The O class

Keretapi Tanah Melayu

Class O

A series of 66 4-6-2 locomotives built in four batches by North British. They had 8-wheel bogie tenders.

Class 56 steam locomotives

These were built by the North British Locomotive Company and delivered in 4 batches between 1938 and 1948. Originally known as O1 Class, the first batch of 11 was delivered in 1938 and numbered 60 - 70. In 1939 a second, identical, batch of 6 was delivered as O2 class and numbered 71-76. The third batch of 11, known as O3 and numbered 77 - 87, was delivered in 1940 and differed in that the cylinder diameter was increased by " with a consequent increase in tractive effort. In 1946 a fourth batch, to be known as O4, was ordered but a new numbering scheme was introduced before delivery and they became the 564 class, the earlier locomotives becoming 561, 562 and 563 classes respectively. 40 of these were delivered between 1946 and 1948 and differed from the 563 (O3) class in having an extended tender front sheeting and roof providing an all-weather cab and slightly increasing length and weight. See the table below for details.

The pictures above show 561.11 dumped behind Kuala Lumpur depot in 1973, 562.06 crossing the Singapore causeway with a north-bound express in 1962, 6 class 56's at Kuala Lumpur depot in 1972 and 564.25 at Taiping Centenary Museum in 1985.

Current status: 564.36 is stored at Gemas, having last been used about 1997. Another was plinthed on the platform at Gemas and carried both 564.20 and 564.21 (with a plate from 564.12!) on the tender but no identification on the loco. This has now been moved to Port Dickson. The Taiping museum has since closed and 564.25 is now on display at Butterworth. 564.33 was preserved privately but its whereabouts are unknown, as are those of 562.04 which was destined for Taiping museum in 1985. 564.34 is at the Sultan's Palace Sports ground in Pekan, Pahang. It has been rumoured that two steam locomotives are in secure store at Port Klang yard, but I could see no sign of them in 2005. Recent visits have given no indication of any steam locomotives left at Sentul.

Maker Number Date Original Railway / No MR No. Name Notes
North British 24419 1938 F.M.S.R. 60 561.01 Johore Bahru
North British 24420 1938 F.M.S.R. 61 561.02 Kota Tinggi
North British 24421 1938 F.M.S.R. 62 561.03 Jasin
North British 24422 1938 F.M.S.R. 63 561.04 Kulim
North British 24423 1938 F.M.S.R. 64 561.05 Muar
North British 24424 1938 F.M.S.R. 65 561.06 Batu Pahat
North British 24425 1938 F.M.S.R. 66 561.07 Kluang
North British 24426 1938 F.M.S.R. 67 561.08 Mersing
North British 24427 1938 F.M.S.R. 68 561.09   Scrapped after WWII
North British 24428 1938 F.M.S.R. 69 561.10 Pasir Mas
North British 24429 1938 F.M.S.R. 70 561.11 Kuala Langgat
North British 24508 1939 F.M.S.R. 71 562.01   Scrapped after WWII
North British 24509 1939 F.M.S.R. 72 562.02 Bentong
North British 24510 1939 F.M.S.R. 73 562.03 Kamaman
North British 24511 1939 F.M.S.R. 74 562.04 Dungun stored for museum?
North British 24512 1939 F.M.S.R. 75 562.05 Rembau
North British 24513 1939 F.M.S.R. 76 562.06 Kuala Trengganu
North British 24570 1940 F.M.S.R. 77 563.01 Besut
North British 24571 1940 F.M.S.R. 78 563.02 Ulu Kelantan
North British 24572 1940 F.M.S.R. 79 563.03 Pasir Puteh
North British 24573 1940 F.M.S.R. 80 563.04 Bachok
North British 24574 1940 F.M.S.R. 81 563.05 Kota Bahru
North British 24575 1940 F.M.S.R. 82 563.06 Machang
North British 24576 1940 F.M.S.R. 83 563.07 Ipoh
North British 24577 1940 F.M.S.R. 84 563.08 Marang
North British 24578 1940 F.M.S.R. 85 563.09 Penang
North British 24579 1940 F.M.S.R. 86 563.10 Changi
North British 24580 1940 F.M.S.R. 87 563.11 Langkawi
North British 25756 1946   564.01 Kangar
North British 25757 1946 564.02 Kubang Pasu
North British 25758 1946 564.03 Alor Star
North British 25759 1946 564.04 Padang Terap
North British 25760 1946 564.05 Kuala Muda
North British 25761 1946 564.06 Segamat
North British 25762 1946 564.07 Lumut
North British 25763 1946 564.08 Bandar Bahru
North British 25764 1946 564.09 Pontian
North British 25765 1946 564.10 Bukit Mertajam
North British 25766 1946 564.11 Nibong Tebal
North British 25767 1946 564.12 Alor Gajah
North British 25768 1946 564.13 Larut
North British 25769 1946 564.14 Matang
North British 25770 1946 564.15 Katong
North British 25771 1946 564.16 Kuala Kangsar
North British 25772 1946 564.17 Kinta
North British 25773 1946 564.18 Seletar
North British 25774 1946 564.19 Tanglin
North British 25775 1946 564.20 Batang Padang
North British 25776 1946 564.21 Selama Preserved Port Dickson
North British 25777 1946 564.22 Kuala Selangor
North British 25778 1946 564.23 Ulu Selangor
North British 25779 1946 564.24 Klang
North British 25780 1946 564.25 Kuala Lumpur Preserved Butterworth
North British 25781 1946 564.26 Ulu Langat
North British 25782 1946 564.27 Krian
North British 25783 1946 564.28 Seremban
North British 25784 1946 564.29 Pangkor
North British 25785 1946 564.30 Kuala Pilah
North British 25786 1946 564.31 Tampin
North British 25787 1946 564.32 Baling  
North British 25788 1946     564.33 Jelebu stored for museum?
North British 25789 1946     564.34 Pekan Preserved Pekan, Pahang
North British 25790 1946     564.35 Kuantan  
North British 25791 1946     564.36 Temerloh Preserved Gemas
North British 25792 1946     564.37 Tumpat  
North British 25793 1946     564.38 Raub  
North British 25794 1946     564.39 Lipis  
North British 25795 1946     564.40 Malacca  

 

Leading particulars:
Wheel arrangement: 4-6-2 with 8-wheel bogie tender. Boiler pressure: 250 lbs, superheated.
Fire grate: 27.0 sq. feet. Heating surface: 1,109 sq. feet.
Fuel capacity: 10 tons. Water capacity: 3,430 gallons.
Max. axle load: 12.75 tons. Fixed wheel-base: 10 feet.
Variable particulars:

Introduced

 Class Numbers

Cylinders

(3)

Tractive

effort

Loco

weight

  Tender

weight

  Overall

length

1938

O1

(561)

60-70

561.01 - 561.11

12" x 24"

22,130

58.0

 42.9  56' 4"

1939

O2

(562)

71-76

562.01 - 562.06

12" x 24"

22,130

58.0

   42.9   56' 4"

1940

O3

(563)

77-87

563.01 - 563.11

13" x 24"

23,940

58.85

   43.8   56' 6"

1946

O4

(564)

-

564.01 - 564.40

13" x 24"

23,940

59.5

   44.3   57' 4"

 

Unclassified

 A & B classes

A class

C class
Burma E and O C class

D class

E class

F class

G class

 H class

I class

J class

K class

K class

L class
M class O class P class Mallet
Q class

R class

S class

T class
  Sentinel WD class  

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Page created 14th March 2006.

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