Paris-Orleans 2-4-0 Locomotives in France

Class 1466-new boilers (Locobase 15172)

Data from L M Vilain "Chemin de Fer d'Orleans" as reported by "quelet" (Papotier) in a post on 28 September 2012, 19:46 within the thread "

Re: Construction d'une 120 PO sTrie 1466 a 1491" on the LR Presse's [], last accessed 4 May 2013. See also "120 n° 566 à 569 puis 466 à 469, 1 466 à 1 469 du GC" on the WikiPO at [],_1_466_%C3%A0_1_469_du_GC, last accessed 10 March 2025.

After almost 40 years of service, this six-wheel, four-coupled passenger design underwent a substantial update beginning with three engines in 1895. Eighteen more followed in 1898-1900. Replacing the boiler offered the opportunity to signiificantly increase boiler pressure and adopt a new, deeper firebox.

Refreshed, the class still consisted of seven engines (1471, 1474, 1 476, 1482, 1486, 1487, 1489) in 1916, but by the mid 1920s the class had all gone to the ferro-knacker.

Class 171 (Locobase 618)

Data from Gustav Reder (Michael Reynolds, trans), The World of Steam Locomotives (New York: Putnam, 1974); and Maurice Demoulin, Traite Pratique de la Machine Locomotive (Paris: Libraire Polytechnique, Baudry et Cie, 1898), p.86.

An express-engine "Longboiler" designed by Victor Fourquenot. Known as hard riders (because of single-spring suspension for the coupled axles), had outside valve gear, rounded steam dome behind the lidded stack, and a short, deep firebox. Front axle play was controlled by inclined planes. Fitted with a Ten Brinck water chamber over the grate to increase heating surface.

Although seen by foreign observers as not really suitable for express service, the Paris-Orleans ordered 94 engines (171-264) through 1873. The Paris-Lyon-Mediterranee and the Etat Railroads also ordered Fourquenot-type Longboilers.

Class 566/466/1466 (Locobase 21249)

Data from L M Vilain "Chemin de Fer d'Orleans" as reported by "quelet" (Papotier) in a post on 28 September 2012, 19:46 within the thread "

Re: Construction d'une 120 PO sTrie 1466 a 1491" on the LR Presse's [], last accessed 4 May 2013. See also "120 n° 566 à 569 puis 466 à 469, 1 466 à 1 469 du GC" on the WikiPO at [],_1_466_%C3%A0_1_469_du_GC, last accessed 10 March 2025.

These were the original four engines designe by Victor Forquenot for local passenger service on the Grand Central. Four years later, the PO added a much larger number of a similar design (Locobase 21250). Both classes essentially merged as they differed little. And, like other PO classes, the engines recieved a Ten-Brinck firebox in 1868, which was then modified as the Ten Brinck-Bonnet; see Locobase 11279 for a description of the two designs.

The PO upgraded the 26 locomotives beignning in 1895; see Locobase 15172.

Class 570-470/1470 (Locobase 21250)

Data from L M Vilain "Chemin de Fer d'Orleans" as reported by "quelet" (Papotier) in a post on 28 September 2012, 19:46 within the thread "

Re: Construction d'une 120 PO sTrie 1466 a 1491" on the LR Presse's [], last accessed 4 May 2013. See also "120 n° 570 à 591 puis 470 à 491, 1 470 à 1 491 du GC" on the WikiPO at [],_1_470_%C3%A0_1_491_du_GC, last accessed 10 March 2025.

Following four years after Forquenot's original quartet of local passenger engines for the Grand Central (Locobas 21249). the PO added a much larger number of a similar design. Little tweaks to the tube numbers (or length) slightly reduced tube heating surface area and firebox changes slightly increased its area.

Like many other PO locomotives, the 470s had their original fireboxes replaced by a Ten Brinck design in 1868. Four years after that, Bonnet modified the fireboxes; see Locobase 11279.

