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SJ B

SJ B
B 1382 in Arvika in 1937.
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
Builder
Build date1909–1919, 1943–1944
Total produced99
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte4-6-0
 • UIC2'C h2
Gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Leading dia.970 mm (3 ft 2 in)
Driver dia.1,750 mm (5 ft 9 in)
Length19,490 mm (63 ft 11 in)
Loco weight70.2 tonnes (69.1 long tons; 77.4 short tons)
Total weight116.8 tonnes (115.0 long tons; 128.7 short tons)
Fuel type
Fuel capacity6.0 tonnes (5.9 long tons; 6.6 short tons)
Water cap.20.0 m3 (4,400 imp gal; 5,300 US gal)
CylindersTwo
Cylinder size590 mm × 620 mm (23.2 in × 24.4 in)
Performance figures
Maximum speed90 km/h (56 mph)
Tractive effort9.6 Mp (94 kN; 21,000 lbf)
Career
Operators
Number in class99
Numbers1026–1697 (with gaps)
DispositionThirty-eight preserved, remainder scrapped
Data is with A class tender. References:[1]: 45 [2]: 76–77 

The B class of the Swedish State Railways (SJ) was a type of steam locomotive for mixed traffic, introduced in 1909. 96 locomotives were built for SJ by between 1909 and 1919. The 4-6-0 B class was part of the development of modern superheated locomotives that had begun with the A class in 1906. Intended for fast freight trains and heavy stopping passenger trains, they proved to be highly useful in all types of traffic, and remained in use until the end of steam operations in Sweden.

Eleven B class locomotives were sold to private railways during the 1930s, but all but one returned to SJ after the railway companies had been nationalized in the 1940s. One of the private operators, Stockholm–Västerås–Bergslagens Järnväg, had three more locomotives of the same type built, the last one in 1944. Most B class locomotives were eventually rebuilt with fully enclosed cabs, and some were equipped for oil-firing after the Second World War.

When the locomotives became unnecessary in the daily traffic they were placed in the strategic reserve. Some locomotives from the reserve were reactivated during the winter of 1965–1966 due to a temporary shortage of electric locomotives. Most survived into the 1990s, and several have been preserved by the Swedish Railway Museum and preservation societies in Sweden, while sales to heritage railways abroad failed to reach the expected numbers.

Design

The B class mixed-traffic locomotives were part of the development of modern superheated locomotives that had begun with the A class in 1906 and the E class in 1907.[1]: 16  The B class had bar frames, like the A class,[3]: 18  and the leading bogie was based on that of the A class.[1]: 16  Intended for fast freight trains and heavy passenger trains, the locomotives had six 1,750-millimetre (5 ft 9 in) driving wheels[4] and large outside cylinders, giving a 50% larger starting tractive effort than for the A class.[5] They were capable of doing 90 kilometres per hour (56 mph) on flat ground and 50 km/h (31 mph) on long 1 in 100 gradients.[3]: 10 

The B class shared some characteristics with another 4-6-0 mixed-traffic locomotive, the Prussian P 8 class,[2]: 76  and several sources state that they were based on the P 8,[1]: 16 [4][6] but another author describes them as "Swedish throughout".[2]: 76 

A new type of boiler was designed for the B class; it was also used for the Gb class, and became known as the BGb type.[2]: 106  Some other kinds of locomotives were later rebuilt with this type of boiler, creating the A2,[1]: 37  Ga2,[1]: 80  Ga4[1]: 82  and Mc[1]: 85  classes. The boiler was given a high position.[2]: 76 

History

96 locomotives were built for SJ by Motala Verkstad, NOHAB and Vagn och Maskinfabriken Falun between 1909 and 1919;[1]: 268–274  three more were built later for a private railway company.[2]: 76  A very successful design,[2]: 76  the B class turned out to be highly useful for all types of traffic.[1]: 45  They were frequently used in heavy express trains, in addition to the intended passenger and freight train services.[3]: 10 

Nevertheless, mainline electrification meant that the need for steam locomotives declined in the 1930s,[1]: 17  making it possible to sell some B class locomotives to private railways,[2]: 76  while some others were placed in reserve.[1]: 20  This changed with rising international tensions: the B class locomotives were deemed to be "valuable in wartime conditions", and as such included in a 1938 refurbishment program.[1]: 20  The locomotives that had been in reserve were quickly returned to service.[1]: 20 

