45151 to 45170

• Axle: 1'D
• Total quantity: 20
• First year: 1940/41
• Manufacturer: North British Locomotive
• Type: LMS Stanier 8F
• Unit 45160 (WD348) which was bought back in 1989 by private British collectors and transferred to the United Kingdom for restoration to the original LMS type.
• Other 8F preserved: LMS 8233 (WD 307), this engine served in Persia and Egypt before returning to the United Kingdom, where it is preserved in working order. It is currently based on the Severn Valley Railway.

Just before World War II, the British War Department (WD) realized the need for a modern engine, suitable for service on the front and choose an existing design from the LMS: the 8F type designed under the leadership of Sir William Stanier. From 1939 to 1941, the WD placed orders for a total of 208 engines with three suppliers: North British Locomotive, Beyer Peacock and Vulcan Foundry. In addition, the WD requisitioned 51 engines from the LMS in 1941. The delivery started in May 1940 and the engines were soon dispatched to Egypt, Palestine and Persia on military assignments. In 1944, some engines went to Italy.

Around March 1940, the British Government took the decision to send 25 8F to Turkey for the following reasons:

the engines were a partial replacement for a pre war contract for 58 (or 68?) locomotives, 2-10-0 of the 1E type that could no longer be supplied by the British industry under the original price and conditions. Britain feared that friendship of neutral Turkey could not be maintained if it did not send some equipment. Remember that in 1943, Germany supplied to Turkey 53 BR52 kriegsloks . The Turkish government made sure that this fact was well known to British spies. The Allies wanted Turkish railways to keep improving should a military supply route through Anatolia become needed.

This first shipment showed that the 8F were suitable for Turkey and the British Government announced in 1941 that the last batch of 24 8F being built will be send to Turkey as well. But this did not happen as British put the engines to work on the LMS. However, 2 units were finally shipped to Turkey in 1943.  

45151 engine delivery

The ships went by way of the Cape and the Suez Canal, some being transshipped at Port Said. Reerection was done at the Sivas workshops under the supervision of Mr. R.G.Jarvis from the LMS. The Turkish railway men immediately dubbed them 'Churchills'. JPW Rowledge reports in "Heavy Goods Engines of the War" that "for the benefit of the Turkish owners, Derby produced a very comprehensive description and maintenance manual, in English of course".

In the long run, The 8F proved not very suitable for main line work in Turkey:

• they were not powerful enough to tackle the heavy grades.
• they lacked drop grates essentials for long distance running.

They were soon transferred to local and shunting works throughout the network. The constant state of motive power shortage in Turkey kept them working well into the 1980's.

Pictures

45165 at Çankiri resting between shunting operations, 30 March 1974. Photo Robin Lush	45165 at Çankiri 30 March 1974. Same loco viewed from the traditional front three quarter angle. Notice the engine has been cleaned but not the tender. Photo Robin Lush
Top: War Departement Engine n°354 official picture on delivery. This engine was lost during shipping was never actually in Turkey (Col. Mitchell Library)	45161, Çamlık Museum, June 1998. Photo JP Charrey
45161 repainted in June 2001. Photo JP Charrey	Same engine next to carpets drying in the sun, August 1996. Photo JP Charrey
45165 at Çankiri 30 March 1974. Front end detail

Engine main characteristics

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