LGB 2085s - history of the full size original sought

[Jonc]

In September I visited the Train de l"Ardech and throughly enjoyed riding behind Mallet 414. I now have a second hand 2085D (not one of the 24852 or 26851 French editions) winging its way to me from Germany where it will undergo some minor surgery to give it an likeness to 414 in 2016. I will be re reading the thread on 2085 sound units as I suspect I will have to install one.

My question is was the original of the 2085 D a standard design made in various locomotive works over Europe ? Dr Google shows several similar locomotives from several countries and over a wide date period - 414 was originally built in 1932). Is there a site that gives more information on these small Mallets?

 

[dunnyrail]

As you say information about these is pretty tricky to come by on the net.

At least two similar machines worked on the German Harz lines now the HSB. They were built by O&K in 1909 Works No's 3939/40 and numbered 31 and 32 by the NWE. Both went to Bolivia in 1921 after which they must have been Scrapped at some stage as they do not show up on the O&K Preserved List on the Wiki Site. I use this as an excuse to give my LGB Black one running rights on my Garden Harz Line even though I base it in 1981, Rule 1! Similar Locomotives went to France during WW1 so this could be the origin of your one, or perhaps went as Reparations. Not sure.

Similar Locomotives also worked in Bosnia, possibly built by Borsig during WW1. I found this out on this site:-

http://www.angelfire.com/co3/drustvo/Cira/Cira.html

Which lists all the NG Locomotives of Bosnia, there appears at the moment to be a problem with the site as the picture shows a similar 2-6-6-0 Mallet. I also found out about these in the books on the Railways of Bosnia Hercegovina by Keith Chester. A great if expensive set of reads.

Portugal had somewhat similar Malletts but they were 2-4-6-0 beasts.

Sady I have been unable to find a specific site that mentions in full the History of these interesting German Grunt Machines, but there may be one out there probably in German which would make it quite hard to find.
JonD

 

[Neil Robinson]

The history of LGB's 2085 prototype starts with a batch of superheated mallets built for the state during WW1
https://translate.google.co.uk/tran...ps://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/BEG_II&prev=search
Halfway down the page, under "Replicas" you'll find reference to and a photo of the 2085 prototype, SEG number 104. This post war version differed from the earlier machines as it wasn't superheated and didn't have the feedwater preheaters, permitting a much neater boiler top.
LGB's 26850 is a close match to the early examples.
http://www.lgb.com/en/products/narrow_gauge/details.html?page=3&perpage=10&level1=6218&level2=6221&level3=6222&art_nr=26850&era=0&gaugechoice=36&groupchoice=97&subgroupchoice=73&backlink=/www.lgb.com/en/products/narrow_gauge/locomotives/steam_locomotives.html

 

[Jonc]

Thank you JonD and Neil. There is a pattern emerging. I shall keep scratching whilst awaiting the arrival of my 2985D

Jonc

 

[stockers]

At least two similar machines worked on the German Harz lines now the HSB. They were built by O&K in 1909 Works No's 3939/40 and numbered 31 and 32 by the NWE. Both went to Bolivia in 1921 after which they must have been Scrapped at some stage as they do not show up on the O&K Preserved List on the Wiki Site.
JonD

I think they were Borsigs, not OKs Jon.

 

[dunnyrail]

I think they were Borsigs, not OKs Jon.

Alan, they certainly show as O&K in both the books I have namely Mallet-Lokomotiven des Harzes by Dirk Endish and Die Fahrzeuge der Harzer Schmalspurbahnen published by Schweers & Wall. Both pretty reliable sources. Though it would not be the first time that established Writers Publishers and Books have been misled by other sources. I wonder where you got this from?
JonD

 

[stockers]

Been checking - you are quite correct Jon. The Borsigs (Nos. 51 and 52) were a bit later and to 2-4 - 4-2 arrangement. Not very successful and scrapped at Gorlitz.

 

[dunnyrail]

Been checking - you are quite correct Jon. The Borsigs (Nos. 51 and 52) were a bit later and to 2-4 - 4-2 arrangement. Not very successful and scrapped at Gorlitz.

I have a couple of the LGB Cheepo (Toy Train?) 2-4-0 USA Locomotives that I intend to convert to one of these. A marriage between them and a Hacked Newquid Battery 2-6-2 Body should fit the bill nicely. Just waiting for that Roundtoit to appear.
JonD