KCR ex-WD Austerity 2-8-0
 | This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (May 2015) |
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| KCR No. | Former WD No. | Built | Builder | Works No. | Despatched | Landed Kowloon | Out of service | Withdrawn |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
[edit]- ^ 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.