Nord Chapelon Pacific

The Nord 3.1111 to 3.1130 and 3.1171 to 3.1198 often nicknamed Chapelon Pacifics are French Pacific type speed steam locomotives for passenger trains of the Compagnie des chemins de fer du Nord. In 1938, when the SNCF was created, they became 2-231 E 1 to 48.
== History ==
These locomotives are the reproduction of the Pacific series 3702 to 3721 and 3722 to 3731 of the PO company, themselves resulting from the transformation in 1932 of old Pacific 3500 from 1909, according to the precepts of André Chapelon.
André Chapelon was a famous railway engineer specializing in multiple expansion, who gradually specialized in increasing the power of steam locomotives by perfecting steam circuits, distribution and the rigorous calculation of heat exchanges. In 1929 he profoundly modified a machine for the Paris-Orléans network, the Pacific 3566. His modifications brought very impressive power gains, confirming his capabilities in this area.
At a time of competition since the big companies were not yet nationalized, the Northern Railway Company invited each of its colleagues to present the best of their locomotives in order to decide on the future technical choices to be adopted. André Chapelon presented a Pacific from the Paris-Orléans network (no. 3715) which greatly outclassed its competitors.
Following a series of particularly impressive tests carried out in 1932 and 1933 with the 3715, the Compagnie du Nord ordered in 1933 from the PO company a series of twenty converted Pacific machines of the 3700 type. of the PO of Tours who took charge of the transformation of these machines in 19341. The series will bear the numbering 3.1171 to 3.11901 and will be nicknamed "Chapelon Pacifics".
A second batch of twenty-eight machines, but of new construction on the model of the even more powerful 3722 to 37312, was ordered and then delivered in 1936 and 1937-1938 by the following manufacturers:
ANF at Blanc-Misseron for 3.1191 to 3.1198 then 2-231 E 21 to 28 to SNCF;
Forges de la Marine and Homecourt for 3.1111 to 3.1120;
Fives-Lille for 3.1121 to 3.1130.
The locomotives of this second batch were originally equipped with a so-called "Nord" smoke box door, with a hinge in the shape of a lying Y with the company's monogram positioned in its center.
In 1938, when the SNCF was created, they became 2-231 E 1 to 48.
== Stats ==
These Pacifics had a four-cylinder compound system same as the Du Bousquet engine, with the high-pressure cylinders positioned externally. Timing was of the independent Walschaerts type with four-cylinder “Lentz-Dabeg” oscillating cam valves, offering very large vapor passage sections. Starting device consisting of two "rotating skylights" allowing during the starting phases to admit high pressure steam to the low pressure cylinders, and to direct the steam having worked in the high pressure cylinders directly to the exhaust. The flat “Belpaire” type hearth included a Nicholson siphon and a semi-overhanging firebox with a trapezoidal grate. The exhaust was of the double Kylchap 1K/1C type and the boiler was supplied with water by two injectors under load and an "ACFI" type water heater food assembly. The drive wheels had a diameter of 1.95 m, and the last bearing axle was not treated as a bissel but as a radiating axle on the frame of the machine. The smoke box door was side-hinged and central closing handwheel on machines supplied by the PO company, and of the "Nord" type on new-built locomotives, but later some Pacific of the first series will also be equipped with a "Nord" type smoke box door.
== Tender ==
The tenders coupled to these Pacifics were typically Standard Nord Tenders with a body with rounded edges, resting on two bogies with molded steel flanges. Either 37 A containing 37 m3 of water for 7 tons of coal, or 38 A carrying 38 m3 of water and 9 tons of coal. These tenders will serve as models for the large family of future unified SNCF type 34 P tenders.
== Career ==
These locomotives ensured the traction of the great rapids from Paris-Nord on the Paris-Lille line and beyond towards Belgium as far as Brussels-Midi station, but also prestigious trains such as "La Flèche d'or" which is also known as "The Golden Arrow" for Calais- Maritime. They will be residents of the Parisian depot of La Chapelle until the end of the steam activity in this establishment in September 1961, consequence of the energization of the Paris-Lille axis in its entirety in January 1959. The last four machines of the series, the 231 E 5, 21, 22 and 23 from the Calais depot, will run on the non-electrified line from Amiens to Calais until 1967.
