Matheran Light Railway Locomotives 1 to 4
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![]() MLR no.740 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The MLR nos.1-4 were a series of four steam locomotives that ran the Matheran Hill Railway, and were supplied by the German engineering company Orenstein and Koppel.[5] These served on the railway from its inauguration in 1907, until 1982, when they were withdrawn from service, and completely replaced by diesel locomotives.[6]
To navigate the tight curves on the MLR, the locomotives were fitted with an articulated wheel design, based on a patent by one John Clark in 1870.[7] The design allowed for the rods to remain parallel to the engine at all times, while the wheels would follow the track's curves.[8] The driving axles were Klien-Lindners.
The locomotives served on the line exclusively until 1965, when diesel traction was introduced on the line. Eventually, the four engines were retired in 1982,[9] with all of them have been preserved at various locations.
Preserved examples
Out of the four Locomotives, only three remain in India, while the fourth has been transported to the UK in 1986, where it passed through multiple owners.
No.738 is plinthed at a mini-garden near the premises of the Neral Toy Train station. No. 739 is situated at National Rail Museum, New Delhi, while No. 741 is plinthed within the yard premises of Matheran Railway Station. No.740 was the locomotive ferried to UK, and was acquired by Amberley Chalk Pits Museum. It was then fully restored, and put to working condition. Between 2003 and 2008, it was on service on Leighton Buzzard Railway.[6]
- Locomotive MLR-739
- Locomotive MLR-740
- Locomotive MLR-741
Gallery
- Old image of a train hauled by the Steam Locomotives
- MLR 740 at the Amberley Chalk Pits Museum
- MLR 741 plinthed at Matheran
- Interior of the Locomotive
- A plaque on the plinth of MLR-741
- Diagram of the articulation mechanism
References
- ^ "Matheran Light Railway 1 to 4". www.wikidata.org.
- ^ "Matheran". June 20, 2018 – via Flickr.
- ^ "Locomotive Magazine and Railway Carriage & Wagon Review". Locomotive Publishing Company. 1907.
- ^ "Matheran Light Railway 740 - IRPS Night Mail". www.irps-wl.org.uk.
- ^ Railway and locomotive engineering : a practical journal of railway motive power and rolling stock. Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. New York : A. Sinclair Co. 1901. p. 383.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: others (link) - ^ a b "Matheran Light Railway 740 - IRPS Night Mail". www.irps-wl.org.uk. Retrieved 2024-06-30.
- ^ Locomotive Magazine and Railway Carriage & Wagon Review. Locomotive Publishing Company. 1907. p. 49.
- ^ Railway and locomotive engineering : a practical journal of railway motive power and rolling stock. Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. New York : A. Sinclair Co. 1901.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: others (link) - ^ "Matheran Light Railway 740 - IRPS Night Mail". www.irps-wl.org.uk. Retrieved 2024-07-01.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Locomotive Magazine and Railway Carriage & Wagon Review,Volume 13- 1907 See pg 48 for an article on Matheran Railway
- Railway and locomotive engineering See pg 383.
- MLR no.2 (O&K 2342) and train: Postcard
- MLR 738 navigating a curve on MLR, 1978
- Interior view of MLR 739, at NRM
- Old Footage of the Matheran Railway in 1975 Shows the Steam locomotives in action on the railway. Timestamps:(3:14-6:35)
- IRFCA Photo Gallery of MLR class Locomotives