Réseau Breton 4-6-0 tank locomotives

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Réseau Breton 4-6-0 tank locomotives

CFBS 230T Fives Lille.jpg

E 332 as preserved.
Type and origin
Power type Steam
Builder Société Franco-Belge de Matériel de Chemins de Fer (Franco-Belge)
Compagnie de Fives-Lille pour constructions mécaniques et entreprises
Build date 1904 (Franco-Belge)
1909 (Fives-Lille)
Total produced 12
Specifications
Configuration:
   Whyte 4-6-0
   UIC 2′C n2t
Gauge 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 38 in)
Leading dia. 730 mm (2 ft 5 in)
Driver dia. 1,230 mm (4 ft 0 in)
Length 9.45 m (31 ft 0 in)
Width 2.69 m (8 ft 10 in)
Height 3.60 m (11 ft 10 in)
Axle load 10.5 t (10.3 long tons)
Loco weight 33.5 t (33.0 long tons) (empty)
44.5 t (43.8 long tons) (working order)
Fuel type Coal
Boiler pressure 12 bar (170 psi)
Heating surface:
  Tubes
79 m2 (850 sq ft)
  Firebox 1 m2 (11 sq ft)
Cylinders 2
Cylinder size 400 mm × 460 mm (16 in × 18 in)
Performance figures
Maximum speed 55 km/h (34 mph)
Career
Operators Réseau Breton
Number in class 12
Numbers E 321–E 332
Last run 1967
Withdrawn 1967
Preserved 2
Current owner Fédération de Amis des Chemins de Fer Secondaires (1)
Chemin de Fer de la Baie de Somme (1)

The Réseau Breton 4-6-0 tank locomotives were a class of metre gauge locomotives. The twelve class members were built in two batches by Franco-Belge and Fives-Lille for the Réseau Breton (RB) in France. Introduced in 1904, they were to be found all over the Réseau Breton system, lasting in traffic until the closure of the metre gauge lines in 1967.

The Réseau Breton (RB) is a 1,435 mm, standard gauge, and former 1,000 mm, metre gauge, railway in Finistère, France, with a few kilometres of line in Côtes d'Armor, Ille-et-Vilaine and Morbihan. The hub of the system was Carhaix. The metre gauge lines were built with the capacity to be easily converted to standard gauge if necessary.

France Republic with mainland in Europe and numerous oversea territories

France, officially the French Republic, is a country whose territory consists of metropolitan France in Western Europe and several overseas regions and territories. The metropolitan area of France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean. It is bordered by Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany to the northeast, Switzerland and Italy to the east, and Andorra and Spain to the south. The overseas territories include French Guiana in South America and several islands in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. The country's 18 integral regions span a combined area of 643,801 square kilometres (248,573 sq mi) and a total population of 67.3 million. France, a sovereign state, is a unitary semi-presidential republic with its capital in Paris, the country's largest city and main cultural and commercial centre. Other major urban areas include Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Lille and Nice.

Contents

Background

The Réseau Breton originally employed a number of 2-6-0T locomotives and also a number of 0-6-6-0T Mallet locomotives. The 4-6-0T locomotives were intended to combine the lightness of the 2-6-0Ts with the power of the Mallets. The locomotives were built to operate on the Loudéac to La Brohinière and Carhaix to Châteaulin lines. [1]

2-6-0 locomotive wheel arrangement

Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, usually in a leading truck, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles and no trailing wheels. This arrangement is commonly called a Mogul.

0-6-6-0 articulated locomotive wheel arrangement

Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, a 0-6-6-0 wheel arrangement refers to a locomotive with two engine units mounted under a rigid locomotive frame, with the front engine unit pivoting and each engine unit with six coupled driving wheels without any leading or trailing wheels. The wheel arrangement was mostly used to describe Mallet locomotive types.

Mallet locomotive articulated steam locomotive

The Mallet locomotive is a type of articulated steam railway locomotive, invented by the Swiss engineer Anatole Mallet (1837–1919).

Locomotives

Franco-Belge locomotives

Société Franco-Belge of Raismes built the initial batch of five locomotives. They were numbered E 321–E 325 on the Réseau Breton. The locomotives carried works numbers 1443–1447 respectively. [1]

The Société Franco-Belge was a Franco-Belgian engineering firm that specialised in the construction of railway vehicles and their components and accessories. The company originated in 1859 as the Belgian firm Compagnie Belge pour la Construction de Machines et de Matériels de Chemins de Fer, founded by Charles Evrard. The company expanded its share capital in 1881 forming a new firm Société Anonyme Franco-Belge pour la Construction de Machines et de Matériel de Chemins de Fer and constructed a factory in Raismes (Valenciennes) in the Département Nord in France.

