Indian locomotive class WP

Indian WP
Baldwin-built WP/P class no. 7200 from 1947, at the National Rail Museum, New Delhi, in 1993
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder Baldwin Locomotive Works (116) Canadian Locomotive Company (200) Montreal Locomotive Works (120) Fabryka Lokomotyw, (30) Lokomotivfabrik Floridsdorf (30) Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (259) Build date 1947–1967 Total produced 755
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 4-6-2  • UIC 2′C1′ h2 Gauge 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) Leading dia. 3 ft 7 in (1.092 m) Driver dia. 5 ft 7 in (1.702 m) Trailing dia. 3 ft 7 in (1.092 m) Length 77 ft 5+3⁄8 in (23.61 m) over buffers Axle load 18.5 long tons (18.8 t; 20.7 short tons) Loco weight 101.5 long tons (103.1 t; 113.7 short tons) Tender weight 72.0 long tons (73.2 t; 80.6 short tons) Fuel type Coal Fuel capacity 15 long tons (15 t; 17 short tons) Water cap. 5,500 imp gal (25,000 L; 6,600 US gal) Firebox: ​  • Grate area 46 sq ft (4.3 m2) Boiler pressure 210 psi (1.45 MPa) Heating surface 2,920 sq ft (271 m2) Cylinders Two, outside Cylinder size 20+1⁄4 in × 28 in (514 mm × 711 mm) Valve gear Walschaerts Valve type 12 in (305 mm) piston valves Valve travel 7+1⁄2 in (191 mm)
Performance figures Power output 2,680 hp (1,998 kW) drawbar (est.) at 74 mph (119 km/h) Tractive effort 30,600 lbf (136.12 kN)
Career Numbers 7000–7754 Disposition Nine preserved, remainder scrapped

The Indian locomotive class WP are a class of 4-6-2 "Pacific" passenger steam locomotives used in India introduced in 1947 for passenger services. The class were assigned the newly-implemented (and current) classification letter for broad gauge locomotives, W from the previously used X, when the class and the post-war broad gauge locomotive designs for Indian railways it was part of were introduced. WP class locomotives were capable of going up to 110 km/h (68 mph) and had bullet-nose casings fitted on their smokeboxes, which would often have a star painted on it.

WP no. 7200, New Delhi

WP no. 7161, renamed Akbar

History

Fablok-built WPs in 1959

A total of 755 WPs were built between 1947 and 1967, bearing fleet numbers 7000 to 7754. The first batch of sixteen, numbers 7200–7215, came from the Baldwin Locomotive Works, USA in 1947, and these were classed WP/P, with P for Prototype.

A main production batch of 300 locomotives followed in 1949, with production split between Baldwin Locomotive Works (100), Montreal Locomotive Works (120), and Canadian Locomotive Company (80). The locomotives in this group were numbered 7216–7515, but the running numbers were issued in blocks as the locomotives were issued to the pre-nationalisation companies, and so bore no relation to the manufacturers' serial numbers, or even the manufacturer.

A further 180 locomotives were built between 1955 and 1959, with production split between Canadian Locomotive Company (120), Fabryka Lokomotyw, of Chrzanów, Poland (30), and Lokomotivfabrik Floridsdorf of Vienna, Austria (30).

Between 1963 and 1966, 259 more were built, but these were ordered from Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW), and were manufactured in India, and classified WP/I. The WP/Is were 5 tonnes heavier. The first WP/I locomotive rolled out from Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW) in February of 1963 and was named Vivenkananda.

The WP was the Indian Railways' fastest locomotive in the 1960s and 1970s. Before the widespread introduction of diesel and electric locomotives, several prestigious trains, such as the Taj Express, the Grand Trunk Express, Howrah-Madras Mail, Frontier Mail and the Air-Conditioned Express were once hauled by WP class locomotives.

The entire WP class remained in service into the 1980s. Several WPs remained in service until withdrawal 1990s.

