Bavarian Gts 2x3/3
| Industry | Locomotive manufacturing |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1810 in Kassel, Germany |
| Headquarters | Kassel , Germany |
The Bavarian Class Gts 2x3/3 was a steam locomotive originally built for the German Army's military railway system, operating on the narrow gauge line running between Eichstätt and Kinding.
The State railway locomotive
Constructed in 1917 by Henschel & Sohn in Kassel under the production number 15160, this locomotive was initially intended for military field railway use during World War I. Following the war’s conclusion, ownership transferred to the Royal Bavarian State Railways (Königlich Bayerische Staatsbahn), where it received the classification Class Gts 2x3/3 and was assigned number 996. It served primarily on the narrow gauge Eichstätt–Kinding route. Upon integration into the Deutsche Reichsbahn, it was reclassified as DRG Class 99.20 and renumbered as 99 201.
To comply with axle load restrictions, the locomotive featured six axles arranged into two sets of three, each powered by its own drive mechanism. This Mallet-type compound engine incorporated a preheater positioned ahead of the chimney, aligned parallel to the locomotive’s central axis.
Fuel capacity included provisions for carrying up to 1.5 tonnes of coal and a water supply of 4.5 cubic meters.
The locomotive was retired from active duty and subsequently dismantled after its route between Eichstätt and Kinding was converted to standard gauge in 1934.
Army field railway locomotives
Locomotive 99 201 was among twenty units supplied by Henschel to the German Army for use on their field railways. While a number of these locomotives were lost during wartime, others were left behind in foreign countries, including France. Several engines from this series were also operated on the Hedjaz railway line connecting Damascus and Medina.
Copies
Following World War I, Henschel manufactured two additional replicas of this locomotive type:
- In 1925, locomotive number 104 was constructed for the route between Zell im Wiesental and Todtnau, managed by the South German Railway Company (Süddeutsche Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft). This engine was later sold in 1967 to the Blonay–Chamby Museum Railway located in Switzerland.
- Locomotive no. 12s was delivered in 1928 to the Alb valley railway. It was transferred in 1934 to the Brohl valley railway, where it remained until being dismantled in 1957.
Contrary to the original German Army field railway models, these reproductions were constructed as saturated steam locomotives.
Preserved examples
Locomotive no. 104, which once served on the Zell-Todtnau Railway, is part of the collection at the Blonay–Chamby Museum Railway[1], situated at the eastern shore of Lake Geneva. As of September 2021, this locomotive is undergoing restoration and is displayed at the museum.
It should be noted that Mallet locomotives numbers 413 and 414 from the Chemin de fer du Vivarais are not part of this class; these two were constructed during the 1930s in Alsace.
See also
References
- ↑ "G 2×3/3 104 Süddeutsche Eisenbahn Gesellschaft – Chemin de fer-musée Blonay-Chamby" (in français). Retrieved 2 October 2021.