Class I 2-4-0T (1862)

The expansion of suburban traffic around Ruhnian towns led to a motive power requirement that could not be met with the old Maznicek engines that were still pottering up and down on local work. To provide motive power for the Bevice and other local services, Luršimonš ordered this deceptively dainty little tank engine from Kitson in 1862. It was possible to replace several types of superannuated engines at one stroke, reducing both running and maintenance costs. The class I proved to be a first-class investment, taking over almost the entire local traffic of the RSR. The initial order for fifty units was soon followed by two other batches of thirty each. These little 2-4-0Ts were popluar with the crews but within a few years found themselves overtaxed by steadily increasing train weights. The arrival of the class L 2-4-2Ts displaced them from all but the light rural services, on which a few survived until 1890.

Text and graphics © Norman Clubb 2012