Tb1 (Ta1)

Bromberg 3024 (initially Bromberg 583, Henschel 4409/1896), date and location unknown. This locomotive was taken over by PKP and, according to Jens Merte, became Ta1-3. Source: Dampfloks der Preußischen Staatsbahn (see References).

Side drawing of late production G1; source – Lokomotiv-Archiv Preußen Band 2 (see References).

Schichau 265/1897 was impressed into service as Bromberg 441 and is seen here in this guise. Later it became Bromberg 556, then Danzig 556 and Stettin 556; I have no information on its ultimate fate. Source: Die Lokomotive, August 1914, via www.de.wikipedia.org.

Light freight locomotive which later became KPEV class G1 was designed against somehow specific requirements. In Eastern Prussia, a lowland region with low population density and little industry, heavy and powerful freighters were uneconomical. At the same time, large distances between stations precluded use of typical tank locomotives. In 1878 Königliche Ostbahn ordered from BMAG ten locomotives with the 0-2-0 axle arrangement, intended for mixed traffic (factory numbers 982 through 991). Initial experience must have been encouraging, as in 1879 further 34 examples were ordered from Hanomag (eight), Hohenzollenr (four), Wöhlert (eight), Schichau (six) and Borsig (eight). They differed from their predecessors in having modified boilers, steam pressure increased from 10 to 12 bar, cylinders reduced in diameter, slightly increased piston stroke and other minor modifications. All these 44 locomotives were in 1880 assigned to the Bromberg (today Bydgoszcz) regional management of newly-formed state railways KPEV and were known as Bauart Bromberg. Production of this not very modern – to put it mildly – engine, standardized as Musterblatt III-3g, was resumed in 1887, with seven examples from Schichau again going to Bromberg. Between 1895 and 1898 further 42 were built by Schichau (25), Henschel (twelve) and Hohenzollern (five). They were assigned to Bromberg, Danzig and Königsberg regional managements. This second batch differed from late production Bauart Bromberg only in minor details, but featured with Westinghouse brakes, although maximum speed was kept at 45 km/h.

With the introduction of new designation system in 1905 these locomotives were classed G1, but only 69 of 93 built were given new designation, as 24 older engines had already been withdrawn. They reportedly saw some service with military railways during the war. DRG had no intention to keep these obsolete engines in their inventory, so no new class designation was envisaged for them. Last were written off in mid-1920s. It might be added that class G1 included also three 0-2-1 locomotives originally built by Henschel for Holsteinische Marschbahn in 1878 (later Altona 666, 667 and 670).

After WWI Polish railways took over four G1s, three from Bromberg and one from Danzig, all of the ultimate production version. Their designation with PKP is not clear. According to LP they were to be classed Tb1, which is consistent with new designation system introduced in 1925, wherein ‘b’ indicated the 0-2-0 axle arrangement. However, at http://parowozy.net/forum/watek/144 I have found an information that these locomotives were in fact, for an unknown reason, classed Ta1. The author refers to a German railwayman who remained in Poland after the war; these locomotives, possibly withdrawn earlier, were supposedly dumped in Dirschau (now Tczew) and saw little service, if any. According to locomotive lists compiled by Jens Merte (available from www.werkbahn.de/eisenbahn/, assignment of Polish service numbers was the following:

- Danzig 3004 (Schichau 789/1895) – Ta1-1,

- Bromberg 3019 (Henschel 4404/1896) – Ta1-2,

- Bromberg 3024 (Henschel 4409/1896) – Ta1-3,

- Bromberg 3026 (Henschel 4411/1896) – Ta1-4.

This, however, is not confirmed by LP. It seems highly probable that the original source of this confusion is so-called Walluhn list, compiled probably in early 1980s and now generally rejected as a reliable reference (many thanks to John Peakman!). According to this list, ‘a’ indicated the 0-2-0 axle arrangement, which is not true; hence appearance of several classes that never existed, such as, for example, TKa11 through 14 (in fact TKb). To make things ever more complicated, Lokomotiv-Archiv Preußen Band 2 (see References) mentions one engine of this type used by PKP until 1927 with a completely untypical designation PU 1. This issue certainly needs clarification and I shall be grateful for any hint. Be it as it was, introduction of new designation was most probably only formal, as all engines of this type were withdrawn before 1927. No G1 has been preserved.

Main technical data

No.	Parameter	Unit	Value
1.	Years of manufacture	-	1878 – 1898
2.	Total built / used in Poland	-	93 / 1
3.	Tender class	-
4.	Axle arrangement	-	0-2-0
5.	Design maximum speed	km/h	45
6.	Cylinder bore	mm	2 x 430^1) / 2 x 375^2)3)
7.	Piston stroke	mm	610^1) / 630^2)3)
8.	Engine rating	kW/hp
9.	Tractive effort	kG
10.	Boiler pressure	MPa	1.02^1) / 1.22^2)3)
11.	Grate dimensions	m x m	1.46^1) / 1.45 m^2 2)3)
12.	Firebox heating surface	m^2	5.6^1) / 5.7^2)3)
13.	Distance between tube plates	mm	3 304^1) / 3 350^2)3)
14.	Number of flue tubes	-	194^1) / 202^2)3)
15.	Heating surface of flue tubes	m^2	89.5^1) / 87.1^2)3)
16.	Number of smoke tubes	-	-
17.	Heating surface of smoke tubes	m^2	-
18.	Evaporating surface, total	m^2	94.1^1) / 92.8^2)3)
19.	Superheater heating surface	m^2	-
20.	Diameter of drivers	mm	1 370^1) / 1 330^2)3)
21.	Diameter of idlers front/rear	mm	- / -
22.	Total weight, empty	kg	23 300^1) 22 500^2) 24 500^3)
23.	Total weight, working order	kg	26 700^1) 25 900^2) 27 900^3)
24.	Weight on drivers, working order	kg	26 700^1) 25 900^2) 27 900^3)
25.	Weight with tender, empty	kg
26.	Weight with tender, working order	kg
27.	Maximum axle load	T	10 804^1) 10 900^2) 11 098^3)
28.	Axle base (with tender)	mm	12 610
29.	Overall length (with tender)	mm	13 079^1) 13 175^2) 13 373^3)
30.	Brake type	-	hand / steam^1)2) Westinghouse^3)

1) Early production examples (Bromberg 406 through 415).

2) Late production examples, first batch (Bromberg 416 through 449).

3) Second batch.

References and acknowledgments

- Lokomotiv-Archiv Preußen Band 2 by Andreas Wagner (Bechtermünz Verlag, 1996);

- Dampfloks der Preußischen Staatsbahn by Thomas Estler (Transpress, 2012);

- LP;

- www.de.wikipedia.org;

- John Peakman (private communication);

- locomotive lists compiled by Jens Merte (downloadable from www.werkbahn.de/eisenbahn/).