Cabforward Tank Engines. |
Updated: 4 Nov 2008 |
THE FIVES-LILLES TANK ENGINES. (France)
The St Georges-La Mure line in France was the starting point of a large project which would have linked Grenoble and Gap (120 km away), hence the acronym SGLM-G (St Georges de Commiers à La Mure et Gap). Though never finished the line did extend 60 km. In 1886 the French manufacturer "Compagnie de Fives-Lilles" was building all rolling stock and was apparently operating the line too. The engineer Edmond Roy designed 0-6-2 tender-locomotives for coal haulage, with two "radiant" axles working like a Bissel truck, to help the locomotive to negotiate the tight radius curves on the line. The SGLM-G line had a large number of tunnels for its modest length, and these locomotives normally ran cabforward so that the crew were not choked by steam and smoke.
These locomotives could haul more than 65 Tonnes at 20 Km/h uphill. Downhill, coal trains weighing 180 Tonnes were drawn at 45 Km/h. After 1909 the use of these locomotives began to fall off, but the last remaining example was not scrapped until 1962.
![]() | Left: A Fives-Lilles Tank Engine. Note four large windows at the front/back of the cab, for cabforward operation.
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TANK ENGINES OF THE CHEMIN DE FER DE LA BAIE DE SOMME (France)
The Chemin de Fer de la Baie de Somme (Somme Bay Railway), is now a preserved railway in northern France. Part of it is dual-gauge, metre and standard gauge being combined by laying four rails. The line opened to traffic on 5 June 1858. You can learn more from Wikipedia.
![]() | Left: A Baie De Somme tank engine, with a large cab window.
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![]() | Left: Manufacturer's photograph of the same design as immediately above
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![]() | Left: No 3714 lives!
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THE BICABINE 030 T PINGUELY TANK ENGINE. (France)
This remarkable 0-6-0 tank engine could not only run in either direction but had a cab at each end. Named "Isere", it began its career in 1909 on the Lyon to St-Marcellin Tram line in the Department of Isere in South-East France. Pinguely was the name of the manufacturer; see Wikipedia. Pinguely also supplied locomotives to the Chemin de Fer de la Baie de Somme. (see above)
![]() | Left: The Bicabine 030 T Pinguely
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![]() | Left: Another view of the Bicabine Pinguely
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