Class
O1 4-Cylinder Tandem Compound Shunting Tank Locomotive
Designed
by Marek Luršimonš
Developed in 1884 from
Class O by RSR Works, Bevice-Akohniçe
The
reason for this husky little tank engine's construction is to many
people
not quite clear. She had everything her progenetrix, the class O, had,
except fuel capacity, plus slightly more adhesive weight (at least with
full tanks and bunker). One theory names apprentice training as the
objective;
another refers to the search for a replacement for the old H class
0-8-0T
bankers of 1860, but that would surely not have justified the expense
of
a rebuild. The search was on for a few station pilots of adequate
power,
and the class O fitted the bill, except that they took up too much
space.
That tender was over 7 metres long, an amount of space some stations
didn't
have to spare. And, of course, a station pilot is always close to home
and so can do without a tender anyway. Hence the rebuild. No. 447 is
shown
in her special livery as station pilot at Kropčahne during her later
years.
Text and graphics © Norman Clubb 2012