The Est no. 31001 to 31040, formed a class of 40 4-6-2 Pacific engines. Designed by the chief Mechanical engineer of the État Railway, François Joseph Nadal, they were identical to the engines from the class État 231-501 to 783. It was the first class of Pacifics on the Est railway.
Description[]
As the class 31000 was identical to the État 231-501 to 783, they share with them the same features.
The boiler had a diameter of 1,68 m (5,5 ft), and was equipped with a flat semi-overflow firebox type "Crampton" with a trapezoidal grid, the cone chimney was a type "Nord". They have a four uncrossed cylinders compound engine type "Du Bousquet-De Glehn", with a steam distribution type "Walschaerts" with cylindrical drawers for the high pressure cylinders, and schemes drawers for the low pressure cylinders. Thy had front bogie type "Ouest" with inside frames. And the rear axle was a type "Ouest", with a conjugated suspension coupled with the last driving axle via rockers.
During their career, the Est would made some modifications, at Epernay's Workshops, on the 31000s:
- Replacing the original exhast was replaced by a 6-jet trough;
- Replacing the Schimdt superheater had been replaced with a DM 3 type or a Hulet type;
- Increase the boiler stamp from 16 bars (232 psi) to 17 bars (246.56 psi);
- Increase the steam dome baffles and installation of Coale type safety valves.
- Replacing the drawer regulator by a valve regulator controled by rod working in torsion, in the axial plane of the boiler.
- Increase the intake pipes of steam circuit, from 120mm (0.39 ft) to 130mm (0.42 ft). Sometimes modifying the steam circuit for some engines.
- Increase of the water supply with:
- 2 universal suction injectors, and an ACIF RM set on the engines no. 1-231.B.10, 27, 29, 41 and 50;
- 1 universal non-suction injector, and an Metcalfe type injector at exhaust steam on the engines no. 1-231.B.7, 8, 21, 24, 26, 32 to 34;
- 2 universal injectors, and a Worthington 3 AX NC set for the other engines;
- Decrease in high-speed laminations of the HP distributors by changing their stroke, and modifying the HP pendulum's lever arm ratio. The total stroke with maximum admission of 70%, past from 112mm (0.36 ft) to 144mm (0.47 ft), and increased openings increased by 30%;
- Replacing the LP flat drawers by cylindrical valves with two orifices Est type, but with admission by external stops, to not modified the inside the LP crankshaft distribution;
- Assembly of a LP distribution by Dabeg oscillating rod valve, for the engines no. 1-231.B.7 and 29;
- Assembly, for some engines, of LP polyblocks axles with a centrifugal greaser;
- Assembly of a partitioned mechanical greaser Bourdon FSA type, with Olva valves, by steam supply ramps;
- Replacing the Five-Lille type air compressor by a bicompound Westinghouse type;
- Laying of smoke deflectors Est type (with the exception of no. 1-231.B.43).
Tenders[]
The class 31000 was delivered with bogie tenders État type, built by the Société Franco-Belge at Raismes, identical to the one of the class 231-501 to 783. With a cappacity of 22 m3 (5,811.8 gal) of water and 8t (7.87 UK t; 8.82 US t) of coal. They would have been modified in a first time. The water cappacity passed from 22m3 to 25.4 m3 (6,710 gal), and the coal bunker could maganize a cappacity 10t (9.84 UK t; 11 US t).
They were changed later for the interchangeable tenders from four different classes with different cappacity:
- 25 C, which have a cappacity of 26.6 m3 (7,026.9 gal) of water and 7t (6.89 UK t; 7.7 US t) of coal;
- 32 A, which have a cappacity of 32 m3 (8,453.5 gal) of water and 10t (9.84 UK t; 11 US t) of coal;
- 32 B, which have a cappacity of 32 m3 (8,453.5 gal) of water and 10t (9.84 UK t; 11 US t) of coal;
- 35 A, which have a cappacity of 35 m3 (9,246 gal) of water and 7t (7.87 UK t; 8.82 US t) of coal.
The tenders of no. 1-231.B.41 to 50, where identical to the first tenders of the class 31000, but in contrary to them, they've never been replaced. They were numbered SNCF 22 C 1 to 10.
History[]
In the early 1910s, the French railways, since 1906 and the P.O Class 4501 to 4600, developped new express engines with a 4-6-2 Pacific wheel arangement. The Compagnie des chemins de fer de l'Est was intreasted after having successfully tested the P.O no. 3569, in 1914, and launched the studies for a Pacific class.
However the events of World War I, would pause the project. And after the war, the Est railway was in a big need of new express engines that could respond to the needed of the company. The Est decided to procure itself pacifics of an already existing design. This would 40 engines identical to the class État 231-501 to 783, aand which the construction costs were paid with aids from the Ministère des travaux Public (T.P) (the Ministry of Public Works), which had also paid the construction of 40 engines for the Alsace-Lorraine railway, 40 engines for the Paris-Orléans railway, giving to these engines the nickname of Pacifics T.P. This make the Est Railway the only one to not have built Pacific engines from its own conception.