At least four locomotives were leased to the Norwegian State Railways during the German occupation of Norway.[2]: 76 

Some modifications were made on the B class locomotives. Most were eventually given fully enclosed cabs, but a few were sold before being rebuilt.[4] All locomotives built for SJ were delivered with A class tenders, but some were later given six-wheeled tenders[2]: 76  of the C, C2 and L types and a type inherited from private Helsingborg–Hässleholms Järnväg.[1]: 45  The shorter six-wheeled tenders made it possible to turn the locomotives on smaller turntables.[2]: 76  Some B class locomotives were equipped for oil-firing after the Second World War.[1]: 45  The fireboxes were not optimal for this purpose, having been designed for coal-firing,[2]: 31  but the results were mostly satisfactory.[2]: 30  Today, preserved oil-fired locomotives are popular for use in summer railtours, as they are less likely than coal-fired locomotives to cause wildfires.[2]: 30 

The class remained in service with SJ until the end of steam.[2]: 76  The need for steam locomotives declined again in the post-war era, but a large number of surplus locomotives were preserved in the strategic reserve, kept in usable condition to replace diesel-powered vehicles if the import of oil was interrupted or electric vehicles if the power supply was destroyed.[2]: 16  The use of the reserve locomotives was mostly limited to a few trial runs, but harsh weather in the winter of 1965–1966 meant that an unusually large number of electric locomotives were out of service, and B, E and E2 class locomotives in the reserve were reactivated to haul trains on the electrified lines from Alvesta to Kalmar and Karlskrona.[2]: 16 

The B class, together with the E, E2 and E10 classes, remained in the strategic reserve after most other types had been scrapped in the 1970s.[2]: 18  Most of the locomotives were placed in sealed plastic bags with dehumidifiers to reduce the need of maintenance.[2]: 18  A large number of B class locomotives were preserved in that manner until all steam locomotives were removed from the strategic reserve in 1990.[4]

Private operators

SWB A2 101 has been preserved at the Nene Valley Railway in a non-authentic livery. The locomotives built for SWB were delivered with six-wheeled tenders of this type.

Six B class locomotives were sold to Bergslagernas Järnvägar (BJ)[7]: 14  in 1935–1937,[7]: 32  and four to Stockholm–Västerås–Bergslagens Järnväg (SWB) in 1936–1937.[8]: 153  Three locomotives were soon transferred from BJ to close cooperator Södra Dalarnes Järnväg (SDJ),[7]: 32  but it is unclear if they were ever formally registered with that company.[9]: 169  All these locomotives returned to SJ when the railways were nationalized in the 1940s,[1]: 45  but the former SWB locomotives remained on the network of that company until electrification.[8]: 154  The type was known as the B3 class at BJ[7]: 14  and as the A class (A1 from 1943) at SWB.[8]: 153  The cost to purchase one locomotive in used condition was 85,000 Swedish crowns; a similar amount was then needed to refurbish the locomotives before they could be used.[8]: 153 

Another B class locomotive was sold to Helsingborg–Hässleholms Järnväg (HHJ) in 1936, but was not intended to be used.[7]: 145  Having been overhauled by HHJ, it was traded to BJ the year after for a H3 class locomotive.[7]: 145  BJ sold it in 1947 to Stockholm–Nynäs Järnväg (SNJ),[9]: 128  where it was given number 12, later changed to 2.[10]: 56  SNJ had it modified for oil firing, as SJ demanded this to allow the steam locomotives of SNJ on the electrified tracks into Stockholm Central Station.[10]: 110  The locomotive was scrapped in 1960[10]: 56  without having been reintegrated into the SJ fleet.[2]: 76 

The B3 class differed from other locomotives of BJ, as the driver's position never was moved from the left to the right side.[7]: 14  They were in fact hardly modified at all during their time on BJ, meaning that two former BJ locomotives are the only ones preserved in nearly original condition.[4] SWB did make some modifications on their locomotives: the sandboxes were moved,[8]: 156  and the blastpipes were modified, increasing the production of steam.[8]: 153  SWB bought used C class tenders from SJ to their locomotives, and the original A class tenders were rebuilt to tank wagons.[8]: 153 

