0-8-0 Steam Locomotives in Germany

Class V K / BR 99.61 (Locobase 3616)

Data from Lionel Wiener, Articulated Locomotives (1930), supplemented by [], last accessed on 12 May 2011. See also Gustav Reder (Michael Reynolds, trans), The world of steam locomotives (New York: Putnam, 1974);

Gustave Reder describes the Klien-Lindner swing-axle that allowed this locomotive to negotiate very sharp curves. The cranks for the coupling rod end on the rearmost axle were mounted on a solid axle. The axle had a spherical bulge in the middle of its span from which pins radiated to support a hollow sphere that formed the middle of a hollow cast iron axle. It was the latter that carried the wheels. Thus this axle was free to move laterally over a considerable range. Reder adds that the necessity of building up the rear of the frame to support this kind of axle made it easy to emplace a large firebox.

The [] website (23 October 2004) says that three of these locomotives were ordered to bring more power to the Meueglitzalbahn Heidenau-Geising/Altenberg section where the Class IV was proving to be overmatched. It's an attractive design: the four axles spread out along the plate frame under long side tanks, the second driven by the main rod; a small dome positioned just ahead of the third axle; short, flared capped stack, a buffer-beam assembly that resembles the truncated "cow catchers" of 20th-century North American design and large cab.

Although fitted with a throw-over valve that admitted live steam into both cylinders for increased starting effort, the design's greater capacity didn't outweigh its greater complexity.

Despite the disappointing outcome to this innovation, 2 more lots were built and the nine class members worked all over the Saxon narrow-gauge system. As their boilers came up for replacement or expensive repairs, each V K was cannibalized for parts to keep the remaining locomotives in service. The last was withdrawn in 1934 from Saxony, but 4 headed east for wartime duty and are lost to history.