# Sentetsu Pureha-class locomotives

The Pureha-class (プレハ) locomotives were a group of steam tank locomotives with 2-6-2 wheel arrangement of used by the Chosen Government Railway (Sentetsu) in Korea. The "Pure" name came from the American naming system for steam locomotives, under which locomotives with 2-6-2 wheel arrangement were called "Prairie".
In all, Sentetsu owned 227 locomotives of all Pure classes, whilst privately owned railways owned another 52; of these 279 locomotives, 169 went to the Korean National Railroad in South Korea and 110 to the Korean State Railway in North Korea.

## Description

The プレハ (Pureha) class was the eighth and final class of 2-6-2 locomotives procured by Sentetsu. They were designed by Sentetsu as the most advanced locomotives in Korea at the time of their introduction, and the first twelve were built in 1932 by the Gyeongsong Works. A further 26 were built in 1939 by Hitachi and Kisha Seizō and assembled at Sentetsu's Busan shops. Unlike previous Pure class locomotives, the Pureha class had larger driving wheels, with a diameter of 1,520 mm (60 in), which increased their maximum speed to 90 km/h (56 mph). They were frequently used for express trains on the Gyeongin Line.

## Postwar

After the end of the Pacific War and the subsequent partition of Korea, these locomotives were divided between North and South Korea.

### Korean National Railroad 푸러8 (Pureo8) class

Many Pureha class locomotives were used by the Korean National Railroad after Liberation, which designated them 푸러8 (Pureo8) class; they were used by the KNR primarily for shunting duties, and on light local and suburban passenger services.

### Korean State Railway 부러파 (Purŏp'a) class/1800 series

The Sentetsu Purena class locomotives that remained in the North after the partition of Korea were operated by the Korean State Railway, designating them 부러파 (Purŏp'a) class, and later renumbering them into the 1800 series around the early 1970s. The total number and identities of the engines that went north is uncertain, but it is known プレハ38 had gone to the north, where it was in use around Hamheung in 1951, still carrying Sentetsu number plates and emblems. It is unknown whether the locomotive remained in the North after the Korean War, or if it was taken by UN forces during the withdrawal.

## Construction

Sentetsu Purena-class :
| Sentetsu running number | Sentetsu running number | Postwar | Postwar | | | | |
| 1938–1945 | pre-1938 | Owner | Number | Builder | Year | Works no. | Notes |
| プレハ1 | プレ351 | KNR | 푸러8-1 | Gyeongseong | 1932 | |
| プレハ2 | プレ352 | ? | ? | Gyeongseong | 1932 | | |
| プレハ3 | プレ353 | ? | ? | Gyeongseong | 1932 | | |
| プレハ4 | プレ354 | ? | ? | Gyeongseong | 1932 | | |
| プレハ5 | プレ355 | ? | ? | Gyeongseong | 1932 | | |
| プレハ6 | プレ356 | ? | ? | Gyeongseong | 1932 | | |
| プレハ7 | プレ357 | ? | ? | Gyeongseong | 1932 | | |
| プレハ8 | プレ358 | ? | ? | Gyeongseong | 1932 | | |
| プレハ9 | プレ359 | ? | ? | Gyeongseong | 1932 | | |
| プレハ10 | プレ360 | ? | ? | Gyeongseong | 1932 | | |
| プレハ11 | プレ361 | ? | ? | Gyeongseong | 1932 | | |
| プレハ12 | プレ362 | ? | ? | Gyeongseong | 1932 | | |
| プレハ13 | - | KNR | 푸러8-13 | Hitachi | 1939 | | Large Latin "KNR" lettering in 1954. |
| プレハ14 | - | KNR | 푸러8-14 | Hitachi | 1939 | | |
| プレハ15 | - | KNR | 푸러8-15 | Hitachi | 1939 | | Derelict by 1953. |
| プレハ16 | - | ? | ? | Hitachi | 1939 | | |
| プレハ17 | - | ? | ? | Hitachi | 1939 | | |
| プレハ18 | - | ? | ? | Hitachi | 1939 | | |
| プレハ19 | - | KNR | 푸러8-19 | Hitachi | 1939 | | In service in 1960. |
| プレハ20 | - | KNR | 푸러8-20 | Hitachi | 1939 | | |
| プレハ21 | - | ? | ? | Hitachi | 1939 | | |
| プレハ22 | - | KNR | 푸러8-22 | Hitachi | 1939 | | |
| プレハ23 | - | KNR | 푸러8-23 | Hitachi | 1939 | | |
| プレハ24 | - | ? | ? | Hitachi | 1939 | | |
| プレハ25 | - | KNR | 푸러8-25 | Hitachi | 1939 | | |
| プレハ26 | - | ? | ? | Hitachi | 1939 | | |
| プレハ27 | - | ? | ? | Hitachi | 1939 | | |
| プレハ28 | - | KNR | 푸러8-28 | Hitachi | 1939 | | |
| プレハ29 | - | ? | ? | Hitachi | 1939 | | |
| プレハ30 | - | ? | ? | Kisha Seizō | 1939 | 1710 | |
| プレハ31 | - | ? | ? | Kisha Seizō | 1939 | 1711 | |
| プレハ32 | - | ? | ? | Kisha Seizō | 1939 | 1712 | |
| プレハ33 | - | ? | ? | Kisha Seizō | 1939 | 1713 | |
| プレハ34 | - | ? | ? | Kisha Seizō | 1939 | 1714 | |
| プレハ35 | - | ? | ? | Kisha Seizō | 1939 | 1715 | |
| プレハ36 | - | ? | ? | Kisha Seizō | 1939 | 1716 | |
| プレハ37 | - | ? | ? | Kisha Seizō | 1939 | 1717 | |
| プレハ38 | - | KSR | 부러파38 | Kisha Seizō | 1939 | 1718 | Still with Sentetsu number plates in 1951. |