Despite the purchase of the A1 class, SWB had too few 4-6-0 locomotives for their passenger trains.[8]: 155  Three new A2 class locomotives were built by NOHAB in 1943–1944, based on the SJ B class.[8]: 155  Some minor improvements were made, including fully enclosed cabs and the use of roller bearings.[8]: 156  They were delivered with the modified sandbox position, but with unmodified blastpipes; the latter were quickly changed.[8]: 157  The tender was of a new design, slightly larger than the C class tender,[8]: 157  known as the B class after nationalization before being grouped with other six-wheeled tender types under the C3 designation.[1]: 45  The former A2 class locomotives, known post nationalization a B class number 1695–1697, were last used in the 1960s in freight trains in the Dalarna region, where they were described by one driver as "the best steam locomotives ever built".[8]: 157 

Preservation

B 1220 in operation at the ZLSM in the Netherlands.

The long use of the B class in the strategic reserve meant that a large number of the locomotives survived into the 1990s, and nearly half of them have been preserved.[4] Many locomotives remained in storage long after they had officially been removed from the strategic reserve, and interested buyers could inspect the locomotives to find the ones that were in the best condition;[2]: 18  38 locomotives were allocated to the Swedish Railway Museum and various heritage railways and preservation societies,[4] although a few have been scrapped later.[6]

There were hopes that the remaining locomotives could be sold to foreign heritage railways, but the fall of communism meant that many attractive steam locomotives were available at even lower prices in Eastern Europe.[2]: 18  A few were sold nevertheless: B 1220 and 1289 are at the Zuid-Limburgse Stoomtrein Maatschappij (ZLSM) in the Netherlands,[6] and SWB A2 101 at Nene Valley Railway in the United Kingdom.[9]: 154  SJ B 1149, also known as SWB A1 96, was sold to the Belfast and Moosehead Lake Railroad in Maine, United States, which became the Belfast and Moosehead Lake Railroad (2009), which sold it in 2010 to the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad which in turn sold it in 2013 to the Discovery Park of America in Tennessee.[9]: 154 

Some locomotives that had been in storage along the Inland Line were taken over by Inlandsbanan AB (IBAB), the commercial operator on that line,[2]: 18  and B 1384 has been refurbished for use in tourist trains[2]: 77  together with an E2 class locomotive.[11]

Locomotive List

Number Manufacturer Built (Last known) Location / Owner Current status Image Notes
B 1026 Motala 1909 Motala municipality On static display
B 1027 Motala 1910 Unknown Unknown
B 1028 Motala 1910 Karlskoga Scrapped (1978)
B 1034 Motala 1910 Unknown Unknown
B 1035 Motala 1910 Unknown Unknown
B 1036 Motala 1910 Gävle Unknown Strategic steam reserve locomotive
B 1037 Motala 1910 Göteborg Stored out of use

Strategic steam reserve locomotive
B 1038 Motala 1910 Nässjö Järnvägsmuseum Operational
B 1081 Motala 1911 Norrköping Unknown
B 1082 Motala 1911 Gävle Unknown Strategic steam reserve locomotive
B 1083 Motala 1911 Bergslagernas Järnvägssällskap Unknown BJ B3 130, SDJ B3 130
B 1084 Motala 1911 Grängesbergsbanornas Järnvägsmuseum, Grängesberg Scrapped, smokebox preserved Strategic steam reserve locomotive
B 1085 Motala 1911 Malmbanans Vänner Operational Strategic steam reserve locomotive
B 1106 Motala 1911 Gävle Unknown
B 1107 Motala 1911 Göteborg Unknown
B 1108 Motala 1911 Herrljunga Unknown Strategic steam reserve locomotive
B 1135 Motala 1912 Swedish Railway Museum, Gävle On static display Strategic steam reserve locomotive
B 1136 Motala 1912 Nynäshamns Järnvägsmuseum Not currently operational
B 1137 Motala 1912 Norrköping Unknown
B 1138 Nohab 1912 Bergslagernas Järnvägssällskap Scrapped (1999)
B 1139 Nohab 1912 Alvesta Scrapped (2010)
B 1140 Nohab 1912 Växjö Unknown Strategic steam reserve locomotive
B 1141 Nohab 1913 Malmö Unknown
B 1142 Motala 1913 Unknown Unknown
B 1143 Motala 1913 Värmlandståg, Fryksta Unknown SWB A 95
B 1144 Motala 1913 Grängesberg Scrapped (1994) Strategic steam reserve locomotive
B 1145 Motala 1913 Gävle Unknown
B 1146 Nohab 1913 Göteborg Unknown BJ B3 127
B 1147 Nohab 1913 Alcatraz entertainment hall, Luleå Unknown BJ B3 128
B 1148 Nohab 1913 High Chaparral, Kulltorp Unknown
B 1149 Nohab 1913 Discovery Park of America On static display SWB A 96
B 1150 Nohab 1913 Gävle Scrapped (2013) BJ B3 131, SDJ B3 131
B 1219 Nohab 1914 Vännäs Unknown
B 1220 Nohab 1914 Zuid-Limburgse Stoomtrein Maatschappij (ZLSM) On static display

