Ouest 4-6-0 Locomotives in France

Class 2301 (Locobase 6059)

Data from I N Jevica's [] (visited 29 May 2004) as well as info published on [] (visited November 2002) by Roland Arzul and Maurice Demoulin, Traite Pratique de la Machine Locomotive (Paris: Libraire Polytechnique, Baudry et Cie, 1898), pp. 101-108

These mixed-traffic ten-wheelers were designed to pull 600-tonne trains over gentle grades at 35 km/h (22 mph). Relatively light and small for contemporary Ten-wheelers with similar cylinder volumes, the quartet had Belpaire fireboxes, steam dome over the first two axles and a sturdy look. Serve finned boiler tubes (fitted with 8 internal fins) filled the boiler and supplemented the heat provided by a relatively larger firebox and grate.

Arzul says the cab did not have windows, but periscopes for the driver to use without having to lean out of the cab. It was an idea apparently universally rejected by the drivers.

Class 2501 (Locobase 3912)

Data taken from Edouard Sauvage, "Four-Cylinder Compound Locomotives in France", Railroad Gazette, Volume XXXII [32], No.39 (28 September 1900), pp.629-631 using information compiled through direct communications with the various designers; as well as information published on [] (visited November 2002) by Roland Arzul, and data from I N Jevica's [] (visited 29 May 2004).

These mixed-traffic ten-wheelers had Belpaire fireboxes, a small dome sited relatively far forward, leading swan's-neck bogie, coned smokebox door and sketchy accommodations for the driver and fireman. The 113 2 3/4 tubes had interior ribs like Serve firetubes; the 4 others were smoothbore.

Production spanned 1898-1902. When the Ouest was absorbed by the Etat in 1909, the class was redesignated 230-101-140

Class 2541 (Locobase 5318)

Data from "Locomotives Compound - 6 Roues Couplees et a Bogie", Schneider catalogue Type 146, pp. 72-73, archived a[], last accessed 28 May 2018. from table published in Railroad Gazette (28 September 1900), which was compiled through direct communications with the various designers as well as info published on [] (visited November 2002) by Roland Arzul. Schneider works numbers for the first 30 were 2986-3015 in 1909; the same company also delivered another 23 -- 280-302.

Arzul says these mixed-traffic ten-wheelers repeated the 2501 design (Belpaire fireboxes, a small dome sited relatively far forward, leading swan's-neck bogie, etc.), but had the larger grate introduced on the 2771 of later vintage. Heating surface area above includes the estimated area of the internal fins of the large-diameter Serve tubes.

A year after their first introduction, the Ouest was absorbed into the Etat system and these engines were renumbered 230.141-170. So satisfactory was the design that the State produced 150 more as 230.171-320 beginning in 1911. In addition to Schneider, several builders contributed batches.

Batignolles produced 25 -- 171-195 and 11 -221-231.

Soc Franco Belge delivered 43 -- 196-220, 232-241, and 303-320

SACM manufactured one batch of 19--242-258, and

SFCM (Cail) added 21--242-258.

Class 2701 (Locobase 9956)

Data from Institution of Mechanical Engineers (March 1904), p. 355 and Roland Arzul at [], last accessed 15 February 2009.

This set of compound Ten-wheelers were inspired, says Roland Arzul, by the 2500 class but mounting taller drivers for higher maximum speed. The profile remained upright, the look reinforced by the Belpaire firebox's severe lines, dome just ahead of the first driver and over the HP cylinders. Also like the 2500s, the boiler had 113 Serve internally finned tubes; 4 more tubes measured 45 mm in external diameter.

The second 10 (1904's 2711-2720) had the driver's position moved to the left side. These were followed by the slightly revised 2721 class (Locobase 3912).

Class 2721 (Locobase 5317)

Data taken from info published on [] (visited November 2002) by Roland Arzul, supplemented by the 1907 Catalogue of Mechanical Engineering Collection in the Science Division of the Victoria & Albert Museum (Board of Education South Kensington)., pp 107.

Designed by M Cleraut, These were express-passenger versions of the 2501s and as such were ten-wheelers with Belpaire fireboxes, a small dome sited relatively far forward, leading swan's-neck bogie, outside HP cylinders placed behind the trailing axle of the bogie and driving the second axle. Compounding was according to the de Glehn-du Bousquet system. Like many French locomotives of the period, these engines were fitted with Serve fire tubes that had four internal fins. Heating surface area measurements take account of the fin area.

According to Arzul, the 120-strong class of Ouest 230s could be grouped into 4 batches. The first 10 were like the 2501s, but with taller drivers;

the next 10 (1904's 2711-2720) had the driver's position moved to the left side (see Locobase 9956 for both sub-classes);

2721 (the subgroup represented in the specifications) adopted piston valves and acquired a sand dome behind the steam dome.

2771-2880 received a larger grate (2.8 sq m or 31.14 sq ft) and are described in Locobase 8957.

Renumbered 230.501-620 when taken over by the state.

Class 2771 (Locobase 8957)

Data from Albert H Bone, "Some Recent Designs of Locomotives for Service on Continental Railways", Cassier's Magazine, 1910, pp. 561-609

This class followed the compound Ten-wheelers that began production several years before (see Locobase 3912). Like the earlier engines, the class used a balanced compound system with divided drive and a Belpaire firebox. The firebox held a combination of 22 plain tubes measuring 52 mm (2.05") in diameter and 52 Serve tubes of 70-mm diameter (2.75") bore.

Like the earlier saturated engines, these were taken into the Etat within a year of their production.

Class 3701 (Locobase 6060)

Data from I N Jevica's [] (visited 29 May 2004) as well as info published on [] (visited November 2002) by Roland Arzul. Additional data from the table presented on pages 409, 411 of the Groupe VI. - GTnie civil. - Moyens de transport. DeuxiFme partie. Classes 32 (Tome I), part of the series of Rapports du Jury Internationale of the Exposition Unverselle Internationale de 1900 Paris Exposition, hosted on the website of Le Conservatoire numTrique des Arts & MTtiers ([], Accessed 21 August 2005).

Like most French tank engines of the time, this Ten-wheeler had its coal bunker ahead of the footplate and between the side tanks. The firebox rested between the last two coupled axles, thereby stretching the distance between them. Like many other French locomotives, the boiler tubes were of the Serve type, the larger diameter necessitated by the internal fins or ribs that were a feature of this type.

The class was produced between 1897 and 1901.