Tank engine bunkers. Where are they?

[Steamdemon]

I've always been fascinated at where the bunker of a tank engine is, even the narrow gauge. However, although some tank locomotives are oil guzzlers, Some do have a bunker - but like the DONJ Anglelok 3 to 5, they aren't immediately obvious. Another problem is, how the heck do they refill the bunker if it's inside?

I want to know your thoughts on this, fellow trainzers!

 

[Enkidoh]

It all depended on the size of the tank loco usually. A really small locomotive (especially narrow gauge ones) often didn't have a bunker - instead they would have a small fuel box or basket which might be either on the footplate, or on top of the tank next to the cab window. Naturally only a small amount of fuel could be carried this way, so I presume such locos would only be expected to run on short lines or for shunting, where re-fueling facilities were close by. Presumably a hatch on the cab front would allow fuel to be taken from the fuel box by the crew.

Larger tank engines though (especially those that ran on main lines) usually had a bunker directly behind the cab and above the rear pilot beam. Fuel was loaded into it in much the same way as a loco with a tender - a sliding door on the bunker inside the cab allowed the fireman to stoke fuel from the bunker into the fire directly, in much the same way as they would on a loco with a tender.

Because of the extra weight caused by the bunker, such tank engines tended to have additional wheels at the rear, usually a four wheeled bogie under the cab (such as the 'Baltic' tank design of 4-6-4T configuration).

As an example, in this rear-view photo of WAGR DM class 4-6-4T tank loco 586 taken in the mid 1960s, you can clearly see where it's bunker is located by the big stack of coal piled high to be almost level with the cab roof: http://westonlangford.com/media/photos/106369.jpg

Hopefully this helped answer your question.

 

[Steamdemon]

That has. Thanks for clearing that up!

 

[whitepass]

Small bunkers in front of the cab in the side tanks was also used.

 

[pfx]

On the particular tank we use, there is a small bunker either side of the boiler, directly in front of the cab. There's a hatch on top of the bunker to fill it and another hatch inside the cab at the bottom of the bunker. It effectively works the same way as a household coal bunker. They take a surprisingly large amount of coal each and one bunker will easily keep the loco running for four or five hours. Water is the thing it goes through most of.

 

[Steamdemon]

Wow! So basically, the bunker can be covered and protected from rain, right?

 

[sawyer811]

Interesting. Just out of curiosity can I ask what engine youj guys use? PS thanks for starting this steamdemon...I had wondered about the plethora of Porter tank engines I've seen with just a little tiny bunker for coal shoved in one corner of the cab.