Iraq State 4-6-2 Locomotives in Iraq

Class PC (Locobase 20541)

Data from "'Pacific' Locomotives for Iraq", Engineering, Volume 173, (6 February 1942), pp. 127-128. See also "Sunday Streamline #69: Taurus Express" at [], last accessed 18 April 2019. Works numbers were 6982-6985 in 1941.

Built from designs supplied by P A Challoner, (late) chief mechanical engineer of the IRS, the quartet pulled express trains between Tel Kotchek and Baghdad. The Taurus Express, as it was named in 1940, linked Istanbul with Baghdad. Turkish Railway locomotives hauled the train between Istanbul and Tel Kotchek in Syria.

The order came a year after World War Two began, which meant that Turkey was officially neutral, but sympathetic to Germany. After El Mosul (502) was delivered in March, Iraqi pro-Germans attempted a coup. Although it was relatively quickly suppressed, further deliveries were delayed until October (501--El Bagdad) and December (503-El Basra). Alas for the last of the quartet, El Kirkuk (504) was lost at sea when its ship was sunk off the British coast.

Requirements included achieving 60-65 mph (97-105 kph) on the level, 30 mph (48 kph) on grades while pulling a 400-500 ton express. The engine's backbone was an "American bar type" frame that was machined in one piece from a single solid-steel slab. Their double-bogie tenders offered a second cab near the rear to allow reverse operation.

Compared to other simple-expansion Pacifics outside of North America and running on standard gauge or wider, the PCs fell in the bottom quarter. But they presented a striking appearance as they were clad in similar sheathing that "Lord_K" of Dieselpunk noted was a cross between that on the LMS's Coronation class and the running board valance of the LNER's A4s, but pictures suggest that its sleekness was somewhat marred by the prominent headlight mount high on the smokebox. Their color scheme was spring green lined in white.

The Taurus Express remained a travelling option from Istanbul well into the 21st Century, but the PCs were replaced at the head of the trains by diesel locomotives. The three engines were place in storage in March 1967.