Class
L 2-Cylinder Passenger Tank Locomotive
Designed
by Marek Luršimonš
Built
in 1868 by Beyer, Peacock & Co., Manchester, England
These
dainty little tank engines, of which ninety were delivered by Beyer
Peacock
of Manchester between 1868 and 1870, were, by the standards of the day,
of above average power and efficiency. They were ordered for the
suburban
services from Bevice and Kropčahne. The class L were a rare exception
to the outside-frame practice of the RSR. Their short coupled wheelbase
and
Adams radial axleboxes at both ends enabled them to negotiate the
curves
of the Bevice viaducts easily and without the usual screeching of
wheels.
Their high-pitched, almost whistling exhaust, which could be heard for
miles on still days and nights, ensured them a place in public memory.
They remained in charge of most local services until the coming of the
class P 0-6-2Ts from 1880 onwards.
Text and graphics © Norman Clubb 2012