The Prussian G 8.2 class of locomotives actually incorporated two different locomotive types: one was the Prussian/Oldenburg G 8.2, for which the Deutsche Reichsbahn subsequently issued follow-on orders; the other was the G 8.2 of the Lübeck-Büchen Railway.
The Prussian G 8.2 was a 2-cylinder version of the Prussian G 8.3. It was determined that the third cylinder of the G 8.3 was unnecessary and production of the G 8.3 was subsequently discontinued. Like the G 8.3, the G 8.2 had been developed from the G 12 and was essentially a shorter version of it. The locomotives were employed on heavy goods train duties on main lines. Later the top speed on some units was raised to 75km/h so that the G 8.2 could also be used to haul passenger trains. A total of 846 G 8.2 units were built between 1919 and 1928 for the Prussian state railways and the Deutsche Reichsbahn. Five units delivered in 1921 to the Reichsbahndirektion of Oldenburg were equipped with Lentz valve gear as was customary for Oldenburg locomotives. The locomotives delivered in 1922 were Cassel division numbers; in 1923 several were supplied as DRG Class 31 before they were allocated their eventual DRG numbers in 1923. Another 150 vehicles were supplied to the Turkish and Rumanian railways. The firm of AEG converted four engines to coal-dust firing in 1930. 650 examples of these locos were still present in Germany after the Second World War. The Deutsche Reichsbahn had given them operating numbers 56 2001–2485 and 2551–2916.
In the Deutsche Bundesbahn this class was very quickly retired; the last one to go being no. 56 2637, withdrawn in 1963 and retired in 1965. The Deutsche Reichsbahn in East Germany used these locomotives right up to the early 1970s - a number even being given computer numbers. Its last stronghold was Bw Vacha in Thuringia, which had both the first and last engine to be built: nos. 56 2001 and 56 2916. In Germany no Class 56.20–29 has been preserved. No. 56 2795 is in the Warsaw railway museum as no. Tr6-39.
The G 8.2s with the Lübeck-Büchen Railway were certainly similar to the Prussian G 8.2s, but were in fact an independent design with numerous differences. For example, they were noticeably longer and did not appear quite as stocky. They were intended to take charge of heavy goods trains running between Hamburg and Lübeck. Because these locomotives were also to be used in passenger services, the running gear and brakes were designed so that the top speed could be raised to 75km/h (47mph). A total of eight engines was delivered between 1923 and 1930 by Linke-Hofmann, as LBE 91–98. In 1938 they were given Reichsbahn numbers 563001 to 583008.[1]
The Deutsche Bundesbahn took over locomotives 563001 and 563003 to 3008 and retired them by 1951. DB sold 563005 to the Osthannoversche Eisenbahnen (OHE; "East Hanover Railway"), who renumbered 56102, and retired it in 1963.[2] No. 563002 was left to the Deutsche Reichsbahn (GDR) in the east, who retired her in 1956.
Weisbrod, Manfred (1991). Dampflokomotiven deutscher Eisenbahnen, Von Privatbahnen zur DRG (EFA 1.5) (in German). Düsseldorf: Alba. pp.68–71. ISBN3-87094-139-1.
Further reading
Bones, Hans (2003). "Bei den letzten 56.20. Abschied von der G 8.2". Lok Magazin. 42 (259). München: GeraNova Zeitschriftenverlag GmbH: 50–55. ISSN0458-1822.
Hütter, Ingo (2015). Die Dampflokomotiven der Baureihen 54 bis 59 der DRG, DRB, DB, und DR (in German). Werl: DGEG Medien. pp.310–329, 330–331. ISBN978-3-937189-85-7.
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