Taiwan 18→B33→BK10 Steam Locomotives
The 18→B33→BK10 locomotives corresponded to the A8-series, Class 500, and Class 600 locomotives of the Japanese Government Railways. A total of 20 were built between 1901 and 1908 by Kisha Kaisha (shown as “K” in the specification table), Nasmyth, Wilson of Britain, Robert Stephenson (“R”), and North British (“N”). Their specifications differed slightly according to the manufacturer. Originally they were divided into three separate types, but in 1938 (Shōwa 13) they were consolidated into the B33 class, and after the war they continued in service as the BK10 class. The first locomotive built by Kisha Kaisha was of this type, but it was lost at sea in an accident while being transported to Taiwan and never arrived. The second locomotive of the same type was delivered to Taiwan and entered service there. Today, the only surviving example is BK24, built by Kisha Kaisha as works number 18, which is preserved on the campus of National Cheng Kung University in Tainan (臺南).
Specifications of the 18→B33→BK10 Steam Locomotives
| Cylinder diameter × stroke (mm) | 356×508 | Overall length (mm) | (K)9,703 (R)9,587 (N)9,754 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boiler pressure (kg/cm²) | (K)10.0 (R)10.6 (N)10.6 |
Overall width (mm) | (K)2,236 (R)2,388 (N)2,286 |
| Grate area (m²) | (K)1.11 (R)1.11 (N)1.11 |
Overall height (mm) | (K)3,609 (R)3,658 (N)3,658 |
| Total heating surface (m²) | (K)67.26 (R)67.26 (N)66.44 |
Boiler center-line height (mm) | (K)1,780 (R)1,793 (N)1,753 |
| Locomotive working weight (t) | (K)35.00 (R)36.63 (N)36.76 |
Weight on driving wheels (t) | (K)19.56 (R)19.10 (N)20.68 |
| Tender working weight (t) | -- | Driving wheel diameter (mm) | 1,321 |
| Fuel capacity (m³) | (K)0.95 (R)1.02 (N)1.13 |
Maximum axle load (t) | (K)10.16 (R)9.60 (N)10.67 |
| Water tank capacity (m³) | 4.55 | Wheel arrangement | 2-4-2T |