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DHR B Class - Revision history
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<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Class of narrow gauge steam locomotives built for Darjeeling Himalayan Railway}}<br />
{{Infobox locomotive<br />
| name = DHR B Class<br />
| powertype = Steam<br />
| image = DHR 792 with School Train 05-02-23 02.jpeg<br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = No. 792 hauling a school train, 2005<br />
| designer = <br />
| builder = {{ubl|[[Sharp, Stewart & Co.]] (12)|[[North British Locomotive Co.]] (16)|[[Baldwin Locomotive Works]] (3)|DHR Tindharia Works (3)}}<br />
| ordernumber = <br />
| serialnumber = <br />
| buildmodel = <br />
| builddate = 1889–1925<br />
| totalproduction = 34<br />
| rebuilder = <br />
| rebuilddate = <br />
| numberrebuilt = <br />
| whytetype = {{Whyte|0-4-0|ST}}<br />
| uicclass = B n2t<br />
| gauge = {{Track gauge|2ft}}<br />
| driverdiameter = {{convert|26|in|m|3|abbr=on}}<br />
| minimumcurve = <br />
| wheelbase = <br />
| length = <br />
| width = <br />
| height = <br />
| axleload = {{convert|7.75|LT}}<br />
| weightondrivers = <br />
| locoweight = {{convert|14|LT}}<br />
| tenderweight = <br />
| locotenderweight = <br />
| tendertype = <br />
| fueltype = <br />
| fuelcap = <br />
| watercap = <br />
| tendercap = <br />
| sandcap = <br />
| boiler = <br />
| boilerpressure = {{convert|140|psi|MPa|2|abbr=on}}<br />
| feedwaterheater = <br />
| firearea = {{convert|9|sqft|m2|abbr=on}}<br />
| tubearea = <br />
| fluearea = <br />
| tubesandflues = <br />
| fireboxarea = <br />
| totalsurface = {{convert|316|sqft|m2|abbr=on}}<br />
| superheatertype = None<br />
| cylindercount = Two, outside<br />
| cylindersize = {{convert|11|x|14|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}<br />
| valvegear = <br />
| valvetype = <br />
| valvetravel = <br />
| valvelap = <br />
| valvelead = <br />
| transmission = <br />
| maxspeed = <br />
| poweroutput = <br />
| tractiveeffort = {{convert|7750|lbf|kN|2|abbr=on}}<br />
| factorofadhesion = <br />
| trainheating = <br />
| locobrakes = <br />
| locobrakeforce = <br />
| trainbrakes = <br />
| safety = <br />
| operator = {{ubl|[[Darjeeling Himalayan Railway]]|→ [[Indian Railways]]}}<br />
| operatorclass = B<br />
| powerclass = <br />
| numinclass = <br />
| fleetnumbers = {{ubl|DHR: 17–30, 32–36, 39–53|All-India: 777–806}}<br />
| officialname = <br />
| nicknames = <br />
| axleloadclass = <br />
| locale = <br />
| deliverydate = <br />
| firstrundate = <br />
| lastrundate = <br />
| retiredate = <br />
| withdrawndate = <br />
| preservedunits = <br />
| restoredate = <br />
| scrapdate = <br />
| currentowner = <br />
| disposition = Some still in service<br />
| notes = {{sfn|Hughes|1994|p=34}}{{sfn|Marshall|2001|pp=60–61}}<br />
}}[[File:Darjeeling train in shed. 1979.jpg|thumb|300px|Darjeeling train in shed. 1979]]<br />
<br />
The '''DHR B Class''' is a class of {{Track gauge|2ft}} gauge {{Whyte|0-4-0|ST}} [[Tank locomotive#Saddle tank|saddle tank]] [[steam locomotive]]s used on the [[Darjeeling Himalayan Railway]] (DHR) in [[West Bengal]], India.{{sfn|Hughes|1994|p=34}}{{sfn|Marshall|2001|p=60}}<br />
<br />
==Service history==<br />
A total of 34 B Class locomotives have served on the DHR. Some are still on the working roster. One ([[DHR 778]]) was sold for private preservation, and four others were sold to Coal India, Assam. The remaining class members have been either plinthed in various locations in northern India or scrapped. Of the few in active service, the locomotives 788 'Tusker' and 'Victor' haul trains between Darjeeling to Ghum stations via Batasia loop, quite a few times a day. {{sfn|Marshall|2001|pp=60–61}} Another loco, DHR 780 is kept preserved with two narrow gauge coaches at Eco Park, Rajarhat, as an exhibit.<br />
<br />