Technical specifications

• Boiler: 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) diameter
• Heating surface: 3,082 sq ft (286.3 m²)
• Maximum train load: 680 tonnes

Class table

Table of orders and numbers

Year	Manufacturer	Serial Nos.	Qty	First Nos.	All-India Nos.	Notes
1947	Baldwin	73408–73423	16	—	7200–7215	Prototypes
1949	Baldwin	74294–74393	100	1–100		In range 7216–7515
1949	Canadian	2544–2623	80	C251–C330		In range 7216–7515
1949	Montreal	77200–77259 77345–74399 77576–77580	120	M1–M120		In range 7216–7515
1955–56	Canadian	2730–2849	120	—	7516–7635
1958–59	Fablok	4997–5006 5031–5050	30	3000–3029	7000–7029
1957	Floridsdorf	17827–17856	30	3030–3059	7030–7059
1963	Chittaranjan	—	36	—	7060–7095	7060 named Vivenkananda
1963–64	Chittaranjan	—	50	—	7096–7145
1964–65	Chittaranjan	—	33	—	7146–7178
1965	Chittaranjan	—	73	—	7179–7199 7636–7687
1966	Chittaranjan	—	37	—	7688–7724
1966	Chittaranjan	—	30	—	7725–7754

Preservation

Nine WP class locomotives have been preserved. Among them, one built by Baldwin, number 7200, in 1947 and another by Fablok in 1959 are part of the collection of the National Rail Museum, New Delhi.

WP7200 received a complete overhaul at Amritsar works in April 2015 and is now kept at Rewari shed near New Delhi for excursion service. Apart from 7200, the remaining eight engines include 7278 constructed by Montreal Locomotive Works and preserved at Charbagh Loco Works, 7581 built by Canadian Locomotive Company is preserved at Sonepur DRM, 7656 built by Chittaranjan Locomotive Works is preserved at Jhansi Institute Railway, and 7000 built by Fablok is preserved in Bhusaval shed.

7411 is preserved in Burdwan and awaiting transfer to the Chennai Museum. The engine is missing its builder's plates, thus its builder is not known, however, records indicating its 1949 allocation to the then still existing Great Indian Peninsula Railway (GIPR) suggest it is a product of one of the North American builders. 7015 built by Fablok is another Polish-built preserved WP and has been restored to full mainline running order and runs mainline heritage excursion special trains, being preserved at Rewari shed; 7161 is another locomotive built by Chittaranjan which has been fully restored to full working order on mainline excursions, being preserved at Siliguri. One additional engine is believed to be in existence; however, its details and whereabouts are not known.

Working	Class	Number	Location	Built	Zone	Builders	Build No	Name
Yes	WP/P	7200	Rewari Steam Shed	1947	NW	Baldwin	73408	Shahanshah/Azad
No	WP	7278	Charbagh Loco Works	1949	NR	Montreal
No	WP	7411	Burdwan Loco Shed	1949	ER	Baldwin/Canadian/Montreal
No	WP	7581	DRM Office, Sonepur	1955	ECR	Canadian
No	WP	7000	Rewari Steam Shed	1958	CR	Fablok	4997	Shaktiman
Yes	WP	7015	Rewari Steam Shed	1958	NW	Fablok	5036
Yes	WP/I	7161	Rewari Steam Shed	1965	NW	Chittaranjan		Akbar
No	WP/I	7656	Senior Institute, Jhansi	1968	NCR	Chittaranjan
No	WP	7???	?	19??	?	Possibly Floridsdorf	?

See also

• Rail transport in India § History
• Indian Railways
• Locomotives of India
• Rail transport in India

References

Bibliography

• Hughes, Hugh (1976). Steam in India. Truro, Cornwall: D. Bradford Barton Ltd. ISBN 0851532586.
• Hughes, Hugh (1979). Steam Locomotives in India, Part 3 - Broad Gauge. Harrow, Middlesex: The Continental Railway Circle. ISBN 9780950346946. OCLC 1256489581 – via Internet Archive.
• Hughes, Hugh (1996). Indian Locomotives: Part 4 – 1941–1990. Harrow, Middlesex: The Continental Railway Circle. ISBN 0-9521655-1-1. OCLC 35135033.
• Marshall, Lawrence G (2009). Indian Broad Gauge Steam Remembered. East Harling, Norfolk: Taverner Publications. ISBN 9781901470154.
• Sampson, Henry (1972). Jane's World Railways, 1971-1972. Janes World Railways. London: Haymarket Publishing Group – via Internet Archive.

External links

• Indian steam locomotives
• The WP class locomotive (archived 13 November 2006)
• The WP glory
• Image of WP pacific in service
• Video of preserved WP/P 7200 on YouTube