Streamlined steam loco

Streamlined steam loco

A postcard found by Rainer Fuchs which shows one of the streamlined pacific steam locomotives built for Iraq by Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns in 1940. Locos 501 Baghdad, 502 El Mosul and 503 El Basrah entered service in 1941, but 504 Kirkuk didn’t make it and is now on the seabed somewhere…

There is a high-resolution works photo of one of the 4-6-2 locos on this Vulcan Foundary website. Comparing the shapes of the letters on the nameplate with written versions of the four possible names, and the photo in Hugh Hughes’s book Middle East Railways, I think both photos show No.502 El Mosul, but I’ll defer to any Arabic speakers on the matter!

The Vulcan Foundary website has scans of a magazine article describing 10 oil-fired metre-gauge 2-8-2 locos built for Iraq. Plus a photo.

8 thoughts on “Streamlined steam loco

  1. Hello, i would like to built this locomotiv as toy train loco, gauge O. with Marklin system electric motor, in a exclusiv serie, 8 samples, numbered, signed. I would like to know the original finishing colors.
    Thank you, greeting from Hungary, Budapest, Emil Valker

    Click to enlarge

  2. Dear Andrew,

    I just came across your Blog site and read you are not sure which name the Streamlined Loco carries. I asked an Egyptian colleague and he told me it is the Mosul.

    Greetings.

    Herman

  3. I am also interested in building this one in 0 gauge. Would be interested in pictures, drawings etc.
    Thanks

  4. It’s Very Interesting Article And I have Enjoyed Reading it , I’m From Iraq And I can tell you that that 90% from this info is true . The Station is hard in Iraq now and as you know we had election not long ago and we all wish everything will be find soon .

  5. Thank you for this topic Can I deploy topics here or send it to you for publication I am pleased to take part with you, I think that everything will change, and certainly I see things from the other side,welcome all

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