The class T 0 referred to two series of small tank locomotives that were only powered on one of two axles. The first four locomotives were omnibus locomotives with a luggage compartment, but since this did not prove its worth, the second series was built as a conventional tank locomotive. In order to test different types of power plants, two pieces of the first series were each equipped with a simple and a compound engine. The latter were developed with the help of August von Borries and were the first Prussian locomotives with this type of power plant. Schichau in Elbing in what was then West Prussia acted as the manufacturer of these four locomotives.
In operation, the compound locomotives showed a significantly lower coal consumption than the others. The luggage compartment attached to the locomotive in order to dispense with a luggage car soon proved to be too small. Thus, in 1883, a second series was procured, which no longer had a luggage compartment. Instead, the new variant was generally more powerful than the first and used only a compound engine. The increase in power was achieved with a boiler with a larger grate and heating surface and larger cylinders. This also increased the weight by two tonnes. Ten pieces were made, which were supplied by Henschel.
Photo and sectional drawing of the standard design
Die Lokomotive, April 1910
The four pieces of the first series were either retired or resold around 1900. The remaining locomotives remained in use until they were retired in 1922. One of them can still be seen today in the German Museum of Technology in Berlin. The latter today bears the number 1907 of the Hanover Directorate, although the locomotives actually bore the numbers Hanover 1900 to 1903, Hanover 6001 to 6008 and Cassel 6001 and 6002 respectively.