Class D5 2-8-0 (1892)

Karel Belčamin took over from his former chief almost unnoticed. Within less than a year, however, he had produced his first design, the handsome class D5 2-8-0. The tandem compound cylinder arrangement was clearly inspired by the old class S but the boiler was Belčamin's own work. The new engines at once took over all the heaviest freight work on the RSR, being concentrated, naturally enough, in the south. A total of 120 engines were built, enough for almost every depot to have some, and displacing many older classes (notably the class G 0-6-0 and H 0-8-0T) altogether. The enginemen took to them immediately, their free steaming and smart acceleration enabling them to recover from many a delay. Enough of the class remained in service in 1913 to receive new boilers identical to those of the E1 0-10-0s. The last survivors were withdrawn from Brehliu shed in 1936.

Text and graphics © Norman Clubb 2012