De Beul NS6317

As the 1920s drew to a close, the NS found itself with a need for stronger locomotives to pull heavy trains. These goods trains were especially in demand in South Limburg, where the mines were yielding an increasing volume of coal. There was so much coal to be hauled that the existing locomotives were unable to handle the work. The NS decided to design a new locomotive, the heaviest tender locomotive in Europe. Unfortunately these locomotives required an immense amount of coal to operate. The fireman had to work very hard and without stopping to maintain sufficient pressure in the boiler. This quickly earned the series nicknames like ‘Beul’ – meaning ‘Executioner’ – and ‘Moordenaar’ – meaning ‘Murderer’. After the locomotives were decommissioned, several of the engines were used to test new bridges. Since 2005, locomotive 6317 has been part of a special attraction at the Railway Museum: this ‘Executioner’ can only be seen by going on the ‘Steel Monsters’ ride.