Bombay, Baroda & Central India 4-4-0 Locomotives in India

Class D (Locobase 10352)

Data from "Express Passenger Engines, Bombay, Baroda & C I Ry", The Locomotive Magazine,Vol IX (25 July 1903), p. 53. See also "Four-Wheels-Coupled Bogie Passenger Engines-Eastern Bengal State," The Railway Engineer, Volume 19, No 6 (June 1898), p. 168. Works numbers were 3266-3275, 3299-3308.

Supplied around the same time as the Baldwins described in Locobase 3679, this class had the same basic dimensions as those locomotives. The grate was slightly smaller, but the firebox was slightly deeper. The locomotives were considered first-class engines and painted accordingly; moreover, the Eastern Bengal Railway designed the class in 1898 (Locobase 16067) and were quite pleased.

Crew assignments reflected the colonial culture and operational requirements. According to the 1903 author: "The majority of these important trains are driven by Europeans, each driver having two firemen, but already Eurasians and superior natives are working into the top 'links' ".

Class Y (Locobase 2679)

Data from "American Engines for Indian Railways," The Railway Engineer, Vol 21, No 6 (June 1900), pp. 178-179. See also DeGolyer, Volume 22, p. 92. Works numbers were 16715-16724 in May 1899.

Supplied at a time when English locomotive builders were fully booked, these American express engines represent North American practice at the time. OS Nock's (RWC III, pl 156) idea that lowering the running board would make this engine look English must be countered by the cowcatcher, outside square slide-valve chest over outside cylinder, straight boiler and very American cab.

Class unknown (Locobase 20477)

Data from "Locomotives for the Bombay, Baroda & Central Railway," Engineer, Volume 52, (23 September 1881), pp. 219-220. Vulcan works numbers were 944-950 in 1882. Robert Stephenson & Company produced the balance of the order.

The BB&CI ordered both these tender Eight-wheelers and a set of 2-4-0 tank engines.

(Engineer supplied a half-section diagram of the tank on p.246, 30 September 1881 issue, but in an excess of economy stated that as the specifications were identical, those of the Eight-wheelers would serve.)