Th103

No. 732 (Maffei 2121/1902), location and date unknown. This engine represents the ultimate production version. Source: Lokomotiv-Archiv Baden (see References).

Side drawing of the ultimate production version; source: as above.

Factory photo of an unknown engine from the batch of eleven examples built by MBG between 1899 and 1900 (service numbers 596 through 606). Source: www.commons.wikimedia.org.

According to LP, class designation Th103 was most probably reserved for a single example of Badenian class VIId. It is, however, stated that, according to some secondary sources, other possible candidate is Hungarian class 326: in such case, the Baden locomotive might be classed Th109. This issue basically remains open until new, hitherto unknown documents are found (which does not seem very probable indeed…).

Class VIId of the Großherzogliche Baden Staatsbahn was introduced in order to supplant older classes VIIa and VIIc. In line with current design trends, single-expansion steam engine was replaced by a compound. First two examples, built by Maschinenbau-Gesellschaft Karlsruhe (MBG) in 1893, had Belpaire-type boilers, which in production machines were replaced by Crampton-type units with flues shortened from 4350 to 4000 mm. Last thirty production locomotives had redesigned steam engines with reduced high-pressure cylinder and increased low-pressure diameters, as well as were fitted with slightly enlarged grates. Production totaled 109 examples from MBG (57), Maffei (36) and Esslingen (16), last were delivered in 1902. Badenian railways followed the practice of assigning service numbers of withdrawn locomotives to newly-purchased ones, so VIIds were given numbers from the interval from 24 to 732. Initially they were coupled with two-axle 2T8 tenders, later supplanted by three-axle 3T13,5s.

Class VIId was comparatively heavy for a 0-3-0, which resulted in axle load of 14.6 tonnes, quite high for that time. Despite comparatively young age, it was soon found of little use and its post-war service was rather short. Although DRG reserved for these engines class designations 53⁸⁶ and 53⁹ (the latter for modified ones), not a single example was actually re-designated, as all were withdrawn before the new system came into use in 1925. Not a single example has been preserved. No. 187 (MBG 1421/1896) was taken over by PKP and initially classed G4^Bd; G4 referred to the Prussian class of similar characteristics and ‘Bd’ indicated ‘Badenia’ (Baden). As already mentioned, this single example was probably to be re-numbered Th103-1; if so, this was only formal, as it was written off between 1926 and 1927.

Main technical data^*)

No.	Parameter	Unit	Value
1.	Years of manufacture	-	1896 – 1902
2.	Total built / used in Poland	-	109 / 1
3.	Tender class	-
4.	Axle arrangement	-	0-3-0
5.	Design maximum speed	km/h	45
6.	Cylinder bore	mm	500 / 700 490 / 730^1)
7.	Piston stroke	mm	635
8.	Engine rating	kW/hp
9.	Tractive effort	kG
10.	Boiler pressure	MPa	1.22
11.	Grate dimensions	m X m	1.45^2) / 1.62 / 1.72^1) m^2
12.	Firebox heating surface	m^2	7.52
13.	Distance between tube plates	mm	4 350^2) / 4 000
14.	Number of flue tubes	-	183
15.	Heating surface of flue tubes	m^2	113.7^2) / 103.5
16.	Number of smoke tubes	-	-
17.	Heating surface of smoke tubes	m^2	-
18.	Evaporating surface, total	m^2	121.22^2) / 111.52
19.	Superheater heating surface	m^2	-
20.	Diameter of drivers	mm	1 262
21.	Diameter of idlers front/rear	mm	- / -
22.	Total weight, empty	kg	38 300
23.	Total weight, working order	kg	43 800
24.	Weight on drivers, working order	kg	43 800
25.	Weight with tender, empty	kg
26.	Weight with tender, working order	kg
27.	Maximum axle load	T	14.6
28.	Axle base (with tender)	mm	10 392^2) / 11 150
29.	Overall length (with tender)	mm	14 794^2) / 15 597
30.	Brake type	-	Westinghouse

1) Last thirty production examples.

2) Prototypes with Belpaire boiler and two-axle tender.

References and acknowledgments

- Lokomotiv-Archiv Baden by H. Lohr and G. Thielmann (Transpress, Berlin, 1988);

- LP;

- www.de.wikipedia.org;

- www.beitraege.lokomotive.de (locomotive database by Ingo Hütter).