Class
R 3-Cylinder Express Passenger Locomotive
Designed
by Marek Luršimonš
Built
in 1885 by Neilson, Reid & Co., Glasgow, Scotland
Following
the at best qualified success of his 2-4-2s of 1882, Luršimonš was
forced
to think again. The answer was felt to be in increased boiler capacity.
A conventional 4-4-0 layout would have been too short, a long-boiler
was
by the 1880s no option, and so Luršimonš decided on an extra trailing
carrying axle, producing one of the first "Atlantics" in the world.
This
quite revolutionary design, which influenced other engineers all over
Europe,
was a more than worthy successor to the "Allegrettos" and covered the
RSR's
requirements well into the 20th century. At first greeted with
scepticism
by their crews, because of the need to maintain and lubricate three
sets
of motion, they went on to prove themselves admirably, their
three-cylinder
drive making them very smooth runners, as well as being easy to fire
and
sure-footed. The last ones were finally retired shortly before the
First
World War.
Text and graphics © Norman Clubb 2012