Bavarian BB II

The Bavarian Class BB II engines were Mallet type, saturated steam locomotives in the service of the Royal Bavarian State Railways (Königlich Bayerische Staats-Eisenbahnen).

Bavarian BB II
DRG Class 98.7
DRG 98 727 in Sonderhofen, March 1973
Number(s)
  • K.Bay.Sts.E: 2501–2531
  • DRG 98 701 – 98 371
Quantity31
ManufacturerMaffei
Year(s) of manufacture1899–1908
Retired1940 (?)
Wheel arrangement0-4-4-0T
Axle arrangementB′B n4vt
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)
Length over buffers10,010 mm (32 ft 10 in)
Service weight42.6 t (41.9 long tons; 47.0 short tons)
Adhesive weight42.6 t (41.9 long tons; 47.0 short tons)
Axle load10.7 t (10.5 long tons; 11.8 short tons)
Top speed45 km/h (28 mph)
Indicated Power380 PS (279 kW; 375 hp)
Driving wheel diameter1,006 mm (3 ft 3 1⁄2 in)
No. of cylinders4, compound
LP cylinder bore490 mm (19 5⁄16 in)
HP cylinder bore310 mm (12 3⁄16 in)
Piston stroke530 mm (20 7⁄8 in)
Boiler Overpressure12 kgf/cm2 (1,180 kPa; 171 lbf/in2)
Grate area1.40 m2 (15.1 sq ft)
Evaporative heating area67.70 m2 (728.7 sq ft)
Locomotive brakesVacuum brakes, later compressed air brakes

They were specially designed for branch lines with tight curves and supplied in two series. The first series comprised 29 engines and was built between 1899 and 1903. The other two machines were delivered in 1908 to the state railway and were somewhat longer and heavier than the other locomotives.

Although the Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft took over all the vehicles in 1925 as DRG Class 98.7, all bar three were retired during the 1930s due to their unsatisfactory riding performance. The last three engines were used after 1940 as industrial locomotives.

One example, the 98 727, was sold in 1943 to the Regensburg factory of Südzucker AG and was given the operating number 4. It was donated in 1972 to the Darmstadt-Kranichstein Railway Museum (Eisenbahnmuseum Darmstadt-Kranichstein) and is still preserved today.

98 713 was used in Regensburg as well, was exported to Albania in 1943 to be used by Wehrmacht and Hekurudha Shqiptare. Served until 1950 and still could be seen in 1985.[1]

References and notes
  1. Molter, Romano (2020). Die vergessene Eisenbahn: Eine Reise in die Geschichte der albanischen Eisenbahnen 1916-2020 (in German). Railway-Media-Group. ISBN 9783902894878.
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