2H2p6w Class

The 2H2p6w Class is a class of steam motor locomotives designed by Gustav Othmar at the Eastern & Atlantic's Richmond Works.

History
The E&A had begun to research steam motor locomotives in the Second World war as they looked for a more efficient variation on the steam locomotive. Steam motor locomotives have small multi-cylinder steam engines geared to the driving wheels, which allowed the engine to be smaller and lighter, and have less torque. It was decided that a passenger locomotive was going to use this technology, and thus design work started on the 2H2p6w Class in 1938.

The class used a 2-8-2 configuration, and had two V-2 engines geared to the first and fourth driving axles, and two V-4 engines geared to the second and third driving axles. This was a complex layout, but it was found it had alot of power for not alot of torque, and was considered succesful. 25 of this interesting class were built between 1941 and 1943.