Bombay, Baroda & Central India 4-6-0 Locomotives in India


Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class 124 (Locobase 20757)

Data from "Metre Gauge Mixed Traffic Engine with Wootten Firebox, Bombay, Baroda & Central India Ry., Metre Gauge Section", Locomotive Magazine, Volume XXVI [26], (15 May 1920), pp. 94-95.

Baseed on the "Major Shelley", an express passenger locomotive built in the railway's Ajmer shops in 1913 (Locobase 20114), this lcomotive sought to wring as much power as it could from the "very inferior quality Jherriia coal." So locomotive superintendent W S Fraser recast the design to include a Wootten-type firebox with a considerably larger grate. He kept the cylinder volume, but fitted smaller drivers


Class BESA/HP - Vulcan (Locobase 6371)

Data from Vulcan Foundry catalogue, as reproduced on [link] (26 Nov 2004)., supplemented by "Powerful New Locomotives for the Bombay, Baroda & Central India Railway", The Railway Times (5 September 1908), p. 275.

This is the British Engineering Standards Association passenger version of the HSG shown in Locobase 4251. It is a freight engine with Belpaire boiler of good size compared to the cylinder volume.This Vulcan product has cylinders 1" greater in diameter than the HP 4-6-0 shown in Locobase 4241, which represents a later decision to reduce cylinder volume. See that entry for a full description of the BESA intention and varying views of its utility.


Class Major Shelley (Locobase 20114)

Data from "4-6-0 Express Locomotives, Bombay, Baroda & Central India Ry., Metre Gauge Section", Locomotive Magazine, Volume 19, No. 254 (15 October 1913), pp. 230-231.

Modified from a saturated-boiler design in BB&CI's Ajmer shops under the direction of locomotive superintendent W S Fraser, this engine was the first metre gauge locomotive in India to be fitted with a superheater. It used a slightly modified version of the Belpaire firebox developed for the Standard Committee's metre gauge passenger engine.

Claims that early returns indicated a 20% drop in coal use and a "considerable" drop in water consumption are right in line with other observations of the time.

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
Class124BESA/HP - VulcanMajor Shelley
Locobase ID20757 6371 20114
RailroadBombay, Baroda & Central IndiaBombay, Baroda & Central IndiaBombay, Baroda & Central India
CountryIndiaIndiaIndia
Whyte4-6-04-6-04-6-0
Number in Class1
Road Numbers12475
GaugeMetre5'6"Metre
Number Built1
BuilderBB&CI AjmerBB&CI Ajmer
Year191919051913
Valve GearWalschaertStephensonWalschaert
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m)14.25 / 4.3414.25 / 4.3414.25 / 4.34
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)27.25 / 8.3127.25 / 8.3127.25 / 8.31
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase 0.52 0.52 0.52
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)51.58 / 15.7251.58 / 15.7251.58 / 15.72
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)36,960
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)111,440
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)85,120 / 38,610150,640 / 68,32980,640 / 36,578
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)53,760 / 24,385104,160 / 47,24653,760 / 24,385
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)138,880 / 62,995254,800 / 115,575134,400 / 60,963
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)2880 / 10.914800 / 18.182880 / 10.91
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT) 3.85 / 4 8.40 / 8 3.85 / 4
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)62 / 31
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)48 / 144874 / 188057 / 1448
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)145 / 1000180 / 1240145 / 1000
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)16.5" x 22" / 419x55920" x 26" / 508x66016.5" x 22" / 419x559
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)15,379 / 6975.8121,503 / 9753.6112,951 / 5874.48
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 5.18
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)100 - 1.75" / 44201 - 2.25" / 095 - 1.75" / 0
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)12 - 5.25" / 13312 - 5.25" / 0
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)11.77 / 3.5915.8711.77 / 3.59
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)96 / 8.92157 / 14.59108 / 10.03
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)26 / 2.4232 / 2.97
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)829 / 77.022037 / 189.31811 / 75.34
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)164 / 15.24164 / 15.24
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)993 / 92.262037 / 189.31975 / 90.58
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume152.26215.47148.95
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation37705760
Same as above plus superheater percentage44115760
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area16,28628,26018,322
Power L1593466277152
Power MT393.31

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