Trench railways 0-6-0 Locomotives in France


Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class 8T/Joffre (Locobase 3314)

This class was built for the French government (Commission Internationale de Ravitaillement, also known as the Mission Hauser) to operate on its tactical light railways (those serving the front lines). A Decauville design entered production as soon as World War I began and continued until the Armistice more than four years later. Although Decauville built the lion's share -- 320 locomotives -- other builders took up the slack between supply and demand.

Kerr Stuart of Great Britain, which produced 70 engines in three batches; see Locobase 20555..

[link] -- which represented a group attempting to restore a surviving Joffre (3014) -- supplied all the information in this entry. After service in the French Army, 3014 was demobbed and sold, eventually arriving at a stone quarry (Societe Anonyme des CarriFres de la Vale Heureuse et du Haut Banc, Marquise Rinxent, Pas de Calais) as close to home as could be. It stopped operating sometime before 1956 and was acquired in 1974. Recconditioning began in 1998.

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
Class8T/Joffre
Locobase ID3314
RailroadTrench railways
CountryFrance
Whyte0-6-0T
Number in Class320
Road Numbers
Gauge60 cm
Number Built320
BuilderDecauville
Year1914
Valve Gear
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m) 4.59 / 1.40
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m) 4.59 / 1.40
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase1
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m) 4.59 / 1.40
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)23,296 / 10,567
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)23,296 / 10,567
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)264 / 1
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT) 0.60 / 1
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)13 / 6.50
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)23.60 / 599
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)181.30 / 1250
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)8.5" x 10.98" / 216x279
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)5180 / 2349.61
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 4.50
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)74 - 1.575" / 40
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flue/Tube length (ft / m) 5.41 / 1.65
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)23.25 / 2.16
Grate Area (sq ft / m2) 3.98 / 0.37
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)189 / 17.57
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)189 / 17.57
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume262.09
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation722
Same as above plus superheater percentage722
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area4215
Power L13019
Power MT857.11

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