DHR 778

DHR 778 (originally number 19) is a narrow-gauge steam locomotive, that was built in 1889 for the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. It is preserved in the United Kingdom, and is the only DHR locomotive outside of India. The locomotive is notable for having the oldest locomotive boiler still in use anywhere in the world.[1]

Darjeeling Himalayan Railway 19
(All-India No. 778)
No. 778 hauling a train on the Ffestiniog Railway
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
BuilderSharp, Stewart & Co.
Serial number3518
Websitewww.darjeelingtank.org.uk
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte0-4-0ST
 • UICB n2t
Gauge2 ft (610 mm)
Driver dia.26 in (0.660 m)
Axle load7.75 long tons (7.87 t)
Loco weight14 long tons (14 t)
Firebox:
 • Firegrate area		9 sq ft (0.84 m2)
Boiler pressure140 psi (0.97 MPa)
Heating surface316 sq ft (29.4 m2)
SuperheaterNone
CylindersTwo, outside
Cylinder size11 in × 14 in (279 mm × 356 mm)
Performance figures
Tractive effort7,750 lbf (34.47 kN)
Career
Operators
ClassDHR B Class
Number in class3rd of 34
Numbers19, 778 in all-India scheme of 1957
Withdrawn1960
DispositionPreserved in the United Kingdom
Adrian Shooter (driver, right) with Jeremy Davey (fireman, left) onboard locomotive No.19 at Beeches Light Railway in 2019.
DHR19 in the station at Leighton Buzzard.

History

DHR 778 is a 0-4-0ST DHR B Class, a design built between 1889 and 1927. A total of 34 were built. By 2005 only 12 remained on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway and in use (or under repair). The B class locomotives were designed by Sharp Stewart & Co. of Glasgow and built by them, their successors North British Locomotive Company (NBL, Glasgow), and three each by Baldwin Locomotive Works (BLW, Philadelphia, USA), and the DHR works at Tindharia.

Number 778 (originally No.19) was built in 1889 by Sharp Stewart & Co at the Atlas Works in Glasgow. It is the only DHR locomotive that has been taken out of India. After many years out of use at the Hesston Steam Museum, it was sold to enthusiast Adrian Shooter in the United Kingdom and restored to working order. It was based on Beeches Light Railway, a private railway in Oxfordshire, and has also run on the Ffestiniog Railway, the Leighton Buzzard Light Railway, the Launceston Steam Railway and the South Tynedale Railway.[2] 778 is the only B class with a tender..

Locomotive No. 19B remained based at the Beeches Light Railway until the death of Adrian Shooter in December 2022. On 21 June 2023 the locomotive was purchased at auction for £250,000 by The Darjeeling Tank Locomotive Trust (DTLT), with supporters raising the required money three months beforehand. Following the sale, the locomotive and its two matching carriages were relocated by the Trust to the Statfold Barn Railway near Tamworth, Staffordshire.

Special events

In mid-2011, for the 40th anniversary of preservation of the Froissy Dompierre Light Railway in France, three Britain-based locomotives visited, including locomotive 778.[3]

In 2013, locomotive 778 ran as a part of Indian Extravaganza Fest in Bedfordshire in East England, [4] and in 2014 it was the main attraction at the South Tynedale Railway's Indian Summer Event[5]

References
  1. "Catch the Darjeeling B at Launceston Steam Railway before the end of the season". Cornish & Devon Post. 12 September 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2023. x-ray inspection of the original boiler showed that there was virtually no wastage. No.19 now has the distinction of having the oldest locomotive boiler in use anywhere in the world.
  2. "Slumdog Millionaire comes to the North Pennines!". 2014. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
  3. "British-based Trio Steam in France". Rail.co.uk. 2011. Retrieved 23 January 2021. 40th anniversary of the Froissy-Cappy-Dompierre line entering preservation. … invitations extended to The Greensand Railway Museum Trust's Baldwin 4-6-0T WDLR No. 778 and Adrian Shooter's Darjeeling Himalayan Railway B-Class 0-4-0ST No. 19 (SS 3518/1888) to visit.
  4. "Historic Indian steam locos to run again in England amid extravaganza on weekend". 4 May 2013.
  5. "Indian Summer Comes to Alston". 2014. Retrieved 16 May 2021.

Further reading

1980s
  • Hughes, Hugh & Jux, Frank (1980). Steam Locomotives in India. Part 1 – Narrow Gauge. Harrow, Middlesex: Continental Railway Circle. pp. 69, 79, 87. ISBN 0-9503469-5-0.

2010s
  • Charlesworth, David (2017). The Story of 19B: the only Darjeeling 'B' class locomotive ever to leave India. Darjeeling Mail Extra. Technical assistance by David Churchill and Jeremy Davey. Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Society. pp. 1‒32.
  • Holden, Michael (25 February 2019). "Steam locomotive No.19 to visit the Launceston Railway". Rail Advent. Retrieved 25 July 2023.

2020s

2023
Pre-auction
Post-auction
  • Holden, Michael (22 June 2023). "Darjeeling Tank Locomotive Trust secures steam locomotive No. 19". Rail Advent. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  • "Volunteers buy 134-year-old Oxfordshire locomotive". BBC News. 22 June 2023. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  • "Sold! The world's oldest working steam train sells after volunteers raised £300K to buy it" (Press release). Bournemouth News & Picture Service. 23 June 2023. Retrieved 25 July 2023 – via Youtube.
  • "Old Train £300K". The Sun. 25 June 2023. p. 17.
  • Burton, Tim (August 2023). Gooding, Brian (ed.). "They did it!". News & Events. Vintage Spirit. Steam Heritage. pp. 3, 6‒7. ISSN 1477-1276.
  • Thompson, Sarah (August 2023). Charlesworth, David (ed.). "Zero to £300,000 in ten weeks!". The Darjeeling Mail. No. 103. Photographs by Peter Jordan, John Burghes & Jeremy Davey. Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Society. pp. 9‒12. ISSN 1465-8682.
  • Jordan, Peter (August 2023). Charlesworth, David (ed.). "The Auction". The Darjeeling Mail. No. 103. Poster by H.J. Pugh & Co. Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Society. pp. 12‒14. ISSN 1465-8682.
  • Marsh, Phil (August 2023). Charlesworth, David (ed.). "A Darjeeling Vision ‒ part 2". The Darjeeling Mail. No. 103. Photographs by John Burghes & Julie Raworth. Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Society. pp. 14‒16. ISSN 1465-8682.
  • Davey, Jeremy (August 2023). Charlesworth, David (ed.). "From Steeple Aston to Statfold". The Darjeeling Mail. No. 103. Photographs by Phil Marsh & Joey Evans. Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Society. pp. 18‒23. ISSN 1465-8682.
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