PIBWL presents:
Polish armoured locomotive series Ti3
 |
[ Main page / Polish armour / armoured trains ] [ Polish armoured units ] [ Steel Panthers ] [ Links ] | |
| © Michal Derela, 2000 | Revised: 9. 1. 2002 | |
|
[ Main page / Polish armour / armoured trains ] [ Polish armoured units ] [ Steel Panthers ] [ Links ] | |
| © Michal Derela, 2000 | Revised: 9. 1. 2002 | |
In 1918-24 period Poland used more than 100 armoured trains, which used a variety of armoured locomotives. After the war with Soviet Russia had ended in 1921, it was decided to keep only 12 most modern armoured trains, and in the following few years most of the trains were decomposed. Then, it became possible to replace all the locomotives used with only one type. The advantages of such a standardization were obvious, like the simpler armouring with similar sets of armoured plates, an easier maintenance and crew training. That's why in 1926 a locomotive of the former Prussian series G53, given the series designation Ti3 in Poland after 1923, was chosen as the standard one for armoured trains.
After the First World War, Poland received 16 locomotives of Prussian series G53 as war reparations. Just in 1918 five of them were given to the Army. At least two were armoured in 1920 in the Main Workshops of Warsaw-Praga depot (G53-4021 and G53-4024(?)) - they were used in armoured trains "Msciciel" (later in "Danuta") and "General Sosnkowski". The locomotives had a rational armour design, basing upon earlier combat experience. It certainly incorporated also some features taken from Russian armoured locomotives series "O", like the commander's turret above the tender.
The new design accepted in 1926 copied the already existing one, with only minor changes, like taller command compartment and a new command turret. On 20 November 1926 the Ministry of War ordered to start the locomotive exchange in existing trains. The existing locomotives were to be disarmoured and given to a civilian service, while the locomotives Ti3 were undergoing the main repair and armouring in the Main Workshops of Warsaw-Praga depot. The whole process was slow, however, because most of Polish 12 armoured trains were preserved in a reserve. The first locomotives Ti3 were armoured in 1927 and until 1932 all twelve were armoured. The remaining four were in the civilian service in Warsaw (at Army's disposal, however).
See the locomotive list at the end.
Ten armoured locomotives series Ti3 were used in 1939 in combat in Polish regular armoured trains. Most likely further two were used in Polish training armoured trains, "Zagoñczyk" and "Stefan Czarniecki", which also took part in combat.
Some of the locomotives survived the September 1939 and were captured and put into the German or Soviet service (those in Soviet service were captured by the Germans two years later, anyway).
The armoured locomotive series Ti3 from an unidentified train. Note an older camouflage scheme (before 1936).
The freight locomotives series Ti3, the former Prussian KPEV series G53, were built in 1903-06 in several Prussian factories. A total of 206 were built. It was a construction of Henschel und Sohns works in Kassel. The type designation was: 1'C n2 Musterblatt III 3 I. In German railways they were later designated as a series (Br) 546 (you can see a short description of other G5 sub-types here).
The Ti3 had a twin steam engine working on saturated steam, the cylinder diameter was 490mm. The power output was about 1000 HP.
The axle arrangement was 1'C (1-3-0; the wheel arrangement - 2-6-0 'Mogul'). The diameter of the driven wheels was 1.3 m. The axle load was about 14.7 t. The front axle was a Krauss-Helmholtz carriage.
The tender was three-axle, type 12C1 (Polish designation). The coal stock was 7 t (or 8 t?) - enough for
300 km, but the water tanks had 12 m3 - enough for only about 70-100 km.
The locomotive and tender length was 16.17 m (53 ft); the height (with radio masts) - 4.7 m (15.4 ft).
The total weight of the armoured locomotive (with coal and water) was 103 t, empty weight - 80 t.
The train's top speed was about 45 km/h (the locomotive top speed - 65 km/h, the reverse speed was lower).
 |
|
The locomotive and the tender were fully armoured - the armour thickness was 8 - 20mm, its weight was about 13t. It protected against machine gun bullets and splinters. The armour plates were fixed with rivets and screws to the framework - there was a space between the armour and the locomotive body.
Upon the tender there was a train commander's turret (the entrance was from the driver cab, by the ladder). The crew of the locomotive was three, plus the commander with his assistants. The turret was equipped (in the thirties) with a short-range radio RKB/C to contact the draisines (its aerial was stretched on the masts upon the tender) and an intercom to contact the wagons. It also had some optical and sonic means of internal communication (color lights, bells and horns). Upon the turret there was an observation cupola, with a hatch on the roof.
 | The armoured locomotive Ti3-12 (ex-G53-4021), most likely of "Danuta" train. It was one of the first two armoured G53 locomotives, seen here after a modernization - on the rear wall of the command compartment a "seam" of joining the taller roof is visible. |
Although the armour pattern was generally the same, the particular locomotives differed in details, especially the division of the armoured plates, the shape of a roof above the command compartment, the command turret, a direction of doors' opening, etc. The first two locomotives had the roof over the command compartment on the same level as the drivers' cab, and a tall and thin observation turret (like on a title photo of "Danuta"). Later they were rebuilt to a newer standard with the tall command compartment with a flat, big diameter cupola with vision slots.
