Largest SLM steamer ever
The Swiss Locomotive and Machinery Works (SLM) at Winterthur built its largest steam enignes in 1935. It was a series of 6 units of the Mikado type ordered by the then kingdom of Bulgaria. As the deal stipulated a payment of the six engines with Bulgarian tobacco, they were surnamed Tobacco locomotives in Switzerland.
Together with identical engines constructed in Germany as well as Poland, these Bulgarian series 01 express train engines were operational until the early 1970s.

01.22
01.22 – involved in a tragic accident in 1944 and afterwards rebuilt again – was overhauled for the last time in 1975 and then parked in a socalled strategic reserve. Already at the end of the 1990s, VVT members got intereted in a remaining former SLM-unit. Finally with the help of private funding, it became possible to save the last available SLM unit – no. 01.22 – and to repatriate it at the beginning of August 2005. After a year of exhibition in the Swiss Transport Museum in Lucerne, 01.22 found a new home with VVT. The locomotive though remains in private property.

Pictures of the day of arrival at St.Sulpice =>Bilder vom Tag der Ankunft im Val de Travers finden Sie see here.

For more information see the special website on the Tobacco Locomotive – Link. (German only)