Although Marek Luršimonš's locomotives were, in large part, quite competent machines, his successor Karel Belčamin lost no time in improving on them where he could. One such candidate was the class C2 (originally N) 0-6-0T of 1874, some 15 of which received the same boiler as that fitted to the class B12 4-4-0s. The boiler needed to be raised slightly to clear the rear coupled axle and a new ashpan was created to fit around this. The original running gear was retained and a leading carrying axle added. The larger boiler and higher steam pressure enabled the right balance to be struck between increased tractive effort and weight while using the existing cylinders. The C2As found work on the same branchlines as their unrebuilt ancestors and survived them also by many years, their last stronghold being the line from Nadver to Nadskehla. The last C2A was withdrawn in 1936.

Text and graphic © Norman Clubb 2009