The PO upgraded the 26 locomotives beignning in 1895; see Locobase 15172.

Class 592/492/1492 (Locobase 617)

Data from "120 n° 592 à 600 puis 492 à 500, 1 492 à 1 500 du GC" in the WikiPO at [],_1_492_%C3%A0_1_500_du_GC, last accessed 10 March 2025. Works numbers were 558-566 in 1857.

OS Nock (Pl 95, Railways of the World In Color) described this set of Grand Central local passenger locomotives as inside-cylinder "Longboiler," of which nine were supplied in 1857.

They served for many years. Ten years after service entry, the class received larger Ten-Brinck fireboxes. Four years later, Bomnet reconfigured much of the firebox's design; see Locobase 11279.

When re-boilered in 1895, changes consisted of a slight decrease in tube area and significant 2.5 sq m increase in firebox area. Most important was the 3.4 bar (50 psi) jump in boiler pressure over the 1872 Bonnet setting.

Class Polonceau (Locobase 619)

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

Also see

Camille Polonceau featured a low, Crampton-style boiler and cylinders mounted on inside sub-frames spaced 20 1/2" (520 mm) apart and running longitudinally from the rear of the smokebox to the front of the firebox. The Gooch valve gear had its eccentric arms between the wheels and the outside frame operating slide valves mounted outside of the front carrying axle. These first five engines (153-157; later renumbered 381-385) were followed by many others. Nos. 367-380 were 0-4-2s with the firebox between the driving axles; 386-393 were 2-4-0s with larger boilers and fireboxes overhanging the rear.

See separate entries (Locobase 600-601) for the 658-719 and 720-791 0-6-0 series.

Class Polonceau (Locobase 11346)

Data from L Chatelier, E Flachat, J Petiet, and C Polonceau, Guide du Mecanicien Constructeur et Conducteur de Machines Locomotives (Paris: Chez Paul Dupont, 1851), pp. 369-370 and tables on 371-372.

This class of marchandise (goods or freight) engines had relatively large boilers compared to most French locomotives of the time. Locobase 619 shows the next, slightly larger batch that came in 1850.

Class Polonceau - 1855 (Locobase 6875)

Data from Titre Rapports du jury mixte internationale publies sous la dir. de S.A.I le Prince Napoleon, presidente de la commission Imperial (Paris, Impremerie Imperiale, 1856) Collation [4]-LXXVI-1574-p. -[2]; Cote CNAM 8th Xae 53 - Mots mateiere Exposition internationale (1885; Paris); Industrie - 19e siecle; Produits industriels - 19e siecle, p. 233, hosted on cnum.cnam.fr/CGI/fpage.cgi?8XAE53/320/100/1664/0/0, accessed 1 September 2005.

Locobase's spotty translation of the Jury's comments on this design highlights that body's observation that Polonceau's layout runs counter to that of Crampton. Thus, the lead driving wheels (which take the force of the main rod) are in the middle of the frame while the rear set are behind the firebox. The 4 driving wheels thus comprise "le plus grande parallelogram possible", which bestows great stability, flexibililty, and as large a firebox as possible. The locomotive's stability was enhanced by locating the motion inside.

Class unknown (Locobase 20255)

Data from "French Locomotives", Engineering, Volume 3 (15 February 1867), p. 167.

Locobase 618 describes the dozens of "Longboiler" 2-4-0s produced by Victor Fourquenot. Engineering's report almost certainly describes a batch of twelve locomotives from this stud. All of them share the very tall drivers, outside cylinders, and Ten-brinck water grates. Both trailing axle boxes were linked by a transverse beam suspended by a single spring; the front axles enjoyed some latitude to each side, controlled by inclined planes on the frame. The writer pronounced the distribution of load among the axles to be "very good."

The account details the Limoges-Agen route taken by this particular set over sections of 1% grade at 39 mph (63 kph) pulling 10-14 carriages.