Some of the locomotives have a dome on the boiler about 0.7 m closer to a chimney and further to a sandbox, than most of locomotives series Ti3 and the profile drawing - I don't know what is the reason.
Some locomotives were fitted with a rotating turret from armoured car wz.29 instead of a common observation cupola. It might have one 7.92mm wz.25 AAMG, but it is not sure. The turret also had a hatch on the roof. Such was the nr.51 "I Marszalek" train's Ti3-2 locomotive. |
 |
| On the right: most likely this is the armoured locomotive Ti3-2 from nr. 51 "I Marszalek" train, probably with a new assault wagon of this train. Note the observation turret adapted from the armoured car wz.29, and the third headlight. The same locomotive is shown on a title color drawing. |
Since about 1936, Polish armoured trains were painted in a standard three-colour camouflage for armoured vehicles, consisting of irregular sprayed grey-sand,
dark brown (sepia) and brown-green patches. The base colour was brown-green.
Before 1936 the older scheme was used: the patches of light yellow-sand, dark brown and dark green were separated with black stripes. In the twenties also some other schemes were used, e.g. four-color pattern with sharp patches of light grey, dark grey (black?), green and brown; or grey only scheme.
The locomotives of Polish armoured trains wore standard PKP (Polish State Railways, Polskie Koleje Pañstwowe) numbers, and "livery and lettering". All the rolling stock had plates with Polish White Eagle with red background (and probably PKP inscription) on the sides.
See the interesting photos of the Ti3-4 in the German service (Panzerzug 22)
The captured armoured locomotive Ti3-13 (from former train nr.52 "Pilsudczyk") in German train Panzerzug 21. On the left the assault wagon from former nr.54 ('Grozny') train, on the right the assault wagon from nr.11 ('Danuta') train (without aerials).
The photo is taken probably in 1940-41, because the mountings for Polish HMGs in assault wagons are not removed yet. Looking at the boiler top, this locomotive apparently has a dome closer to the chimney and further to the sandbox, than most of other locomotives series Ti3 (which is evident on drawings). The locomotive is wearing German camouflage.
Polish Ti3 locomotives' numbers (the list is not a complete one):
| Polish nr.: | Prussian number G53- |
Armoured train: | German number after 1939 (German armoured train): |
Manufacture year, producer, serial number |
| Ti3-1 | LVD 303 (Latvian) | - not armoured? | - | 1903 Hanomag /4068 |
| Ti3-2 | 4024 Danzig | Nr. 51 "I Marszalek" | PZ 10 ? | 1904 Hanomag /4117 |
| Ti3-3 | 4016 Münster | Nr. 12 / 13/ 14/ 15 ? | - | 1904 Hanomag /4125 |
| Ti3-4 | 4023 Danzig (or 4023 Koenigsberg?) | Nr. 54 "Grozny" | DRB 54 651 (PZ 22) | 1904 Hanomag /4116 (or 1903, Egestorff / 4116?) |
| Ti3-5 | 4025 Danzig | Nr. 12 / 13/ 14/ 15 ? | - | 1904 Hanomag /4118 |
| Ti3-6 | 4034 Essen | ? | DRB 54 652 | 1903 Hanomag /4084 |
| Ti3-7 | 4038 Essen | - not armoured? | - | 1903 Humboldt /184 |
| Ti3-8 | 4114 Halle | Nr. 12 / 13/ 14/ 15 ? | - | 1904 Henschel /6555 |
| Ti3-9 | 4005 Katowitz | Nr. 53 "Smialy" | PZ 10 ? | 1904 Borsig /5406 |
| Ti3-10 | 4015 Posen | ? | DRB 54 657 | 1904 BMAG /3372 |
| Ti3-11 | 4017 Posen | ? | DRB 54 653 | 1904 BMAG /3374 |
| Ti3-12 | 4021 Münster | Nr 11 Danuta | - | 1905 Hohenzollern /1771 |
| Ti3-13 | 4022 Frankfurt | Nr. 52 "Pilsudczyk" | DRB 54 654 (PZ 21) | 1905 Hohenzollern /1773 (or 1903, Hohenzollern/ 1775?) |
| Ti3-14 | 4052 Essen (or: 4024 Posen?) | Nr. 55 "Bartosz Glowacki" ? | ? | 1904 Humboldt /228 (or: 1904 BMAG /3384 ?) |
| Ti3-15 | 4036 Stettin | - not armoured? | - | 1904 Borsig /5413 |
| Ti3-16 | 4118 Halle | Nr. 12 / 13/ 14/ 15 ? | - | 1904 Humboldt /232 |
You can see the Glossary of Steam Locomotive Terminology at Railway Technical Web Pages.
Sources:
1. Janusz Magnuski, "Pociag pancerny 'Danuta'", Typy Broni i Uzbrojenia (TBiU) No.18; Wydawnictwa MON; Warsaw 1972
2. Janusz Magnuski, "Pociag pancerny 'Smialy' w trzech wojnach"; Pelta; Warsaw 1996
3. Tadeusz Krawczak, Janusz Odziemkowski,
"Polskie pociagi pancerne w wojnie 1939r."; Warsaw 1987
4. W. Sawodny, "Die
Panzerzüge des Deutschen Reiches"; EK Verlag