(awaiting overhaul)

B 1221 Nohab 1914 Bollnäs Unknown
B 1222 Motala 1914 Norrbotten Railway Museum Operational Strategic steam reserve locomotive
B 1223 Motala 1914 Gävle Scrapped (2011)
B 1266 Motala 1915 Schultz Recycling GmbH, Kropp On static display
B 1267 Motala 1915 Nora Operational SWB A 97, Strategic steam reserve locomotive
B 1268 Motala 1915 Kusfors On static display BJ B3 133
B 1269 Motala 1916 Kiruna Unknown Strategic steam reserve locomotive
B 1270 Motala 1916 Gävle Unknown Strategic steam reserve locomotive
B 1281 Motala 1916 Grängesbergsbanornas Järnvägsmuseum, Grängesberg Operational BJ B3 132, SDJ B3 132
B 1282 Motala 1916 Mora municipality On static display
B 1283 Motala 1916 Swedish Railway Museum, Gävle On static display
B 1284 Motala 1916 Boden Scrapped Strategic steam reserve locomotive
B 1285 Motala 1916 Växjö Scrapped Strategic steam reserve locomotive
B 1286 Nohab 1916 Unknown Unknown
B 1287 Nohab 1916 Härnösand Bilmuseum On static display Named Astrid
B 1288 Nohab 1916 Växjö Scrapped
B 1289 Nohab 1916 Zuid-Limburgse Stoomtrein Maatschappij (ZLSM) On static display

(awaiting overhaul)

B 1290 Nohab 1916 Grängesbergsbanornas Järnvägsmuseum, Grängesberg On static display
B 1311 Motala 1916 Gävle Unknown
B 1312 Motala 1916 Landeryds Järnvägsmuseum, Landeryd Operational (?)
B 1313 Motala 1917 Lincolnshire Wolds Railway On static display (awaiting overhaul)
B 1314 Motala 1917 Gävle Operational (?)
B 1315 Motala 1917 Hedsjön Unknown
B 1316 Motala 1917 Ängelholm Unknown
B 1317 Motala 1917 Växjö Scrapped Strategic steam reserve locomotive
B 1318 Nohab 1917 Malmö Unknown
B 1319 Nohab 1917 Växjö Scrapped Strategic steam reserve locomotive
B 1320 Nohab 1917 Trollhättan On static display
B 1321 Nohab 1917 Kalmar Scrapped (1973) Strategic steam reserve locomotive
B 1322 Nohab 1917 Västerås Unknown
B 1323 Nohab 1917 Stockholms Kultursällskap för Ånga och Järnväg, Krylbo Operational
B 1324 Nohab 1917 Museiföreningen Gefle-Dala Jernväg, Falun Operational
B 1325 Nohab 1917 Unknown Scrapped
B 1364 Nohab 1918 Stockholms Ånlokssällskap On static display
B 1365 Nohab 1918 Unknown Unknown
B 1366 Nohab 1918 Norrköping On static display (?)
B 1367 Nohab 1918 Norrköping On static display (?)
B 1368 Nohab 1918 Örebro Scrapped
B 1369 Nohab 1918 Grådö On static display Privately owned
B 1370 Nohab 1918 Malmö Unknown
B 1371 Nohab 1918 Museiföreningen Gefle-Dala Jernväg, Falun On static display
B 1372 Nohab 1918 Unknown Unknown
B 1373 Nohab 1918 Unknown Unknown
B 1374 Nohab 1918 Jörn Unknown
B 1375 Nohab 1918 Unknown Unknown
B 1376 Nohab 1918 Gävle Scrapped Strategic steam reserve locomotive
B 1377 ASJ-F 1919 Västerås Scrapped Strategic steam reserve locomotive
B 1378 ASJ-F 1919 Luleå Scrapped (1979) Strategic steam reserve locomotive
B 1379 ASJ-F 1919 Museiföreningen Gefle-Dala Jernväg, Falun Unknown Strategic steam reserve locomotive
B 1380 ASJ-F 1919 Boden Unknown SWB A 98, Strategic steam reserve locomotive
B 1381 ASJ-F 1919 Duvetorp Scrapped Strategic steam reserve locomotive
B 1382 ASJ-F 1919 Boden On static display
B 1383 ASJ-F 1919 Falun Unknown
B 1384 Motala 1918 Swedish Railway Museum, Gävle Unknown
B 1385 Motala 1918 Vislanda Scrapped
B 1386 Motala 1918 Vännäs Scrapped Strategic steam reserve locomotive
B 1387 Motala 1918 Boden Unknown Strategic steam reserve locomotive
B 1428 Motala 1919 Museiföreningen Gefle-Dala Jernväg, Falun On static display Strategic steam reserve locomotive
B 1429 Motala 1919 Ängelholm On static display
B 1430 Motala 1919 Grängesbergsbanornas Järnvägsmuseum, Grängesberg Scrapped, boiler stored for TGOJ Gb 95
B 1431 Motala 1919 Växjö Unknown
B 1432 Motala 1919 Narvik Unknown
B 1695

