The pattern of development of Metre Gauge Locomotives was similar to that on the Broad Gauge, although on a much smaller scale. In the 19th Century the engines ordered for the various State Railways were classified in alphabetical order starting with Class ‘A’ which was a 2-4-0 Tank engine and progressed to the very popular ‘F’ Class a 0-6-0 which was also manufactured indigenously at the Ajmer Workshops between 1884 and 1922 in very large numbers. There were also ‘M’, ‘N’ and ‘O’ Classes during the 19th and early 20th Centuries.
E CLASS: This is a small cute locomotive which worked on the erstwhile Jodhpur Railway. It was initially a 0-4-2 Tank locomotive, however, was altered to a saddle tank locomotive in 1918 in the Jodhpur Shops. The locomotive was capable of hauling a load of little over 280 tonnes. The locomotive had been condemned, however, was subsequently re-introduced into service. It is currently a popular exhibit at the National Rail Museum at New Delhi.
Valve Gear
Slide
Cylinders (Diam X Stroke) in inches
11 ½ x 17
Super Heater
None
Boiler Barrel
7’ 10” x 3’ 1 ¾ ” (110 small tubes)
Total Heating Surface (Tubes + Fire Box)
424 sq ft
Boiler Pressure lb per sq in
140
Grate Area
6.7 sq ft
Maker’s Name
Dubs & Company, Glasgow
Year of Manufacture
1885
F CLASS: The ‘F’ class 0-6-0 engine dominated the Metre Gauge operations during the 19th Century. 871 locomotives of this class were manufactured between 1884 and 1922 by various manufacturers including at Ajmer Workshops from 1895. It proved to be a very versatile locomotive used extensively on the Rajputana Malwa Railway and later elsewhere also. The F2 was a variant very similar to the original F Class except that it had 14 ½” cylinders instead of 14”. At the time of formation Northern Railway had 10 F Class, 2 F1 and 3 F2 Class locomotives in service. In 1967 5 of the F Class were still performing active duty. In 1976 when a series of 4 Stamps were released on Locomotives one of them depicted the F1.
Valve Gear
Slide ‘Allens Link’
Cylinders (Diam X Stroke) in inches
14 ½” x 22”
Super Heater
None
Total Heating Surface
676 sq ft
Boiler Pressure lb per sq in
180
Tractive Force at 85% Boiler Pressure
12395 lbs
Grate Area
11.65 sq ft
Maker’s Name
Ajmer Works, Nielsen & Co, Glasgow & Nasmyth Wilson, Manchester
Year of Manufacture (F, F1 & F2)
1884-1922
