Liberation Class

The Liberation Class was a class of 2-8-0 steam locomotives designed for heavy freight work in post-Second World War Europe. 120 were built by the Vulcan Foundry of Newton-le-Willows in 1946.

Liberation class 2-8-0 locomotive
Polish Tr202-19 in a heritage park in Chabówka.
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder Vulcan Foundry (120), Đuro Đaković (10) Serial number VF 5357–5476 Build date 1946 (120), 1957–58 (10)
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 2-8-0  • UIC 1′D h2 Gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge Driver dia. 4 ft 9+1⁄8 in (1.451 m) Water cap. 5,500 imp gal (25,000 L; 6,600 US gal) Boiler pressure 232 psi (1.60 MPa) Cylinders Two, outside Cylinder size 21.625 in × 28 in (549 mm × 711 mm)
Performance figures Tractive effort 45,200 lbf (201.1 kN)
Career Operators CFL ČSD JŽ PKP Numbers CFL: 4701–4710 ČSD: 459.001–459.015 JŽ: 38.001–38.075 PKP: Tr202.1–Tr202.30

Design

They shared some features^{[citation needed]} with the earlier WD Austerity 2-8-0 and WD Austerity 2-10-0 which in turn had been based on the LMS Stanier Class 8F. They were however built to the continental loading gauge, but the design was intended to last, not a short-term kriegslok.

Distribution

Ten went to Luxembourg and the rest to Eastern Europe. The United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration distributed them as follows:

• 10 to as Luxembourg as CFL class 47
• 65 to Yugoslavia as JŽ class 38; Đuro Đaković built 10 more 1957–1958
• 30 to Poland as PKP class Tr202
• 15 Czechoslovakia as ČSD class 459.0

Preservation

One Liberation class locomotive remains in Kraków, Poland Tr202-19 built in 1946.^[1] A second (also not in working condition) is in Jaworzyna Śląska, Lower Silesia, South West Poland Tr202-28.^[2]