The last operation of a 231 E will take place on Sunday April 9, 1967 in the morning, provided by the 231 E 22 (formerly 3.1192) from the Calais depot on train 10 009 for an outward journey from Paris-Nord to Calais-Maritime, then return with train 10 040 from Calais-Maritime to Paris-Nord, arriving in Paris at 9:30 p.m. The next day, the 231 E 22 was repatriated in heating to the Calais depot where it will be permanently extinguished.
== Miscellaneous ==
From 1965 to 1968, the 231 E 27 will be used as a fixed boiler at the Persan-Beaumont depot, with a reformed locomotive-tender water tank added to its right side.
The 231 E 18 which had been taken to Germany during the Second World War was never returned to the SNCF. The Pacific was registered DR 07 1001 at the Deutsche Reichsbahn and modified for pulverized coal heating in 1952. The modifications relating to its new mode of heating profoundly transformed its appearance4. The changes related to the replacement of the original tender by a German model of 34 m3 with pulverized coal compartment, smoke deflectors by suspended models of the "Witte" type, a new exhaust with a large section chimney, a new closed driver's cab, as well as regulatory buffers in use at German railways. The 07 1001 will be withdrawn from service in 1957 which was then sadly scrapped in 1958.
== Specification ==
Grid area: 4.33 m2
Heating area: 197.33 m2
Overheating area: 80 m2
Number of elements: 28 overheating
Number of cylinders: 2HP and 2BP
HP cylinder diameter: 420 mm
HP piston stroke: 650 mm
LP cylinder diameter: 640 mm
LP piston stroke: 650 mm
Stamp of the boiler: 17 kg/cm2
Driving wheel diameter: 1950 mm
Bissel wheel diameter: 1,150 mm
Diameter of bogie wheels: 960 mm
Empty weight: 93.3 tons
Mass in running order: 102 tonnes
Adhesive mass: 57 tons
Overall length of the locomotive alone: 13.715 m
Maximum power indicated: 2,723 kW at 90 km/h
Maximum power at the rim: 2,502 kW at 120 km/h, 2,061 kW at 144 km/h
Maximum power at the tender hook: 2,061 kW at 90 km/h, 1,950 kW at 110 km/h, 1,877 at 120 km/h.
Theoretical maximum tensile force in direct admission mode: 152 kN
Theoretical maximum tensile force in compound mode: 127 kN
Maximum hook tensile force limited by adhesion: 135.4 kN
Maximum speed in service: 140 km/h at PO, 130 km/h at SNCF (178 km/h were reached by pushing an electric locomotive for pantograph tests)5
running efficiency at 90 km/h: 18%
Tender:
Tender tare: 32.3 tonnes
Water capacity: 38.5 m3
Coal capacity: 9.2 tons
Mass of the tender in running order: 80 tons
Total mass locomotive + tender: 182 tons
Tender length: 9.73 m
Total length locomotive + tender: 23.44 m
== Preservation ==
With the rest of these gorgeous beasts were cut up for scrap [including the movie star 231E24 ex. 3.1194], 2 of them escaped the cutter's torch. These include:
231 E 22 in it's original scheme 3.1192 North on static display at the Cité du train in Mulhouse;
231 E 41 by the AAATV association in Saint-Pierre-des-Corps being restored for operating condition.
231 A 11 is sunken at the bottom of the Canche River.
== Trivia ==
Under the name of Pacific Chapelon, the post office issued a stamp from the souvenir sheet Les legendes du rail released in 2001. With a face value of 1 F 50 c (0.23€) N° YT 3410.
In 2014 the post issued a new stamp Paris Gare du Nord Pacific Chapelon Nord 3.1192; Issued in booklets of 12 self-adhesive stamps with permanent value, it bears the number YT 1001.
In the 1949 Jean Mitry film called "Pacific 231" which was named after Arthur Honegger's most famous works, 231E 24 (ex 3.1194) appeared as the main star of the film (although some scenes were taken from 231D 735 appears as well but a small amount only, while the rest of the role was for the Chapelon engine.
== Sources ==
French Wikipedia
Category:4-6-2 steam locomotives
Category:4-6-2 locomotives
Category:French steam locomotives
Category:French locomotives
Category:Standard gauge locomotives
Category:SNCF locomotives
Category:Tender locomotives
Category:Six-coupled locomotives
Category:France
Category:4 foot 8 1⁄2 inch gauge