Est Class 11s 31001 to 31040[]
After arriving, the 40 new engines formed the class 11s and received the numbers 31001 to 31040. They where allocated to the depots of Paris-La Vilette, Nancy, Chaumont, Châlons, Troyes and Reims. They were used to ensure the heavy express on the Paris-Charleville, Paris-Belfort and Paris-Nancy lines. However their arrival was late and they soon began to struggle ahead of the heaviest trains. The Est decided not to produce new design of Pacifics and in 1925, launched a new 4-8-2 Mountain engine, no. 41001. This new engine will bring to the construction of the class 13s 241-001 to 041, leaving the class 11s ahead of lighter passenger trains.
In 1929, no. 31010 received a new exchangeable tender, and smoke deflectors with a square shape. These smoke deflectors would be put on the whole classe before being replace by the bigger Est type smoke deflectors. In 1930, the Est changed its numbering system, the 31000s were renumbered as 231-001 to 040. In 1935, It had been decided to bring bigger transformations to the TPs based on the transformations of the PO no. 3566 by Mr. André Chapelon. These modifications were less advanced, but they were cheaper, ₣63,000 plus ₣45,000 for the whole system of blending. No. 231-027 was the first engine to be rebuilt and Its perfomances were compared with the one of no. 231-030. The tranformations have increased the power to the engine hook from 1,485 HP (1,464.6 imp. HP) to 1,820 HP (1,795.1 imp. HP) (Power of the order of 2,600 HP (2,564.4 imp. HP)). They've also reduced the water consumption in water and coal (10%) of no. 231-027. These modifications were applied to the rest of the class.
After being modified, the class could make good performances. On the 30th of August 1936, pulling the train no. 40-30, weighing 610t (600.3 UK t; 672.4 US t), no. 231-016 route from Belfort to Troyes, on a travel of 266 Km (165.3 miles), in 2 h 40 with a stop of 3 minutes at Vesoul. The speed of 120 Km/h (74.6 mph) had been maintain over a distance of 200 km (124.3 miles).
SNCF 1-231.B.1 to 40 and 41 to 50[]
In 1938, the class was incorporated into the SNCF's roster, and they formed the class 1-231.B.1 to 40. Sometimes after, the eastern region received 10 engines, ex-État 231-501 to 783. They were renumbered 1-231.B.301 to 310, and after receiving the same modifications as their former Est railway sisters (except no. 1-231.B.303) were renumbered 1-231.B.41 to 50. They were allocated at the depot of Mohon.
After the WWII, the class was complete, with the execption of no. 1-231.B.7, scrapped in 1945. The TPs were allocated at the depots of Nancy, Mohon, Reims and Belfort. Nancy had have 19 engines in Its possession, they pulled passenger and goods express to Paris, Metz, Chalindrey and Charleville. Reims, would use Its 13 pacifics to pull trains to Pairs, Charleville and Chalindrey. In 1957, the class that counted again 48 engines, began to face the modernization of the region. With the electrification of many lines, and the arrival of Pacifics classes 231.G and 231.K from the former PLM (easier to drive and maintain), the 1-231.Bs began to be put out of commission. On the 11th of March 1959, the last engine to be withdrawn, no. 1-231.B.31, from the depot of Reims, was reformed.
Stock List[]
| Numbering | Constructor | Commissioning | Withdrawn | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Est (1921-1938) | État (1914-1938) | SNCF (1938-1959) | ||||
| 1921 | 1930 | |||||
| 31001 | 231-001 | --- | 1-231.B.1 | Société Franco-Belge | 1921 | --- |
| 31002 | 231-002 | --- | 1-231.B.2 | Société Franco-Belge | 1921 | --- |
| 31003 | 231-003 | --- | 1-231.B.3 | Société Franco-Belge | 1921 | --- |
| 31004 | 231-004 | --- | 1-231.B.4 | Société Franco-Belge | 1921 | --- |
| 31005 | 231-005 | --- | 1-231.B.5 | Société Franco-Belge | 1921 | --- |
