Th4

 

 

This locomotive is probably Hannover 3895 (Union 1428/1905). Source: Lokomotiven der alten deutschen Staats- und Privatbahnen by Hermann Maey and Erhard Born (Transpress, 1983).

 

 

Side drawing of the G43; source: Lokomotiv-Archiv Preußen Band 2 (see References).

 

 

KPEV Danzig 1249 (Union 1379/1905); I have no information of the future fate of this engine. Source: Die Lokomotive April 1910 via www.de.wikipedia.org.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Final stage in the development of Prussian 0-3-0 freighters was class G43. Prototype (Union 1290/1903) was followed by 62 production examples from the same manufacturer; the last one was 1547/1907. Generally similar to class G42, they differed mainly in boiler, which was shorter, but of larger diameter and featured enlarged grate. Heusinger valve gear replaced obsolete Allan unit and diameter of the low-pressure cylinder was increased to 680 mm. All engines were fitted with Knorr or Westinghouse brakes. Maximum speed was increased to 60 km/h, but axle load rose to 15.6 tonnes. Class G43 was already obsolescent at the time of its appearance, hence modest production figures compared to these of earlier 0-3-0s, of which over three thousand were built. Most locomotives of this type served with mixed traffic on secondary lines in eastern Germany.

After the war newly-formed DRG initially intended to keep 37 locomotives in service, but finally only 27 were classed 533. All were withdrawn until 1928. Polish state railways received eleven examples. They were classed Th4 and assigned service numbers Th4-1 through 10 and Th4-1Dz (Dz standing for ‘Danzig’, or Gdańsk). Six examples were withdrawn between 1927 and 1936. The remaining four (Th4-1, -6, -9 and -10) were transferred to Gdańsk and re-numbered Th4-2Dz, -3Dz, -4Dz and -5Dz, respectively. Due to this re-numbering, some sources give that PKP had ten examples plus five in Gdańsk. Four engines fell into German hands in September 1939; of these, three were re-numbered once more, this time becoming 53 7751 through 7753. They survived the war and all were withdrawn from DB until 1951. Former Th4-4Dz was probably not re-numbered and the fate of Th4-1Dz is unknown. No locomotive of this type has survived until today.

  

Main technical data

 

No.

Parameter

Unit

Value

1.

Years of manufacture

-

1903 – 1907  

2.

Total built / used in Poland

-

63 / 11

3.

Tender class

-

11C1

4.

Axle arrangement

-

0-3-0

5.

Design maximum speed

km/h

60

6.

Cylinder bore

mm

460 / 680

7.

Piston stroke

mm

630

8.

Engine rating

kW/hp

495 / 670

9.

Tractive effort

kG

10.

Boiler pressure

MPa

1.22

11.

Grate dimensions

m X m

1.73 m2

12.

Firebox heating surface

m2

8.71

13.

Distance between tube plates

mm

3 900

14.

Number of flue tubes

-

217

15.

Heating surface of flue tubes

m2

109.0

16.

Number of smoke tubes

-

-

17.

Heating surface of smoke tubes

m2

-

18.

Evaporating surface, total

m2

117.71

19.

Superheater heating surface

m2

-

20.

Diameter of drivers

mm

1 350

21.

Diameter of idlers front/rear

mm

- / -

22.

Total weight, empty

kg

42 200

23.

Total weight, working order

kg

46 700

24.

Weight on drivers, working order

kg

46 700

25.

Weight with tender, empty

kg

56 200

26.

Weight with tender, working order

kg

75 200

27.

Maximum axle load

T

15.6

28.

Axle base (with tender)

mm

10 590

29.

Overall length (with tender)

mm

15 100

30.

Brake type

-

Knorr / Westinghouse

 

 

References and acknowledgments

 

-       www.lokomotive.de/lokomotivgeschichte/datenbank (Ingo Hütter’s database);

-       LP, TB vol. 2;

-       www.de.wikipedia.org;

-       Lokomotiv-Archiv Preußen Band 2 by Andreas Wagner (Bechtermünz Verlag, 1996).