Nord 0-4-2 Locomotives in France

Class 2.403 (Locobase 20898)

Data from Albert Jacquet, "'Engerth'" Locomotives on French and Belgian Railways", Locomotive Magazine, Volume XXVIII [28] (15 April 1922), pp. 104-106. Conversions performed at Nord's La Chapelle works.)

In 1855-1857, the Nord introduced 36 Engerth-type coupled-tender locomotives designed for passenger train; these are described in Locobase 595. Beginning in 1873, the LaChapelle shops separated the engine and tender of a third of the class. These were 2.403-2.404, 2.417, 2.419, 2.423-2.424, 2.428-429, 2.431, 2.435-2.436.

The new boiler had a larger grate and shorter boiler tubes, a combination that signficantly lowered the heating surface to grate area ratio. A tall dome sat on the boiler and over the gap between the coupled axles.

After years of front-liine passenger service, both the unconverted Engerths and the modified 0-4-2s pulled local suburban passenger trains around Lille. The class was retired in 1910-1913.

NB: Jacquet's data for tube heating surface used the internal tube diameter, which yielded 87.85 sq m (946 sq ft) and evaporative heatng surface of 96.05 sq m (1,034 sq ft). Locobase uses the external diameter that appeared in the same table to simplify comparison with Anglo-American designs.

Class Series 2.301 (Locobase 6447)

Data from Gustav Reder (Michael Reynolds, trans), The World of Steam Locomotives (New York: Putnam, 1974), pl 244.

Designer du Bousquet wanted to increase the power of the express passenger locomotives on the Nord and produced this one example of a popular British type. Reder's photo shows a long-striding engine with widespread drivers and very large carrying axle under the Belpaire firebox. The wheel arrangement was not a success, however. After 301 derailed at full speed in 1889, it was converted to a very slippery 4-2-2 that was scrapped in 1894.

Class Series 2.451 (Locobase 596)

One of the last French railroads to adopt the Rhone 0-4-2 wheel arrangement, the Nord made up in number (180) what it lacked in avant-gardism. These engines actually comprised several subseries built between 1867 and 1881. (For example, the first series numbered between 451 and 486.)

They were stocky with high straight belt lines, covered splashers over the drivers, a cylindrical dome over the barrel between the drivers with the square sandbox immediately behind and the throttle between the dome and the stack, and, at first, no cab of any sort. Some had inside cylinders (e.g., the 468), others low-mounted outside cylinders (e.g., the 619). They were used for fast freight and all but the very fastest passenger services.