2-4-0 Steam Locomotives in France

Class 2009 (Locobase 6053)

Data from Locomotives Schneider et Cie (Paris : Imp. Draeger, 1920), pp. 32-33, archived as CNAM-MUSEE TR0.5-SCH at []. See also I N Jevica's [] (visited 29 May 2004) and Maurice Demoulin, Traite Pratique de la Machine Locomotive (Paris: Libraire Polytechnique, Baudry et Cie, 1898), pp. 95-96; and "Old French Express Engine (French State Railways) with Piston Valves (System Ricour)", Locomotive Magazne, Volume 19 (15 September 1913), pp. 206-207. Builders included Five-Lille (60), Schneider (55 of its Type 95), and SACM (10).

These were more powerful additions to early set of four-coupled express locomotives delivered to the Vendee beginning in 1873 and taken into the Etat. LM's report claims that some had piston strokes of 600 mm.

Like so many French locomotives of the time, this racer had its steam dome positioned well forward, just behind the tall, flared stack. The rest of the layout followed French practice as well, although the drivers were taller.

Twenty of the class were converted to a 2-4-2 layout in 1894-1896. Some of the class were fitted with Ricour's piston valves as replacements for the slide valves that lifted off their seats when the engines drifted down grades with steam off and allowed smokebox ash into the cylinders. (LM's report notes that the engines' snifting valve "probably of itself produced all the effect desired" and that "a properly balanced slide valve was also a desideratum aimed at.")

The design was pretty simply equipped with ordinary split rings. Even so, they apparently did not permit water to enter the cylinders. "That no detrimental effect was caused ..." said LM, "was shown by the fact that the State railway systems fitted some 150 engines with these pistons valves between 1884 and 1894."

Class Type 80 (Locobase 21213)

Data from "Locomotives", Type 80, Usines du Creusot-Schneider et Cie (Creusot: A Temporal, 1875), n.a. Gouin works numbers were 792-795 in 1872, Schneider & Cie works numbers were 1727-1730 in 1875.

The driver diameters indicated this batch's role as locomotives a grande vitesse (high-speed express passenger locomotives) destined for the railways running through the western central Department of Vendee just north of La Rochelle on the Bay of Biscay.

The Etat took over the Vendee in 1878 and placed this octet in its own class 2001. Later, 2004 received a trailing axle.