19B was re-imported to the UK c. 2000 and underwent restoration before spending two decades operating at the [[Beeches Light Railway]].<ref name=Holden>{{cite news |last=Holden |first=Michael |date=24 May 2023 |title=Adrian Shooter's two-foot gauge replica Indian Hill railway up for auction. |url=https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2023/05/adrian-shooters-two-foot-gauge-replica-indian-hill-railway-up-for-auction.html |work=Rail Advent |access-date=25 May 2023}} </ref><br />
[[File:Preserved DHR 780 with 2 coaches.jpg|thumb|right|Preserved DHR 780 with 2 coaches]]<br />
[[File:Preserved B class steam loco -780 with NG coaches.jpg|thumb|right|The front look of the preserved DHR B Class - showing the saddle tank]]<br />
<br />
==Livery==<br />
Initially, all members of the class were liveried in DHR green. For a short period after World War II, they were repainted black. Later, they ran in an unlined red colour. They were given their current Caledonian blue with white lining after coming into ownership of the [[Northeast Frontier Railway]] in 1958.{{sfn|Reed|1972|p=}}{{sfn|Gammell|1985|p=7}}<br />
<br />
==Preserved examples==<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible"<br />
!DHR Nº<br />
!Manufacturer<br />
!Serial Nº<br />
!Built<br />
!IR Nº<br />
!Location<br />
!Current status<br />
!Image<br />
!Notes<br />
|-<br />
|28<br />
|Sharp, Stewart & Co.<br />
|4978<br />
|1903<br />
|785<br />
|Dehradun railway station<br />
|Display<br />
|[[File:B class ^785 DHR locomotive plinthed outside Dehradun railway station - Flickr - Dr. Santulan Mahanta.jpg|130px]]<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|32<br />
|North British Locomotive Co.<br />
|20143<br />
|1913<br />
|787<br />
|Siliguri Junction station<br />
|Display<br />
|[[File:DHR 787 at Siliguri Shed 05-02-18 19.jpeg|130px]]<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|33<br />
|North British Locomotive Co.<br />
|20144<br />
|1913<br />
|788<br />
|Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, India<br />
|Operational<br />
|[[File:Stem Engine of Himalayan mountain train..JPG|130px]]<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|41<br />
|Sharp, Stewart & Co.<br />
|44914<br />
|1917<br />
|794<br />
|Neral shed<br />
|Display<br />
|[[File:Matheran in August2012SONY DSC - panoramio.jpg|130px]]<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|42<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|795<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|[[File:Toy Train Darjeeling West Bengal India.jpg|130px]]<br />
|<br />
|}<br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
<br />
*[[Rail transport in India#History]]<br />
*[[Indian Railways]]<br />
*[[Locomotives of India]]<br />
*[[Rail transport in India]]<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
<br />
===Notes===<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
===Bibliography===<br />
{{refbegin}}<br />
*{{cite book|last1=Gammell|first1=C.J.|title=Relics of the Raj|date=1985|publisher=G.R.Q.|location=London|isbn=0946863016}}<br />
*{{Hughes-SII}}<br />
*{{Hughes-IndianLocos3}}<br />
*{{cite book|last=Manning|first=Peter|title=The Anatomy of the Darjeeling Garratt and the Engine it tried to Replace: the DHR Class "B" saddle tank|date=2013|publisher=Peter Manning Design & Drafting|location=Coromandel Valley, South Australia|isbn=9780980621228}}<br />
*{{Marshall-INGSR}}<br />
*{{cite book|last1=Reed|first1=Brian|title=Darjeeling Tanks|series=Loco Profile 23|date=1972|publisher=Profile Publications|location=Windsor, UK|oclc=498607897|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Loco-Profile-23-Darjeeling-Tanks/dp/B001A4IEDA}}<br />
{{refend}}<br />
<br />
==External links==<br />
{{commons category-inline|DHR B Class}}<br />
<br />
{{Narrow gauge locomotives of India|state=collapsed}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Baldwin locomotives]]<br />
[[Category:NBL locomotives]]<br />
[[Category:Railway locomotives introduced in 1889]]<br />
[[Category:Steam locomotives of India]]<br />
[[Category:Sharp Stewart locomotives]]<br />
[[Category:0-4-0ST locomotives]]<br />
[[Category:B n2t locomotives]]<br />
[[Category:2 ft gauge locomotives]]</div>
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