SRFB 130M Class 2-6-0 | 1301 (Wartime Black)
- Silver Rail Freight Board -
130M Class 2-6-0
The SRFB had anticipated that rising tensions in Europe would spark war and so began to develop a reasonably strong, cheap and easy-to-maintain locomotive for wartime duties. One of the first proposals was the 130M: a fairly light 2-6-0 intended to handle general goods and coal trains, although they would occasionally transport armaments to the ports around the Sawyer Isles. The first batch of 10 locos was ordered in 1935 and trials proved they would be capable of dealing with goods traffic under wartime conditions. The success of the design stemmed from its versatility, compactness and range which allowed the 130Ms to run on all parts of the SRFB's network. SRFB 1301, the first of class, worked primarily along the eastern region but was shipped to mainland Europe in 1944 to transport supplies for Allied efforts to liberate France. The most notable incident she faced was an encounter with German fighters near Troyes which she fortunately evaded by hiding in tunnels. SRFB 1301 remained in service until 1950, outliving her expected service life of 4 years. In fact, the 130M was used as a basis for steam locomotive design in the post-war era due to its resilience, although the SRFB had already begun to phase out steam traction by the 1950s. The majority of 130Ms were scrapped but a few have been turned into static displays, while 1301 awaits restoration to full working order. This build represents SRFB 1301 in 'wartime black', just having undergone a full overhaul after returning to the Sawyer Isles in 1945.
Instructions:
- Atomizer Pump On
- OPEN Dampers
- Light Firebox
- Air Compressor ON
- Wait for boiler pressure to build
- This locomotive is fitted with air brakes and TDWS.
- The train brake has apply, hold and release functions. Brakes are fully released at ~14.5psi / 1bar.
- The button for the LIVE injector is located behind the fake valve on the boiler backhead.
- Cylinder drain is located under the fake valve by the brake handle's base.
- Key to release locomotive from track is located under the cab.
TDWS is used as a warning system to stop the locomotive if not acknowledged after a few seconds. It will sound and light up on the driver's instrument panel after about 2 minutes and reset once acknowledged.
Brakes:
- DECREASE FULLY to RELEASE brakes
- POSITION IN MIDDLE to HOLD brakes
- INCREASE FULLY to APPLY brakes
Any feedback is welcome!
