Tanganyika Railway ML class East African Railways 26 class No. 2603 at
Tabora depot, Tanzania, in 1968
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder Serial number WGB: 2832–2837 (1947) VF: 6182–6187 (1952) RSH: 7444–7449 (1952) Build date 1947, 1952 Total produced 12
Specifications Configuration: • Whyte 2-8-2 • UIC 1′D1' h2 Gauge 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+ 3 ⁄8 in )Driver dia.43 in (1,092 mm) Adhesive weight 39.0 long tons (39.6 t) Loco weight 51.8 long tons (52.6 t) Fuel type Oil Fuel capacity 1,300 imp gal (5,900 L; 1,600 US gal) Water cap. 4,200 imp gal (19,000 L; 5,000 US gal) Firebox: • Grate area 27 sq ft (2.51 m2 ) Boiler pressure 180 psi (1.24 MPa) Heating surface: • Firebox 139 sq ft (12.9 m2 ) • Tubes 1,272 sq ft (118.2 m2 ) • Total surface 1,731 sq ft (160.8 m2 ) Superheater: • Heating area 321 sq ft (29.8 m2 ) Cylinders 2 Cylinder size 17+ 1 ⁄2 in × 23 in (444 mm × 584 mm)
Career Operators Class TR: ML class EAR: 26 class Number in class 12 Numbers TR: 700–705/600–605 EAR: 2601–2612 Delivered 1947, 1952
The TR ML class , later known and expanded as the EAR 26 class , was a class of 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+ 3 ⁄8 in ) gauge 2-8-2 steam locomotives designed for and ordered by the Tanganyika Railway (TR), as a development of the TR MK class .
The six members of the ML class were built in 1947 by W. G. Bagnall , in Stafford , England, and delivered to the TR. They were later operated by the TR's successor, the East African Railways (EAR), as its 26 class. In 1952, six further members of the 26 class were delivered to the EAR. They had been built by Vulcan Foundry , of Newton-le-Willows , Lancashire (now part of Merseyside ), England, and Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns of North East England .
The builders number, build year and fleet numbers of each member of the class were as follows:
Builders number Built 1st TR number 2nd TR number EAR number Notes 2832 1947 700 600 2601 2833 1947 701 601 2602 2834 1947 702 602 2603 2835 1947 703 603 2604 2836 1947 704 604 2605 2837 1947 705 605 2606 6182/7444 1952 – – 2607 6183/7445 1952 – – 2608 6184/7446 1952 – – 2609 6185/7447 1952 – – 2610 6186/7448 1952 – – 2611 6187/7449 1952 – – 2612
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