FS Class 737


The Ferrovie dello Stato Class 737 consisted of 15 ex-British War Department locomotives of the Stanier Class 8F type purchased in 1946.

History

The first eight engines, were built to WD orders between 1940 and 1942. The remaining seven had been requisitioned by the War Department in 1941 from the London Midland and Scottish Railway - these had been built in 1936 by the Vulcan Foundry. All were then shipped to the Middle East, with several more classmates, where they served in Persia and were numbered in the Persian series. In 1944, 50 of the Persian engines were transferred to Kingdom of Egypt/Mandate Palestine, where they were again renumbered into the Middle East Forces 93xx series. Later WD numbers were original numbers plus +70000, and in 1946 FS bought fifteen of these.
As they were non-standard compared to Italian locomotive practice, their career was relatively short, working on the line between Bologna and Ancona until 1947, then being kept at Bari; they were all withdrawn from service by 1953.

Numbering

Numbers were as follows:
FS No. LMS No. WD No. Persia No. MEF No. Later WD No. Date built Builder Maker's No. Withdrawn
737.001 - 334 41.119 9380 70334 1940 North British 24634 1956
737.002 - 375 41.164 9372 70375 1941 North British 24675 1956
737.003 - 408 41.104 9381 70408 1941 Beyer Peacock 6988 1956
737.004 - 437 41.177 9374 70437 1941 Beyer Peacock 7017 1956
737.005 - 441 41.166 9362 70441 1941 Beyer Peacock 7021 1956
737.006 - 514 41.210 9368 70514 1941 North British 24722 1956
737.007 - 520 41.238 9363 70520 1941 North British 24728 1956
737.008 - 548 41.223 - 70548 1942 North British 24741 1956
737.009 8032 585 41.162 9378 70585 1936 Vulcan Foundry 4709 1956
737.010 8091 589 41.185 9351 70589 1936 Vulcan Foundry 4768 1956
737.011 8038 594 41.182 9370 70594 1936 Vulcan Foundry 4715 1956
737.012 8040 595 41.192 9355 70595 1936 Vulcan Foundry 4717 1956
737.013 8044 598 41.196 9371 70598 1936 Vulcan Foundry 4721 1956
737.014 8072 609 41.198 9373 70609 1936 Vulcan Foundry 4749 1956
737.015 8059 613 41.195 9352 70613 1936 Vulcan Foundry 4736 1956