The Pureha-class (プレハ) locomotives were a group of steam tank locomotives with 2-6-2 wheel arrangement of used by the Chosen Government Railway (Sentetsu) in Korea. The "Pure" name came from the American naming system for steam locomotives, under which locomotives with 2-6-2 wheel arrangement were called "Prairie".

In all, Sentetsu owned 227 locomotives of all Pure classes, whilst privately owned railways owned another 52; of these 279 locomotives, 169 went to the Korean National Railroad in South Korea and 110 to the Korean State Railway in North Korea.

Description The プレハ (Pureha) class was the eighth and final class of 2-6-2 locomotives procured by Sentetsu. They were designed by Sentetsu as the most advanced locomotives in Korea at the time of their introduction, and the first twelve were built in 1932 by the Gyeongsong Works. A further 26 were built in 1939 by Hitachi and Kisha Seizō and assembled at Sentetsu's Busan shops. Unlike previous Pure class locomotives, the Pureha class had larger driving wheels, with a diameter of , which increased their maximum speed to . They were frequently used for express trains on the Gyeongin Line.

Postwar

After the end of the Pacific War and the subsequent partition of Korea, these locomotives were divided between North and South Korea.

Korean National Railroad 푸러8 (Pureo8) class Many Pureha class locomotives were used by the Korean National Railroad after Liberation, which designated them 푸러8 (Pureo8) class; they were used by the KNR primarily for shunting duties, and on light local and suburban passenger services.

Korean State Railway 부러파 (Purŏp'a) class/1800 series The Sentetsu Purena class locomotives that remained in the North after the partition of Korea were operated by the Korean State Railway, designating them 부러파 (Purŏp'a) class, and later renumbering them into the 1800 series around the early 1970s. The total number and identities of the engines that went north is uncertain, but it is known プレハ38 had gone to the north, where it was in use around Hamheung in 1951, still carrying Sentetsu number plates and emblems. It is unknown whether the locomotive remained in the North after the Korean War, or if it was taken by UN forces during the withdrawal.

Construction

+ Sentetsu Purena-class Sentetsu running number Postwar 1938–1945 pre-1938 Owner Number Builder Year Works no. Notes プレハ1 プレ351 KNR 푸러8-1 Gyeongseong 1932 プレハ2 プレ352 ? ? Gyeongseong 1932 プレハ3 プレ353 ? ? Gyeongseong 1932 プレハ4 プレ354 ? ? Gyeongseong 1932 プレハ5 プレ355 ? ? Gyeongseong 1932 プレハ6 プレ356 ? ? Gyeongseong 1932 プレハ7 プレ357 ? ? Gyeongseong 1932 プレハ8 プレ358 ? ? Gyeongseong 1932 プレハ9 プレ359 ? ? Gyeongseong 1932 プレハ10 プレ360 ? ? Gyeongseong 1932 プレハ11 プレ361 ? ? Gyeongseong 1932 プレハ12 プレ362 ? ? Gyeongseong 1932 プレハ13 - KNR 푸러8-13 Hitachi 1939 Large Latin "KNR" lettering in 1954. プレハ14 - KNR 푸러8-14 Hitachi 1939 プレハ15 - KNR 푸러8-15 Hitachi 1939 Derelict by 1953. プレハ16 - ? ? Hitachi 1939 プレハ17 - ? ? Hitachi 1939 プレハ18 - ? ? Hitachi 1939 プレハ19 - KNR 푸러8-19 Hitachi 1939 In service in 1960. プレハ20 - KNR 푸러8-20 Hitachi 1939 プレハ21 - ? ? Hitachi 1939 プレハ22 - KNR 푸러8-22 Hitachi 1939 プレハ23 - KNR 푸러8-23 Hitachi 1939 プレハ24 - ? ? Hitachi 1939 プレハ25 - KNR 푸러8-25 Hitachi 1939 プレハ26 - ? ? Hitachi 1939 プレハ27 - ? ? Hitachi 1939 プレハ28 - KNR 푸러8-28 Hitachi 1939 プレハ29 - ? ? Hitachi 1939 プレハ30 - ? ? Kisha Seizō 1939 1710 プレハ31 - ? ? Kisha Seizō 1939 1711 プレハ32 - ? ? Kisha Seizō 1939 1712 プレハ33 - ? ? Kisha Seizō 1939 1713 プレハ34 - ? ? Kisha Seizō 1939 1714 プレハ35 - ? ? Kisha Seizō 1939 1715 プレハ36 - ? ? Kisha Seizō 1939 1716 プレハ37 - ? ? Kisha Seizō 1939 1717 プレハ38 - KSR 부러파38 Kisha Seizō 1939 1718 Still with Sentetsu number plates in 1951.

References