2-8-0 Steam Locomotives in Portugal

Class 101 (Locobase 20563)

Data from "Four-Cylinder Compound Consolidation Locomotives, Minho-Douro Ry, Portugal", Locomotive Magazine, Volume XXVI [26], No 335 (15 July 1920), p. . Works numbers were 19335-19337 in 1911. BMAG

As traffic increased on the M-D in the first decade of the 20th century, Locomotive Superindented Duro Sequeira decided that six-coupled engines were no longer sufficient. So he ordered this trio of high-boilered compound Consolidations from Glasgow that raised the ante considerably, putting the maximum adhesive weight the rail would support. "They have proved very satisfactory in service," LM reported, "and are capable of dealing easily with trains of 300 tons over gradients of 1 in 55 [1.8%]".

The four cylinders-arranged in line abreast with-LP outside and HP inside-drove on the second axle. Only two sets of Walschaert gear served the quartet with a single valve train that had three piston valves on the same rod. The front and rear pistons served the HP cylinder inside while the middle valve piston supplied the exhausted HP steam to the LP cylinder.

LM's approval of the American-style bar frame for its light weight and accessibility may have been influenced by a very high boiler pitch that left a sizable gap between its bottom and the tops of the driver springs.

Class 101/2701 (Locobase 21327)

Data from "Locomotivas de Vapor de Via Larga"p. 52 , posted Posted by Guarda Freio at 18:01, 23 September 2018, at [], last accessed 25 January 2026. North British works numbers were 19335-19337 in 1912. Berliner Maschinenbau (BMAG) workd numbers were 5239-5241 in 1913, 8264-8273 in 1924.

One of the several du Bousquet/de Glehn divided-drive compound classes operated by Portuguese railways.

NB: If using the inside (fire side) diameter of 45 mm (1.77") in each tube, the tube heating surface measured 190.94 sq m (2,055 sq ft), which together with the firebox area, came to 204.77 sq m (2,204 sq ft) of evaporative heating surface area. Locobase uses the external diameters.

Class 1701 (Locobase 20564)

Data from "Locomotivas de Vapor de Via Larga"p. 41 , Posted by Guarda Freio at 18:01, 23 September 2018, at [], last accessed 25 January 2026. "New Locomotives for Portugal", Locomotive Magazine, Volume XXVIII [28], No 357 (15 May 1922), p. Berliner Maschninenbau AG (BMAG) works numbers were 4887-4892 in 1912, 5234-5238 in 1914. North British Locomotive Company works numbers were 22708-22715 (112-119) in 1921.

The MD's extensive development of its network led to a bit of a spending spree for new, more powerful locomotives in 1912-1913. A description of the 1912 compound Consolidations appears in Locobase 20563. A year later, Locomotive Superintendent Duro Sequiera apparently decided that several features of that design weren't right for the easier grades of the southern section and bought these simple-expansion engines.

In addition to using only two cylinders in a plate frame (vs bar frames), the locomotives sported superheaters. LM reported that the class handled 440 metric tons (484 short tons) of either goods or mixed traffic trains over long 1 in 56.6 (1.8%) grades at 18.6 mph (30 kph). In addition, reported LM, "maintenance costs [are] lower than that of the compound type." Moreover, superheating meant that "fuel consumption ...is at least as good."