SEK Class Λβ

SEK Class Λβ (WD Austerity 2-10-0)

Type and origin
Power type	Steam
Designer	Riddles
Builder	North British Locomotive Company
Build date	1943-1944
Total produced	16

Specifications
Configuration	2-10-0
UIC class	1′E h
Gauge	4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in (1,435 mm)
Driver dia.	4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in (1,435 mm)
Loco weight	78 long tons 6 cwt (175,400 lb or 79.6 t)
Fuel type	Coal
Boiler pressure	225 lbf/in² (1.55 MPa)
Cylinders	Two
Cylinder size	19 in × 28 in (483 mm × 711 mm)

Performance figures
Tractive effort	34,215 lbf (152.20 kN)

SEK (Sidirodromoi Ellinikou Kratous, Hellenic State Railways) Class Λβ (or Class Lb; Lambda-beta) is a class of 16 2-10-0 steam locomotives, ex-WD Austerity 2-10-0s purchased after the Second World War. All of them were previously stabled in Egypt and were transported to Greece, as part of the UNRRA mission in Greece (arrived at Thessaloniki port in the 16th of January 1946). They were given the class letters "Λβ" and numbers 951-966.

They were mainly allocated to the Salonika division, but hauled both freight and passenger trains (including Athens to Istanbul Expresses) all across Greece, until they were slowly replaced by diesel locomotives until the mid-1970s, being one of the last classes of steam locomotives of SEK to be withdrawn from regular service.

Preservation

A total of six Greek Austerity 2-10-0s have survived the 1984-1985 steam locomotive scrappings, two of which were repatriated to Great Britain. All of these six still exist, however, non of the ones in Greece is in working condition.

Λβ 951 - repatriated to Great Britain
Λβ 956 - poor condition at Thessaloniki freight station
Λβ 958 - poor condition at old Tithorea depot
Λβ 960 - repatriated to Great Britain
Λβ 962 - preserved at Drama depot
Λβ 964 - preserved at Thessaloniki depot

References

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/4/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.