Ljungstrom Turbine Locomotive
Work on the first Ljungström turbine locomotive started in 1918 at the Lidingo works (Sweden), and construction was complete by March 1921. Initial testing was carried out on a special test stand, before trials on the Stockholm-Upsala line. The main turbine developed 1800 hp at 9200 rpm. Modifications were carried out to incorporate the rotary air preheater developed by Fredrick Ljungström, and to install a redesigned turbine. Tests resumed in Summer 1923.
The second example was made for the Argentine State Railway for the Tucuman-Santa Fe route, about half of which was through the great salt plains, where the condensing of steam would be a great advantage. It ran successfully for several years.
1926 The third Lungstrom steam turbine locomotive was constructed under licence by Beyer, Peacock and Co., Ltd., at Manchester, to the design of the original inventors and manufacturer (Ljungstrom), but considerably modified by British locomotive practice. After preliminary trials the locomotive was lent to the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, for service tests between London, Manchester and Glasgow on express trains.
1928 The Beyer-Ljungstrom locomotive worked a regular express train service between St Pancras and Manchester for a short time[1]
The fourth example was made for the Argentine State Railway. It ran from 1927 to 1931.
Although the condensing capability was valuable in specific circumstances, it greatly added to the cost, and a non-condensing version was designed. Examples were made by Nydqvist & Holm[2] in 1930-1936.
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ The British Steam Railway Locomotive 1925-65, O. S. Nock
- ↑ The Engineer 1929/08/09
- Birger and Fredrik Ljungström - Inventors by Sven A. Hansson was published in 1955 by Svenska Turbinfabriks AB Ljungström ( STAL).