Class O 4-Cylinder
Tandem
Compound Shunting Locomotive
Designed by Marek
Luršimonš
Built in 1878 by John
Cockerill, Seraing, Belgium
It will come as no
surprise
that the engine depicted here hailed from Belgium. With its Flaman
boiler,
tandem compound cylinders, twin domes and outside frames, it is a true
ambassador of its homeland. Its reason for being was the extension of
the
inland docks and goods yards at Bevice-Pofedra, where a locomotive that
could negotiate sharp curves with heavy loads was called for. And that
was something it could certainly do. Ten locomotives were delivered by
Cockerill in 1878, the first tandem compounds in the world. A further
batch
of twelve, with increased dimensions, followed in 1880. All were
allocated
at first to Pofedra but four were transferred to Plizif in 1893. It
was,
of course, tempting to try an engine of this power out on the main
line,
but two trial runs ended in spectacular derailments (fortunately with
goods
trains) and the class O were confined to the yards for the rest of
their careers.
Text and graphics © Norman Clubb 2012