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Locomotives - Chinese Government Locomotive
The Chinese Locomotive Class KF1 No 7 (KF1-7) was designed by the Technical Advisor to the Chinese Ministry of Railways, Colonel Kenneth Cantlie, to run on the Canton-Hankow railway.
The Cantlie name gained respect from the Chinese when Colonel Cantlie's father saved the life of Sun Yat Sen, who later became the first President of the Republic of China.
It was donated to the National Railway Museum by the Chinese Government.
Another KF (KF1-1) is preserved at the Bejing Museum which opened in March 2003.
The locomotive was built to haul heavy freight and passenger trains over steep gradients and tight curves.
The outbreak of World War 2 and the Japanese invasion of China resulted in this class of locomotive being put into storage and not entering regular use until the mid 1940's.
Visitors are able to access the cab of the Chinese Locomotive via a specially-constructed ramp and find out what it was like for people onboard in the days of Chinese steam. A child-friendly new exhibition with cartoons and illustrations also answers common questions about the locomotive such as “why is it so big?” and “what does the Chinese writing mean?”
- Name: Chinese Government Railways Class KF7 No 607
- Class: 4-8-4
- Built: 1935
- Designer: Cantlie
- Weight: Locomotive 115 and tender 193 tons
- Cylinders: 3 19" x 26"
- Driving wheel Diameter: 5' 8 7/8"
- Boiler Pressure: 220.5 lb
Locomotive inventory number 1987-7001
Photograph reference number NRM_CT_932768