Palestine Railways P class
Encyclopedia
The Palestine Railways P class was a type of standard gauge
mixed traffic steam locomotive
on Palestine Railways and its successor Israel Railways
. The PMR introduced the class in 1935 and Israel Railways withdrew the last ones in 1960.
Mandate of Palestine. The mainstays of its locomotive fleet were its 50 H class 4-6-0s
built by Baldwin
in Pennsylvania
in 1918, covering most duties on the main line between Haifa
in Palestine and El Kantara East on the Suez Canal
in Egypt via Lydda
, Gaza
and El Arish. Its daily Haifa – El Kantara through service was hardly an express, but it included two Wagons-Lits cars and early in the 1930s PR sought a more powerful locomotive to improve its performance.
in Glasgow, Scotland and designated them class P. These had a tractive effort of 28470 lbf (126.6 kN): 16% more power than the 24479 lbf (108.9 kN) of class H. Class P also had 5 foot driving wheels: a mixed-traffic diameter by British standards but 4+3/4 in larger than those of the H class and therefore more suitable for higher speed traffic.
The locomotives were typically British in design but the tenders were not. Most tender locomotives in Britain had six-wheel tenders but PR opted for more American-style bogie
tenders, reportedly to carry more water. However, PR's track was not the highest quality so the fact that bogie vehicles ride better and may be less prone to derailment may have been another factor.
In service all members of the class were painted black. From 1944 the number of each locomotive was painted in very large numerals on the side of its tender.
but in June 1940 Italy declared war on the Allies
, making the Mediterranean extremely dangerous for British merchant shipping. PR therefore began converting its locomotives to burn oil, but it did not complete the conversion programme until 1943.
Palestine Railways was strategically important to the British Mandate authorities, so paramilitaries frequently attacked it during the 1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine and especially the 1946–48 Israeli War of Independence. El Kantara – Haifa trains were a particular target and Zionist paramilitaries bombed them three times during the War of Independence. The P class survived these attacks and PR's Quishon workshops in Haifa managed to repair any damage.
After the UK withdrew from Mandate Palestine in May 1948 all six P class passed into Israel Railways stock. After the War of Independence and subsequent 1948 Arab–Israeli War, main line services were truncated to the territory within the new State of Israel. By 1956 diesels had taken over the main line services and steam workings were largely confined to the central part of the country around Lod
(formerly Lydda). The P class remained in service until the official end of steam on Israel Railways in 1959. All six were scrapped in about 1960 but the tender of number 62 is preserved at the Israel Railway Museum
in Haifa.
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
mixed traffic steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
on Palestine Railways and its successor Israel Railways
Israel Railways
Israel Railways is the principal passenger railway operating company in Israel, and is responsible for all inter-city and suburban rail way passenger and freight traffic in the country. All its lines are standard gauge. The network is centered in Israel's densely populated coastal plain, from...
. The PMR introduced the class in 1935 and Israel Railways withdrew the last ones in 1960.
Background
Palestine Railways was founded in 1920 to operate all railways in the League of NationsLeague of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
Mandate of Palestine. The mainstays of its locomotive fleet were its 50 H class 4-6-0s
Palestine Railways H class
The Palestine Railways H class was a type of standard gauge mixed traffic steam locomotive on the Palestine Military Railway and its civilian successors Palestine Railways and Israel Railways...
built by Baldwin
Baldwin Locomotive Works
The Baldwin Locomotive Works was an American builder of railroad locomotives. It was located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, originally, and later in nearby Eddystone, Pennsylvania. Although the company was very successful as a producer of steam locomotives, its transition to the production of...
in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
in 1918, covering most duties on the main line between Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
in Palestine and El Kantara East on the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
in Egypt via Lydda
Lod
Lod is a city located on the Sharon Plain southeast of Tel Aviv in the Center District of Israel. At the end of 2010, it had a population of 70,000, roughly 75 percent Jewish and 25 percent Arab.The name is derived from the Biblical city of Lod...
, Gaza
Gaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
and El Arish. Its daily Haifa – El Kantara through service was hardly an express, but it included two Wagons-Lits cars and early in the 1930s PR sought a more powerful locomotive to improve its performance.
Characteristics
In 1935 PR bought six new 4-6-0 tender locomotives from the North British Locomotive CompanyNorth British Locomotive Company
The North British Locomotive Company was created in 1903 through the merger of three Glasgow locomotive manufacturing companies; Sharp Stewart and Company , Neilson, Reid and Company and Dübs and Company , creating the largest locomotive manufacturing company in Europe.Its main factories were...
in Glasgow, Scotland and designated them class P. These had a tractive effort of 28470 lbf (126.6 kN): 16% more power than the 24479 lbf (108.9 kN) of class H. Class P also had 5 foot driving wheels: a mixed-traffic diameter by British standards but 4+3/4 in larger than those of the H class and therefore more suitable for higher speed traffic.
The locomotives were typically British in design but the tenders were not. Most tender locomotives in Britain had six-wheel tenders but PR opted for more American-style bogie
Bogie
A bogie is a wheeled wagon or trolley. In mechanics terms, a bogie is a chassis or framework carrying wheels, attached to a vehicle. It can be fixed in place, as on a cargo truck, mounted on a swivel, as on a railway carriage/car or locomotive, or sprung as in the suspension of a caterpillar...
tenders, reportedly to carry more water. However, PR's track was not the highest quality so the fact that bogie vehicles ride better and may be less prone to derailment may have been another factor.
In service all members of the class were painted black. From 1944 the number of each locomotive was painted in very large numerals on the side of its tender.
World War II and after
PR had fuelled its locomotives with Welsh coalSouth Wales Coalfield
The South Wales Coalfield is a large region of south Wales that is rich with coal deposits, especially the South Wales Valleys.-The coalfield area:...
but in June 1940 Italy declared war on the Allies
Italian invasion of France
The Italian invasion of France in June 1940 was a small-scale invasion that started near the end of the Battle of France during World War II. The goal of the Italian offensive was to take control of the Alps mountain range and the region around Nice, and to win the colonies in North Africa...
, making the Mediterranean extremely dangerous for British merchant shipping. PR therefore began converting its locomotives to burn oil, but it did not complete the conversion programme until 1943.
Palestine Railways was strategically important to the British Mandate authorities, so paramilitaries frequently attacked it during the 1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine and especially the 1946–48 Israeli War of Independence. El Kantara – Haifa trains were a particular target and Zionist paramilitaries bombed them three times during the War of Independence. The P class survived these attacks and PR's Quishon workshops in Haifa managed to repair any damage.
After the UK withdrew from Mandate Palestine in May 1948 all six P class passed into Israel Railways stock. After the War of Independence and subsequent 1948 Arab–Israeli War, main line services were truncated to the territory within the new State of Israel. By 1956 diesels had taken over the main line services and steam workings were largely confined to the central part of the country around Lod
Lod
Lod is a city located on the Sharon Plain southeast of Tel Aviv in the Center District of Israel. At the end of 2010, it had a population of 70,000, roughly 75 percent Jewish and 25 percent Arab.The name is derived from the Biblical city of Lod...
(formerly Lydda). The P class remained in service until the official end of steam on Israel Railways in 1959. All six were scrapped in about 1960 but the tender of number 62 is preserved at the Israel Railway Museum
Israel Railway Museum
Israel Railway Museum is the national railway museum of Israel, located in Haifa. The railway museum is owned by Israel Railways and is at the now closed Haifa East Railway Station.-Features:...
in Haifa.