Class 323D 4-6-0 (1933)

Class 323D 2-Cylinder Passenger Locomotive
Designed by Frihdrik Tešlov
Built in 1933 by August Borsig, Berlin, Germany

Following the ignominious departure of Bela Šahlmeti in 1929, it fell to Frihdrik Tešlov, his second in command, to take up the reins and steer the RSR back to orthodox design policy. Although relatively young, at 37, Tešlov set out to complement his already wide experience of engineering matters by seeking knowledge from abroad. He found it in France, where he made the acquaintance of the great André Chapelon, who was to be a constant source of advice and inspiration. The 4-6-0 with which Tešlov made his debut was not the sort of engine that would have a chapter to itself in railway history books, but certainly was the first of many examples of sound engineering practice and innovative design. The Chapelon steam circuit and Kylchap exhaust, combined with an excellent boiler, made the 323D a fast, powerful and economical load hauler, which was to serve the RSR well into the 1980s.

Text and graphics © Norman Clubb 2012