| 31006 | 231-006 | --- | 1-231.B.6 | Société Franco-Belge | 1921 | --- |
| 31007 | 231-007 | --- | 1-231.B.7 | Société Franco-Belge | 1921 | 1945 |
| 31008 | 231-008 | --- | 1-231.B.8 | Société Franco-Belge | 1921 | --- |
| 31009 | 231-009 | --- | 1-231.B.9 | Société Franco-Belge | 1921 | --- |
| 31010 | 231-010 | --- | 1-231.B.10 | Société Franco-Belge | 1921 | --- |
| 31011 | 231-011 | --- | 1-231.B.11 | Société Franco-Belge | 1922 | --- |
| 31012 | 231-012 | --- | 1-231.B.12 | Société Franco-Belge | 1922 | --- |
| 31013 | 231-013 | --- | 1-231.B.13 | Société Franco-Belge | 1922 | --- |
| 31014 | 231-014 | --- | 1-231.B.14 | Société Franco-Belge | 1922 | --- |
| 31015 | 231-015 | --- | 1-231.B.15 | Société Franco-Belge | 1922 | --- |
| 31016 | 231-016 | --- | 1-231.B.16 | Société Franco-Belge | 1922 | --- |
| 31017 | 231-017 | --- | 1-231.B.17 | Société Franco-Belge | 1922 | --- |
| 31018 | 231-018 | --- | 1-231.B.18 | Société Franco-Belge | 1922 | --- |
| 31019 | 231-019 | --- | 1-231.B.19 | Société Franco-Belge | 1922 | --- |
| 31020 | 231-020 | --- | 1-231.B.20 | Société Franco-Belge | 1922 | --- |
| 31021 | 231-021 | --- | 1-231.B.21 | Batignolles-Châtillon | 1923 | --- |
| 31022 | 231-022 | --- | 1-231.B.22 | Batignolles-Châtillon | 1923 | --- |
| 31023 | 231-023 | --- | 1-231.B.23 | Batignolles-Châtillon | 1923 | --- |
| 31024 | 231-024 | --- | 1-231.B.24 | Batignolles-Châtillon | 1923 | --- |
| 31025 | 231-025 | --- | 1-231.B.25 | Batignolles-Châtillon | 1923 | --- |
| 31026 | 231-026 | --- | 1-231.B.26 | Batignolles-Châtillon | 1923 | --- |
| 31027 | 231-027 | --- | 1-231.B.27 | Batignolles-Châtillon | 1923 | --- |
| 31028 | 231-028 | --- | 1-231.B.28 | Batignolles-Châtillon | 1923 | --- |
| 31029 | 231-029 | --- | 1-231.B.29 | Batignolles-Châtillon | 1923 | --- |
| 31030 | 231-030 | --- | 1-231.B.30 | Batignolles-Châtillon | 1923 | --- |
| 31031 | 231-031 | --- | 1-231.B.31 | Batignolles-Châtillon | 1923 | 1959 |
| 31032 | 231-032 | --- | 1-231.B.32 | Batignolles-Châtillon | 1923 | --- |
| 31034 | 231-034 | --- | 1-231.B.34 | Batignolles-Châtillon | 1923 | --- |
| 31035 | 231-035 | --- | 1-231.B.35 | Batignolles-Châtillon | 1923 | --- |
| 31036 | 231-036 | --- | 1-231.B.36 | Batignolles-Châtillon | 1923 | --- |
| 31037 | 231-037 | --- | 1-231.B.37 | Batignolles-Châtillon | 1923 | --- |
| 31038 | 231-038 | --- | 1-231.B.38 | Batignolles-Châtillon | 1923 | --- |
| 31039 | 231-039 | --- | 1-231.B.39 | Batignolles-Châtillon | 1923 | --- |
| 31040 | 231-040 | --- | 1-231.B.40 | Batignolles-Châtillon | 1923 | --- |
| --- | --- | 231-503 | 3-231.C.503 then 1-231.B.301 then
1-231.B.41 |
Batignolles-Châtillon | 1922 | --- |
| --- | --- | 231-512 | 3-231.C.512 then 1-231.B.302 then
1-231.B.42 |
Batignolles-Châtillon | 1922 | --- |
| --- | --- | 231-522 | 3-231.C.522 then 1-231.B.303 then
1-231.B.43 |
Batignolles-Châtillon | 1922 | --- |
| --- | --- | 231-546 | 3-231.C.546 then 1-231.B.304 then
1-231.B.44 |
Batignolles-Châtillon | 1922 | --- |
| --- | --- | 231-636 | 3-231.C.636 then 1-231.B.305 then
1-231.B.45 |
North British Locomotive Company Limited | 1917 | --- |
| --- | --- | 231-637 | 3-231.C.637 then 1-231.B.306 then
1-231.B.46 |
North British Locomotive Company Limited | 1917 | --- |
| --- | --- | 231-639 | 3-231.C.639 then 1-231.B.307 then
1-231.B.47 |
North British Locomotive Company Limited | 1917 | --- |
| --- | --- | 231-747 | 3-231.C.747 then 1-231.B.308 then
1-231.B.48 |
Société Batignolles-Châtillon | 1922 | --- |
| --- | --- | 231-754 | 3-231.C.754 then 1-231.B.309 then
1-231.B.49 |
Société Batignolles-Châtillon | 1922 | --- |
| --- | --- | 231-781 | 3-231.C.781 then 1-231.B.310 then
1-231.B.50 |
Société Batignolles-Châtillon | 1922 | --- |
References[]
- GILLOT, Jean, Les locomotives à vapeur de la S.N.C.F. région Est, Éditions Picador, Levallois-Perret, 1976.