JGR Class 5600

The JGR Class 5600 (originally the Nippon Railway Class Pbt2/4) and the related Class 5625 and Tobu Railway Class B3 and B7 are 4-4-0 American-type steam locomotives operated by the Japanese Government Railways from 1899 to 1929.
==History==
The Class 5600 was an early steam locomotive operated in Japan. The type was ordered by the Nippon Railway, with six locomotives manufactured by Beyer, Peacock and Company in 1899. These were classified as the Class Pbt2/4, numbered 213 through 230 and entered service the same year. A similar batch of locomotives was also manufactured by Beyer for the Tobu Railway, numbered 29 through 34. The locomotives had a unique shape due to their Belpaire firebox.
The locomotives were reclassified as the Class 5600 in 1909 when a formal rule regarding standardized classification of locomotives was enacted; the locomotives were thus renumbered 5600 through 5617. The difficulties in using these locomotives, particularly the couplers, apparently caused these locomotives to not be officially used by the JGR. The first locomotives were retired in 1927 and all were retired by 1929, but some seven locomotives were moved to the Karafuto Prefectural Railway, renumbered 40 through 46. Most of these were scrapped but three became classified as the Class 5625 locomotives when the Karafuto Prefectural Railway was acquired by the JGR, numbered 5625 through 5627. These were used until 1947 and then retired.
No Class 5600s have been preserved. However, two Tobu Railway Class B3 locomotives, 30 and 34, are preserved. 30 was in notably in poor cosmetic condition for a number of years until it was repainted in 2023.
==Preservation==
The following Class 5600 locomotives have been preserved:
Number 	Manufacturer 	Date manufactured	Serial number	Date withdrawn	Location 	Notes
Tobu Railway 30	Beyer, Peacock and Company	1914 	5837 	July 1966 	Katayama Park, Sano, Tochigi, Japan	Displayed under shelter; cosmetically restored 2023
Tobu Railway 34	Beyer, Peacock and Company	1914 	5841 	July 1966 	Haginaka Park, Tokyo, Japan 	Displayed under shelter next to Toden 7008; cab open for public viewing
==Gallery==
File:TOBU 30.jpg|Tobu Railway No.30 on display at Katayama Park on June 3, 2023 (Photo by Alzaar Ahmed)
File:Tobu 34.jpg|Tobu Railway No. 34 in 1966 before being decommissioned
File:Tob-18.png
==References==
Category:Locomotives
Category:JR Group trains
Category:Steam locomotives
Category:4-4-0 locomotives
Category:4-4-0 steam locomotives
Category:Beyer locomotives
Category:Nippon Railway trains
Category:Tobu trains
Category:Karafuto trains