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 Baldwin-built WP/P class no. 7200 from 1947, at theNational Rail Museum, New Delhi, in 1993 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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TheIndian locomotive class WP are a class of4-6-2 "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 usedX, 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.
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 theBaldwin Locomotive Works, USA in 1947, and these were classed WP/P, withP for Prototype.[3]
A main production batch of 300 locomotives followed in 1949, with production split betweenBaldwin Locomotive Works (100),Montreal Locomotive Works (120), andCanadian 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.[4]
A further 180 locomotives were built between 1955 and 1959, with production split betweenCanadian Locomotive Company (120),Fabryka Lokomotyw, ofChrzanów, Poland (30), andLokomotivfabrik Floridsdorf ofVienna, Austria (30).[2]
Between 1963 and 1966, 259 more were built, but these were ordered fromChittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW), and were manufactured in India, and classified WP/I.[4] The WP/Is were 5 tonnes heavier.[citation needed] The first WP/I locomotive rolled out fromChittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW) in February of 1963 and was named Vivenkananda.[2]
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 theTaj Express, theGrand 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.
| 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 |
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 theNational Rail Museum, New Delhi.[5]
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 existingGreat Indian Peninsula Railway (GIPR)[6] 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?? | ? | PossiblyFloridsdorf | ? |
| Steam |
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| Diesel |
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| DC electric |
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| AC electric |
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| Dual (AC and DC) electric |
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| Dual mode |
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