Raismes Commune in Hauts-de-France, France

Raismes is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. The flutist Gaston Blanquart (1877–1962) was born in Raismes.

Fives-Lille locomotives

As the initial design was a success, a further seven locomotives were built by Compagnie de Fives-Lille pour constructions mécaniques et entreprises at Fives (Lille). These locomotives were numbered E 326–E 332 on the Réseau Breton. They carried works numbers 3581–3587 [2] respectively.

Fives is a former commune in the Nord department in northern France, since 1858 part of Lille.

Lille Prefecture and commune in Hauts-de-France, France

Lille is a city at the northern tip of France, in French Flanders. On the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium, it is the capital of the Hauts-de-France region, the prefecture of the Nord department, and the main city of the European Metropolis of Lille.

History

The locomotives were utilised across the whole of the Réseau Breton system. They were capable of hauling trains of 230 tonnes (226 long tons) at 55 kilometres per hour (34 mph) on the flat. Some of the locomotives lasted in service on the Réseau Breton until the closure of the metre gauge lines in 1967. [1]

Specifications

The locomotives were 9.45 metres (31 ft 0 in) long, with a width of 2.69 m (8 ft 10 in) and a height of 3.60 m (11 ft 10 in). [1] They were non-superheated locomotives, [3] with two cylinders of 400 mm (16 in) diameter by 460 mm (18 in) stroke. The firebox grate had an area of 1 square metre (11 sq ft), [1] with a total heating area of 79 m2 (850 sq ft) [3] Weight was 33.5 t (33.0 long tons) empty, 44.5 t (43.8 long tons) in working order. [1]

A superheater is a device used to convert saturated steam or wet steam into superheated steam or dry steam. Superheated steam is used in steam turbines for electricity generation, steam engines, and in processes such as steam reforming. There are three types of superheaters: radiant, convection, and separately fired. A superheater can vary in size from a few tens of feet to several hundred feet.

Preservation

E 327 on the Chemins de Fer de Provence, August 2006 Train des pignes 03.jpg
E 327 on the Chemins de Fer de Provence, August 2006

Two locomotives have been preserved.

E 327

E 327 was saved by Fédération de Amis des Chemins de Fer Secondaires (FACS). It was originally preserved on the Chemin de fer du Vivarais (CFV), but was too heavy for that line, which had an axle limit of 8 tonnes (7.9 long tons). In 1979, the locomotive was transferred to the Chemins de Fer de Provence (CP), where it is based at Annot. [1]

E 332

E 332 was initially preserved on the Blonay–Chamby Museum Railway (BC) in Switzerland, where it spent a period on static display. In 2009, it was moved to the Chemin de Fer de la Baie de Somme (CFBS) and has since been restored to working order. [1]

Related Research Articles

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.

Billard French manufacturer of railcars

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État 42-001 to 42-020, was a class of 2-8-2 Tank locomotives of the Chemins de Fer de l'État.

État 140-101 to 140-370 Simple 2-8-0 locomotives of the Chemins der fer de lÉtat

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Chemin de Fer de la Baie de Somme Heritage railway in France

The Chemin de Fer de la Baie de Somme, is a preserved railway in northern France. The railway is managed by a non-profit organization, which runs from March to December between the towns of the Baie de Somme area: Le Crotoy and Cayeux-sur-Mer via Noyelles-sur-Mer and Saint-Valery-sur-Somme, on metre gauge tracks. The association was founded in 1970 and over the years it has become a major player in tourism development in the Picardy coast and is also responsible for the preservation, safeguarding and enhancement of the fleet full of cars, wagons, steam locomotives and diesel locomotives. The line is one of the closest French heritage lines to the UK, Noyelles is 73 kilometres (45 mi) from Boulogne-sur-Mer and 105 kilometres (65 mi) from Calais. A part of the line has dual gauge track, and although forming part of a group of five lines, at least a part of it has always been open to traffic.

Baldwin Class 10-12-D

The Baldwin Class 10-12-D was a class of narrow gauge 4-6-0 pannier tank steam locomotives built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works (USA) for the British War Department Light Railways for service in France during World War I. They were built in 1916-1917 to 600 mm gauge.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Réseau Breton 230T". Continental Modeller. No. September 2010. Peco Publications. 2010. pp. 560–564.
  2. Reinhard Scholz: Eine französiche Schmalspurlokomotive in der Schweiz in: Eisenbahn Amateur (Zeitschrift) Nr. 7, 1969, Seiten 260+261
  3. 1 2 "Réseau Breton steam locomotives". JDH Smith. Retrieved 29 August 2010.