Prussian G 8³

The G 8³ was a 2-8-0 freight locomotive designed in 1919 by shortening the boiler of the 2-10-0 G 12 and removing a driving axle. It still had three cylinders, but again formed the basis for the G 8² with two larger cylinders. The Belpaire firebox was originally made of steel like many built in or directly after World War I, but later changed to copper. The leading axle was of the Bissel type with 80 mm of lateral play. The first driving axle had 25 mm of lateral play and the third one, being the driven one, had wheel flanges which were thinner by 15 mm.

Only 85 G 8³ were built, opposed to 846 of the simpler G 8² that did not have an inside cylinder. In the Reichsbahn the G 8³ became class 56¹. After World War II, 62 stayed with the East German Reichsbahn which used them until 1967. Five originally came to the Bundesbahn, but were sold to the Osthannoversche Eisenbahnen (OHE). There they were rebuilt with only two larger cylinders of the G 8² and withdrawn between 1958 and 1964. 16 came to Poland and were designated Tr3 by the PKP.