to 1 in 56 and curves of radius. At the time, the maximum axle load was limited to 15.5 tons. Great skill was displayed in the design of these locomotives, which were built specifically to operate 300 ton trains under these conditions. Weight reduction was a major problem and, as a consequence, the frame was constructed of only plate, but strongly braced, while the platform was of aluminium. The planned eighteen NSB Class 49 locomotives never materialised, however, since those under construction at the Krupp Works in Essen, Germany, were damaged so severely by Allied bombing in October 1943 that they were never completed. In addition, Thune's Works at Skøyen in Norway could not carry on with the construction of its share of the order because of a wartime lack of high quality steel and other materials. Only seven Class 49 locomotives were eventually placed in service. Of these, three were built by Hamar and Thune in 1935 and 1936, two by Krupp in 1940 and two by Thune in 1941. These locomotives, nicknamed Dovregubben (Dovre Giants), were the only true compounds owned by the NSB. On test, one of them hauled 350 tons at up a gradient of 1 in 55, developing . Despite the relatively small diameter coupled wheels, a speed of was reached with the same load on level track. In normal service, their maximum speed was restricted to on account of the light track in use at the time and they were capable of hauling 280 tons at up long 1 in 55 gradients. When compared to other NSB steam locomotives, these engines had a short lifespan and all were written off in 1958, after the arrival of class Di3 diesel locomotives on the Dovre line. Romania When the Romanians looked for a powerful passenger locomotive to serve on the Căile Ferate Române (CFR) mainlines across the Carpathian Mountains, they decided upon the Austrian Federal Railways (BBÖ) Class 214. They purchased the drawings from Austria and 79 locomotives of the same type were built under licence in their modern new Malaxa and Reşiţa Works in Romania. These 2-8-4 locomotives entered service as CFR class 142.000. In 1939, a batch was built with Caprotti instead of Lentz poppet valves, but since some of these were later observed with Lentz valve gear, the Italian gear had presumably been removed. These locomotives proved to be suitable for Romanian conditions,