0-6-0 Steam Locomotives in Malta

Class 1 (Locobase 20824)

Data from "Maltese Public Transport from 1856" on the Maltese History and Heritage website at [], last accessed 9 January 2021 (Thanks to John Bryant for his 3 January 2021. See also A R Bennett (M.I.L.E), Volume XXXIII [32],No 421 (15 September 2027), pp. email narrowing the rail gauge to 1,000 mm ...). Works numbers were 842-844 in 1882.

According to a March 1912 Railway Magazine article, the boiler had a test pressure of 160 psi and operating pressure of 100-120 psi. See the series of 2016 Times of Malta articles by Michael Cassar (see last paragraph for full citations) Also see Stephanie Fsdani, Following the tracks of the Malta Railway, Times of Malta (18 January 2019) at [],.

The railway on this tiny Mediterranean island was scaled appropriately -- seven miles from Valetta to Museum Station on 45-lb (22.5-kg) rail in an alignment that included tunnels, curves as sharp as 10 chains in radius, and a 2 1/2% grade that ran for about 20% of the total length.

MW's trio of six-coupleds comprised the first engines to enter service. According to the Maltese Heritage and History website, "Locomotives 1 to 3 normally hauled 4 or 5 carriages up the 1 in 60 bank from Valletta to Birkirkara and 4 carriages up the 1 in 40 bank up to Notabile." The design seems quite dated with its haystack-like dome set on the boiler just ahead of the weather board; it also seems to be underpowered. Compared to most small British-built tanks, the crew were well-protected from the sun under a long roof with spectacles cut into the rear plate to allow bi-directional running.

But Michael Cassar's 2016 article covering the "end " of the railway repeated the observation that the MR was "The railway was a poisoned chalice, a damned inheritance, but no political party dared to bell the cat and risk losing votes." Continuing his disparaging account, Cassar also quoted a comment that "a first-class example of a railway being employed for the wrong purpose in the wrong place, and in any case being wrongly equipped for the task it was supposed to perform".

Cassar, Times of Malta series, "To build a railway line (1870-1883)", (13 August 2016) at []; "Construction and problems of the Malta railway", (21 August 2016) at []; "The railway as a public enterprise (1891-1931)", (25 September 2016), at []; "The end of the Malta Railway", (2 October 2016), archived at [].

Class 4 (Locobase 20825)

Data from "Maltese Public Transport from 1856" on the Maltese History and Heritage website at [], last accessed 9 January 2021. A R Bennett (M.I.L.E), Volume XXXIII [32],No 421 (15 October 2027)., pp 327-. (Thanks to John Bryant for his 9 January 2021 email noting the later modifications.) Works number was 753 in 1884.

Compared to the Manning Wardle tanks described in Locobase 20824, this six-coupled tank looked much more modern and offered nearly double the power. Its guaranteed performance included hauling 568 tons at 12-15 mph (19.3-24.2 kph) on level track and climbing the 4% grade at the same speed trailing 61 tons. On the single track, the 4 was rated at 4-5 carriages. Maltese History and Heritage note that the 4 always faced the Museum Station. (two locomotives faced Valetta, eight faced Museum).

John Bryant pointed out that the data refer to the 4 "as delivered". In its original form, the 4 "proved to be a good engine in most respects", wrote A R Bennett in his 1927 report, but showed itself to be "much less steady on the rails" than the earlier engines.. Following a rebuilt in 1907, pictures showed that the engine, rebuilt at MR's Hamrum shops, had "a domed boiler with the safety valve near the cab and side tanks instead of a saddle tank - quite a radical change."

Bennett explained that repositioning the water tanks sought to correct the unsteady behavior. Alas, he added, "No conspicuous improvement resulted ...and No 4 has still an indifferent reputation with regard to steadiness and wearing of [journal] brasses."