Indian locomotive class WP

The Indian locomotive class WP are a class of "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 and had bullet-nose casings fitted on their smokeboxes, which would often have a star painted on it.

History

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: diameter Heating surface: 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 77200–7725977345–7439977576–77580 120 M1–M120 In range 7216–7515 1955–56 Canadian 2730–2849 120 — 7516–7635 1958–59 Fablok 4997–50065031–5050 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 — 7179–71997636–7687 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 YesWP/P7200Rewari Steam Shed1947NWBaldwin73408Shahanshah/Azad NoWP7278Charbagh Loco Works1949NRMontreal NoWP7411Burdwan Loco Shed1949ERBaldwin/Canadian/Montreal NoWP7581DRM Office, Sonepur1955ECRCanadian NoWP7000Rewari Steam Shed1958CRFablok4997Shaktiman YesWP7015Rewari Steam Shed1958NWFablok5036 YesWP/I7161Rewari Steam Shed1965NWChittaranjanAkbar NoWP/I7656Senior Institute, Jhansi1968NCRChittaranjan NoWP7????19???Possibly Floridsdorf?

Indian locomotive class WP

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