2-6-2 Steam Locomotives in Portugal

Class 031 (Locobase 21306)

Data from [], last accessed 30 November 2008; and "Locomotivas de Vapor de Via Larga"p. 18 , posted by Guarda Freio at 18:01, 23 September 2018, at [], last accessed 25 January 2026

Locobase 21305 describes the 009 class of eighteen 0-6-2 tanks delivered by Beyer, Peacock in 1890-1891. As the bigger 2-6-4T 070 class took over on the Tua Railway, the national railway shops in Lisbon began updating the class. Half had refresher tweaks including an increase in boiler pressure--that version is the source of 21305's specifications.

But the other nine acquired completely new boilers and a leading truck, which suited them for a wider variety of uses. Shops in this group; were engines 011, 013, 016, 018-019, 021-022, and 024-025

All the heating surface areas--tube, firebox, and grate--grew as did adhesion and engine weights. The distance between the rear driving axle and the trailing axle decreased by 1/2 metre (19.2") while the new boiler's longer tubes and leading Bissel truck contributed to a 3-metre (9 ft 10 in) longer engine wheelbase. Greater water tank and coal bunker capacities extended locomotive range.

Note on heating surface area:

NB: When tube heating surface area is measured using 44 mm (1.75") inside (fire side) diameter, total evaporative heating surface area including firebox amounted to 127.74 sq m (1,375 sq ft ). Locobase used the outside (water side) diameter.

Class 81/02081 (Locobase 21314)

Data from "Locomotivas de Vapor de Via Larga"p. 47 , posted by Guarda Freio at 18:01, 23 September 2018, at [], last accessed 25 January 2026. Works numbers were 2610-2611 in 1907.

Prairie-type wheel arrangments didn't populate Portuguese railways much during the steam era. Only the rebuilt 031 class and these two new engines rolled as 2-6-2s. When the MD and CP wanted more power, they adopted 2-6-4Ts, 4-6-0s, 2-8-2s.

Note on heating surface area:

NB: When tube heating surface area is measured using 44 mm (1.75") inside (fire side) diameter, total evaporative heating surface area including firebox amounted to 131.8 sq m (1,419 sq ft ). Locobase used the outside (water side) diameter.