KCR ex-WD Austerity 2-8-0

77509 being unloaded

The Kowloon-Canton Railway class of ex-WD Austerity 2-8-0 was a class of 12 steam locomotives, ex-WD Austerity 2-8-0. Unlike other KCR locomotives, they apparently did not receive a class letter designation.

At the end of the war several WD Austerity 2-8-0s were in store at the Longmoor Military Railway and 12 were bought by the Crown Agents. They were overhauled at Royal Woolwich Arsenal and despatched from Tilbury and King George V docks in 1946 and 1947 as shipping became available.[1]

In Hong Kong, the livery was green with red buffer beam and 2-8-0 type wheels, white smokebox doors, numbers on cabsides and tender sides.

Five, 21-25, were converted to oil firing. Hulson grates were fitted to the remainder. 25 was later converted back to coal firing. They were replaced by diesels and fell out of use before withdrawal. All were scrapped. The last loco to run in service was 26 on 2 September 1962.[1]

22 was destroyed on April 27 1956. The firebox crown collapsed leading to an explosion which killed six people

Details were as follows:

KCR No. Former WD No. Built Builder Works No. Despatched Landed Kowloon Out of service Withdrawn
21 78660 1944 North British 78660 1946 January 1947 May 1956 August 1957
22 77268 1944 North British 25139 1946 December 1946 April 1956 August 1957
23 70805 1944 North British 25313 1946 December 1946 June 1958 August 1959
24 77509 1944 Vulcan Foundry 5025 1946 December 1946 April 1957 August 1957
25 77490 1944 Vulcan Foundry 5006 1946 February 1947 August 1957 August 1957
26 77478 1944 Vulcan Foundry 4994 1946 February 1947 September 1962 May 1963
27 77269 1944 North British 25140 1946 August 1947 December 1960 March 1962
28 70820 1944 North British 24898 1946 August 1947 September 1955 August 1957
29 78694 1944 Vulcan Foundry 5095 1947 March 1948 September 1962 March 1963
30 77450 1943 Vulcan Foundry 4966 1947 March 1948 June 1956 August 1957
31 78659 1944 Vulcan Foundry 5060 1947 March 1948 May 1955 August 1957
32 79237 1944 Vulcan Foundry 5180 1947 March 1948 December 1956 August 1959

References

  1. ^ a b Hong Kong and the WD 2-8-0s Locomotives International issue 137 June 2022 pages 4-6
  • Tourret. Allied Military Locomotives of the Second World War Page 97.