The was a
steam locomotive operated in
Meiji Era Japan from 1872. The sole member of the class was imported from
Vulcan Foundry
The Vulcan Foundry Limited was an English locomotive builder sited at Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire (now Merseyside).
History
The Vulcan Foundry opened in 1832, as Charles Tayleur and Company to produce girders for bridges, switches, crossin ...
in the United Kingdom in 1871.
History
The locomotive was one of ten different locomotive types imported from the UK in 1871, and entered service on the first Japanese railway line, which opened between Shimbashi(after-day
Shiodome station
is a railway station in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. It serves as an interchange for the Toei Ōedo Line (E-19) and Yurikamome (U-02).
Line
*Yurikamome
*Toei Ōedo Line
Station layout
Both parts of the station are not directly linked to one another.
...
) in Tokyo and Yokohama (present-day
Sakuragicho Station) on 14 October 1872.
Initially numbered "No. 1", it was classified "Class 150" in 1909.
In 1911, the locomotive was donated to the
Shimabara Railway in Nagasaki, where it once again received the number "1".
Because of its historical value as the first steam locomotive to operate in Japan, it was returned to the Railway Ministry in 1930.
In 1997, it became the first railway vehicle in Japan to be designated as an
Important Cultural Property.
Preservation
The locomotive is preserved at the
Railway Museum
A railway museum is a museum that explores the history of all aspects of rail related transportation, including: locomotives ( steam, diesel, and electric), railway cars, trams, and railway signalling equipment. They may also operate historic ...
in Saitama.
File:JGR class 150 steam locomotive at the Railway Museum.jpg, Locomotive No. 1 preserved at the Railway Museum in January 2015
See also
*
Japan Railways locomotive numbering and classification
This page explains the numbering and classification schemes for locomotives employed by the Japanese Government Railways, the Japanese National Railways and the Japan Railways Group.
Steam locomotives
Pre-nationalization
Prior to the natio ...
References
2-4-0T locomotives
Steam locomotives of Japan
1067 mm gauge locomotives of Japan
Individual locomotives of Japan
Important Cultural Properties of Japan
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