North Shields, North East England. The museum and railway workshops share a building on Middle Engine Lane adjacent to the Silverlink Retail Park. The railway is a standard gauge line, running south for 2 miles (3.2 km) from the museum to Percy Main. The railway is operated by the North Tyneside Steam Railway Association (NTSRA). The museum is managed by Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums on behalf of North Tyneside Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2-6-4</span> Locomotive wheel arrangement

Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, a 2-6-4 locomotive has two leading wheels, six coupled driving wheels and four trailing wheels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2-6-2</span> Locomotive wheel arrangement

Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-6-2 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels, six coupled driving wheels and two trailing wheels. This arrangement is commonly called a Prairie.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2-4-0</span> Locomotive wheel arrangement

Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-4-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles and no trailing wheels. In most of North America it became known as a Porter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">0-4-2</span> Locomotive wheel arrangement

Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-4-2 represents the wheel arrangement with no leading wheels, four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles and two trailing wheels on one axle. While the first locomotives of this wheel arrangement were tender engines, the configuration was later often used for tank engines, which is noted by adding letter suffixes to the configuration, such as 0-4-2T for a conventional side-tank locomotive, 0-4-2ST for a saddle-tank locomotive, 0-4-2WT for a well-tank locomotive and 0-4-2RT for a rack-equipped tank locomotive.

Indian Railways operates India's railway system and comes under the purview of the Ministry of Railways of Government of India. As of 2023, it maintains over 108,706 km (67,547 mi) of tracks and operates over 13,000 trains daily with a fleet of 14,800 locomotives. The railways primarily operates a fleet of electric and diesel locomotives along with a few compressed natural gas (CNG) locomotives. Steam locomotives are operated on mountain railways and on heritage trains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British narrow-gauge railways</span> History of British narrow-gauge railways

There were more than a thousand British narrow-gauge railways ranging from large, historically significant common carriers to small, short-lived industrial railways. Many notable events in British railway history happened on narrow-gauge railways including the first use of steam locomotives, the first public railway and the first preserved railway.

<i>Fairy Queen</i> (locomotive) 1855-built steam locomotive in India

The Fairy Queen, also known as the East Indian Railway No. 22, is a steam locomotive which was built in 1855. It was restored by Loco Works Perambur, Chennai in 1997, and housed at the Rewari Railway Heritage Museum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avonside Engine Company</span> Former English locomotive manufacturer

The Avonside Engine Company was a locomotive manufacturer in Avon Street, St. Philip's, Bristol, England between 1864 and 1934. However the business originated with an earlier enterprise Henry Stothert and Company.

The railways of New South Wales, Australia, use a large variety of passenger and freight rolling stock. The first railway in Sydney was opened in 1855 between Sydney and Granville, now a suburb of Sydney but then a major agricultural centre. The railway formed the basis of the New South Wales Government Railways. Passenger and freight services were operated from the beginning. By 1880, there was a half hourly service to Homebush.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victorian Railways B class (diesel)</span> Class of Australian locomotives

The B class are a class of diesel locomotives built by Clyde Engineering, Granville for the Victorian Railways in 1952–1953. Ordered and operated by the Victorian Railways, they initiated the dieselisation of the system and saw use on both passenger and freight services, with many remaining in service today, both in preserved and revenue service. Some were rebuilt as the V/Line A class, while others have been scrapped.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern California Railway Museum</span> Railroad museum in Perris, California

The Southern California Railway Museum, formerly known as the Orange Empire Railway Museum, is a railroad museum in Perris, California, United States. It was founded in 1956 at Griffith Park in Los Angeles before moving to the former Pinacate Station as the "Orange Empire Trolley Museum" in 1958. It was renamed "Orange Empire Railway Museum" in 1975 after merging with a museum then known as the California Southern Railroad Museum, and adopted its current name in 2019. The museum also operates a heritage railroad on the museum grounds.

WAGR G class G233 <i>Leschenault Lady</i> Preserved Australian steam locomotive

WAGR G class G233 Leschenault Lady is a preserved 2-6-0 steam locomotive, built in 1898 by James Martin & Co of Gawler, South Australia, for the Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR). It is the third oldest Australian-built steam locomotive still in operational order, after Victorian Railways Y class 112 and WAGR A class 15.

References

  1. "SJ No. 3 'Prins August'". steamlocomotive.info. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  2. "Our Trains". Swedish Railway Museum. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  3. "LOKOMOTIVET 100 ÅR". Teknisk Tidskrift (in Swedish). No. 528. 1929. pp. 527–528. Retrieved June 6, 2020.