N°1 - Cockerill n° 2643

Current state: in restoration

She is the first steam locomotive owned by our society. This locomotive with a vertical boiler was built in 1907 at the glorious constructor Société Anonyme John Cockerill in Seraing. In 1802, the British John Cockerill emigrated to present-day Belgium and later founded an industrial empire there. In 1835, it became the first company in Belgium to start manufacturing steam locomotives. After building 3300 steam locomotives, production stopped in 1950 (the company still builds diesel locomotives).

Cokerill 2643 is one of 942 steam locomotives of the type with a vertical field boiler. The shape of the boiler gave these locomotives the nickname bouteille (bottle). This model had 2 major advantages over the classic locomotive. Firstly, the time until the locomotive was pressurised was only 1 hour, compared to 4 hours for an ordinary industrial locomotive. In addition, the distance could be limited, allowing the locomotive to take sharper curves. The locomotives could be supplied in different sizes and gauges, divided into six types. Number 2643 was a type IV.

Our Cockerill 2643 was delivered to the Meuneries et brasseries of Marchienne-au-Pont near Charleroi in 1907. Not much is known about her career, but she was probably used to move wagons around the brewery grounds. She later joined ABR (a company active in manufacturing rolling stock for the railways) in Petit-Enghien where she left employment in 1971. She then went to the firm N.V. Sobemai (Delille) in Maldegem where restoration work began in 1981. In September 1983, the engine was again in running order. In 1984, the locomotive became the property of SDP. Until 1985, many repairs and especially paintwork were carried out. On 11 July 1986, the engine, now owned by the association, arrived in Baasrode on a low-loader and on the same day the first trial run was made.

On 20 September 1986, Cockerill 2643 was allowed to tow the first train over the new museum line Dendermonde-Puurs on the occasion of the Puur fair! But the official opening of our line did not take place until 11 April 1987. Once again she had the honour of towing the inauguration train, this time with the then minister of transport Herman de Croo on board. The machine remained in service until 1991. The driving gear was then in need of repairs. Meanwhile, a new steam locomotive, Duvel, was on its way and the Cockerill was somewhat forgotten. In 1993, it was still used as an exhibit in Antwerp. In spring 1998, the Cockerill was somewhat refurbished after Duvel went out of service. In the interim season of 1998/1999, a lot of repairs were made to the Cockerill. The driving gear was dismantled and overhauled. Also very important was the replacement of a lot of water pipes.  

The locomotive's centenary was celebrated extensively in 2007. 2 years later, she went back out of service due to damage to the wheels and boiler. These repairs were finished in 2013 and she could again tow trains through the Scheldt country. The lack of an air pump to create compressed air for the carriage brakes made it impossible to use her for passenger trains. She then went out of service again in 2017 due to boiler wear.

Currently, the locomotive is in the early stages of restoration, starting with a major boiler repair.

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