Steam locomotive Tr202. 2022.

Chabówka 2022-01-20

Steam locomotive Tr202.

The British locomotive in Poland, designated Tr202, was built in 1946. It was produced in Great Britain from 1946, and under a license in Yugoslavia in the period 1957 - 1958. The steam locomotive was operated by PKP in the number of 30 copies. The steam locomotive has a 1'D (oOOOO) axle system, and in Poland, a small letter "r".

Steam locomotive Tr202. 2022. Photo by Karol Placha Hetman
Steam locomotive Tr202. 2022. Photo by Karol Placha Hetman

Steam locomotive Tr202. 2022. Photo by Karol Placha Hetman
Steam locomotive Tr202. 2022. Photo by Karol Placha Hetman

Steam locomotive Tr202. 2022. Photo by Karol Placha Hetman
Steam locomotive Tr202. 2022. Photo by Karol Placha Hetman

Steam locomotive Tr202. 2022. Photo by Karol Placha Hetman
Steam locomotive Tr202. 2022. Photo by Karol Placha Hetman

During the Second World War, the 9F Liberation steam locomotive was developed and produced in Great Britain. It belonged to the heavy freight steam locomotives. After the war, these locomotives were commissioned by UNRRA. UNRRA (United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration) was established to assist in the reconstruction of war-torn countries. Under UNRRA, UK has delivered approximately 120 locomotives to Central Europe. Most of the locomotives were delivered to Yugoslavia. Locomotives operated in Poland, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia and Luxembourg.

In 1946, 30 examples of steam locomotives, designated Tr202, were delivered to Poland. The locomotives were operated by PKP until 1976. In Poland, locomotives were used for freight and passenger trains, and they performed well on mountain routes, which was also noticed by the Yugoslav Railways. The good work of the locomotive's chassis on mountain routes was also due to the smaller number of drive axles; only four instead of five. Part of the load was transferred to the front rolling axle based on the Bissel bogie. In addition, the tender is relatively short. As a result, the entire locomotive is only 20.06 m long and fit perfectly on the turntables used in the Polish State Railways.

The Tr202 steam locomotive has a correspondingly large boiler. The superheater was placed in the flame tube and in the smoke box. The steam production is good and the pressure is high, 16 at. The steam timing system is typical for the British, and not for the German solutions that have been adopted in Poland. The British used good quality materials to build steam locomotives. A lot of brass alloys were used. Westinghouse braking system. The electrical installation was already installed at the factory. There was also lighting in the booth. The workmanship of the locomotive was very careful and the locomotive had little breakdown. The locomotive also had very good corrosion protection.

For comparison, the Ty23, Ty37, Ty2 and Ty42 are weaker than the Tr202 in terms of power, but they are inferior to the Ty51. At PKP, the Ty202 steam locomotive pulled freight trains weighing 1,400 tons at a speed of 60 km / h. The steam locomotive could even pull a freight train weighing 1,800 tons. Ty202 passenger train weighing up to 400 tons was hauled at a maximum speed of 80 km / h. The Ty202 locomotive has an axle load of 18.5 tons, which was both a good and bad thing. But that was why the locomotive was not suitable for secondary railroads.

The disadvantage of the locomotive was the wrong connection of the locomotive with the tender. At 80 km / h, the locomotive sometimes ran rough. This defect was eliminated during renovations at the ZNTK.

In Poland, the Tr202 locomotives have undergone minor changes. The catch between the locomotive and tender has been changed. Westinghouse braking system replaced with Knorr. Due to the low chimney, the chimney draft was small. Therefore, the chimney was raised.

Tr202 in open-air museums.

Steam locomotive Tr202-19 Vulcan Foundry 5405/1946, is in good condition and is in the Chabówka open-air museum. The locomotive served in Oleśnica. She was removed from the state on October 29, 1976. In 1995, it was moved to the Chabówka open-air museum.

Steam locomotive Tr202-28 Vulcan Foundry 5448/1946, is in good condition and is in the open-air museum of Jaworzyna Śląska.

T-T data of the Tr202 steam locomotive:

Vulcan Foundry factory manufacturer. 1'D axle system. The empty weight of the locomotive is 79,550 kg. Service weight of the steam locomotive is 86 750 kg. Service weight with tender 144 250 kg. Total length with tender 20.06 m. Height 4.26 m. Diameter of driving wheels 1.45 m. Diameter of running wheels 0.838 m. Tender type 25D202. Water supply 25 m3. 9 tons of coal. Boiler with a pressure of 16 at. The heating area of the boiler is 208.76 m2. The heating area of the superheater is 61.3 m2. The grate area is 4.10 m2. Design speed 80 km / h.

Written by Karol Placha Hetman