WD Austerity 2-8-0

what is it?

The War Department (WD) "Austerity" 2-8-0 is a type of heavy freight steam locomotive that was introduced in 1943 for war service. A total of 935 were built, making this one of the most-produced classes of British steam locomotive. They were nicknamed Ozzies by the railwaymen.

who runs it

Nederlandse SpoorwegenStatens JärnvägarKRKowloon–Canton RailwayLondon and North Eastern RailwayWDWar DepartmentEREastern Region of British RailwaysLMLondon Midland Region of British RailwaysNENorth Eastern Region of British RailwaysSRScottish Region of British RailwaysTCTransportation Corps

base stats

• weight 71.1 tin working order
• built 935made in total

Bars compare against all trains: 600 km/h (maglev), 1,700 seats; power, weight and number built on a log scale up to 20 MW, 1,000 t and 20,000 built.

fun facts

• 🎂First built 83 years ago, in 1943.
• 🐘Weighs about as much as 12 African elephants (~6 t each).
• 📏19.2 m long: about 4 cars parked nose to tail.
• ⌛Served for 30 years (1943–1973).

steam locomotive: Burns coal, wood or oil to boil water; the steam drives pistons that turn the wheels.

spec sheet

built

1943

in service from

1943

retired

1973

status

preserved

number built

935

kind

Steam

traction

steam

origin

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

builders

North British Locomotive Company, Vulcan Foundry

designer

Robert Riddles

operators

Nederlandse Spoorwegen, Statens Järnvägar, Kowloon–Canton Railway, London and North Eastern Railway, War Department, Eastern Region of British Railways, London Midland Region of British Railways, North Eastern Region of British Railways, Scottish Region of British Railways, Transportation Corps

top speed

—

power

—

gauge

1,435 mm standard gauge

wheel arrangement

2-8-0

length

19.2 m

weight

71.1 t

nicknames

Ozzie

From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.

family