(SWB A2 99)

Nohab 1943 Nora Unknown
B 1696

(SWB A2 100)

Nohab 1943 Stockholms Kultursällskap för Ånga och Järnväg Unknown
B 1697

(SWB A2 101)

Nohab 1944 Nene Valley Railway On static display

[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Diehl, Ulf; Fjeld, Ulf; Nilsson, Lennart (1973). Normalspåriga ånglok vid Statens Järnvägar (in Swedish). Svenska Järnvägsklubben. ISBN 91-85098-13-2.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Karlsson, Lars Olov (2008). SJ:s ånglok (in Swedish). Malmö: Frank Stenvalls Förlag. ISBN 978-91-7266-171-4.
  3. ^ a b c Runberger, Svante (2010). "SJ ånglok litt F – en fantastisk berättelse". In Engström, Christina; et al. (eds.). Spår 2010. Årsbok utgiven av Sveriges Järnvägsmuseum och Järnvägsmusei Vänner (in Swedish). Gävle: Sveriges Järnvägsmuseum.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Sjöö, Robert, ed. (2004). Bevarandeplan för järnvägsfordon (in Swedish). Gävle: Sveriges Järnvägsmuseum. p. 94.
  5. ^ Kullander, Björn (1994). Sveriges Järnvägs Historia (in Swedish). Bra Böcker. p. 129. ISBN 91-7119-713-3.
  6. ^ a b c d "SJ Littera B (II)". www.svenska-lok.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2017-09-11.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Karlsson, Lars Olov (2012). Ånglok vid Sveriges normalspåriga enskilda järnvägar. Del 1. BJ–LyJ (in Swedish). Malmö: Frank Stenvalls Förlag. ISBN 978-91-7266-182-0.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Dahl, Leif; Ekegren, Rune; Sundström, Erik (1974). Historik over den rullande materielen vid Stockholm–Westerås–Bergslagens Jernvägar 1872–1944 (in Swedish). Svenska Järnvägsklubben. ISBN 91-85098-08-6.
  9. ^ a b c d Karlsson, Lars Olov (2013). Ånglok vid Sveriges normalspåriga enskilda järnvägar. Del 2. MBJ–ÖVJ (in Swedish). Malmö: Frank Stenvalls Förlag. ISBN 9-789172-661875.
  10. ^ a b c Hammar, Bengt; Johansson, Göte; Landgren, Kenneth (1996). Nynäsbanan (in Swedish). Svenska Järnvägsklubben. ISBN 91-85098-80-9.
  11. ^ Diehl, Ulf; Nilsson, Lennart (2006). Svenska lok och motorvagnar 2006 (in Swedish). Svenska Järnvägsklubben. pp. 74–75. ISBN 91-85195-00-6.
Quelle: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SJ_B