WW II: British WD Stanier 8F 2-8-0 Steam Locomotive
Lend-Lease Delivery to Russia
WD Stanier 8F
Iran was occupied in August of 1941 by combined British and Soviet forces. In order to open "back-door" for Lend-Lease deliveries to Russia, the Iranian State Railway was used as a middle-man.
The ISR, or Iranian State Railway, had been built in the late 1930’s primarily to connect the Persian Gulf port of Bander-Shahpur with Tehran and the Caspian Sea port Bander-Shah. A section leading northwest to the Iranian-Russian border was started but not fully completed by war time. Upon occupation, the British and Soviet forces immediately took over the control of the railway and launched regular transportation of supply goods.
From December 1941 until March 1942, the British War Department sent no less than 155 steam locomotives to the Iran, of which 143 actually arrived and 12 were lost en route. They were built by North British Locomotive and Beyer Peacock, the first 46 being coal-burners and the remaining 97 oil-burners.
Until the arrival of the US 2-8-2 Mikado steam locomotives and the US ALCO RSD-1 Diesel locomotives in 1942-43, WD Stanier 8F’s carried the main burden of the hauling flatcars, boxcars and tankcars to the Russian zone and remained in service throughout and partially beyond the war.
