Jump to content

IRM A Class; Our First Locomotive!

Rate this topic


Warbonnet

Recommended Posts

One odd thing to note on the A class locos is the absence of a windscreen wiper over the non driving front window ( left hand side as you look at the loco). This appears to be more a feature of their earlier years; something else that didn't work on them?! 

I also remember reading that each loco was given an unofficial pet name; all were female names. That could provide an excuse to justify the purchase :" it's named after you, dear ".

Then weather the thing!!

Cheers,

Glover

  • Funny 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, Glover said:

One odd thing to note on the A class locos is the absence of a windscreen wiper over the non driving front window ( left hand side as you look at the loco). This appears to be more a feature of their earlier years; something else that didn't work on them?! 

I also remember reading that each loco was given an unofficial pet name; all were female names. That could provide an excuse to justify the purchase :" it's named after you, dear ".

Then weather the thing!!

Cheers,

Glover

Removing the wipers on the secondmans side seems to have been a common feature on both the A & C Class during the mid-late 1950s. Metropolitan Vickers electrical equipment had a very good reputation a factor that worked in favour of re-powering rather than replacing the Irish Metrovicks

Possibly an economy measure to save on maintenance and stock up on spare parts when Todd Andrews was running the railways? There is the story about CIE removing half the light bulbs from the C&L "Bus Coach" as an economy measure during the same period.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Mayner said:

Removing the wipers on the secondmans side seems to have been a common feature on both the A & C Class during the mid-late 1950s. Metropolitan Vickers electrical equipment had a very good reputation a factor that worked in favour of re-powering rather than replacing the Irish Metrovicks

Possibly an economy measure to save on maintenance and stock up on spare parts when Todd Andrews was running the railways? There is the story about CIE removing half the light bulbs from the C&L "Bus Coach" as an economy measure during the same period.

Well i was in the cab of 001 in Heuston in the 80s and i think she was 'Nora'. Painted script between or just above the windows. Wonder if someone has the names of all 60?

050 Ballinacourthy.jpg

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Glover said:

I also remember reading that each loco was given an unofficial pet name; all were female names. That could provide an excuse to justify the purchase :" it's named after you, dear ".

Here they are in order (there was some duplication)... :)

 

Michelle
Sandra
Susan
Brona
Mary
Gillian
Paula
Laura
Julieann
Edwina
Christina
Deirdre
Vera
Alison
Marina
Marian
Pamela
Carol
Debbie
Frances
Emma
Sinead
Anne Marie
Kathleen
Anne Marie
Kimberley
Clara
Helan
Marietta
Lilly
Claire
Caroline
Annabel
Georgina
Margaret
Heidi
Louise
Catherine
Sinead
Grainne
Barbarra
Tracy
Annie
Michelene
Jennifer
Andrea
Teresa
Carmel
Lorraine
Emer
Mary
Breda
Nora
Janet
Sarah
Iris
Roisin
Bridie
Karen
Anne
  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
  • Informative 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, Garfield said:

Here they are in order (there was some duplication)... :)

 

Michelle
Sandra
Susan
Brona
Mary
Gillian
Paula
Laura
Julieann
Edwina
Christina
Deirdre
Vera
Alison
Marina
Marian
Pamela
Carol
Debbie
Frances
Emma
Sinead
Anne Marie
Kathleen
Anne Marie
Kimberley
Clara
Helan
Marietta
Lilly
Claire
Caroline
Annabel
Georgina
Margaret
Heidi
Louise
Catherine
Sinead
Grainne
Barbarra
Tracy
Annie
Michelene
Jennifer
Andrea
Teresa
Carmel
Lorraine
Emer
Mary
Breda
Nora
Janet
Sarah
Iris
Roisin
Bridie
Karen
Anne

Nora was 053, sorry!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Colin R said:

Just doing so research and I came across a loco no B113 as the prototype, so how much difference is there between the new model and this prototype and dare i ask is the a kit of B113 anywhere?

Colin

 

B113 (originally 1100) was CIÉ's first Bo-Bo diesel. Both it and its sister 1101/B114 were constructed in Inchicore and had Sulzer engines, so there's no direct link between them and the A class, apart from similar traction motors and some other electrical equipment.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Glover said:

One odd thing to note on the A class locos is the absence of a windscreen wiper over the non driving front window ( left hand side as you look at the loco). This appears to be more a feature of their earlier years; something else that didn't work on them?! 

I also remember reading that each loco was given an unofficial pet name; all were female names. That could provide an excuse to justify the purchase :" it's named after you, dear ".

Then weather the thing!!

Cheers,

Glover

 

A12 New Ross Jul 1969.jpg

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Dead Kennedy said:

 

SulzerunderConstruction.jpg

images.jpg

1100&1100 were the first reasonably successful medium power diesel electrics designed and built in the British Isles and could be considered the forerunners of the BR Derby & BRCW Type 2 Sulzers. The British Rail locos and the B101 Class used an uprated version of the engine used in the 1100&1100 and their electrical system was considered superior to the Brush system used in the BR locos. The Inchacore built locos had a very high axleload by Irish standards and were restricted to 50mph as their plate frame bogies were rough riding and hard on the track. The 101 Class BRCW Sulzers were built with an A1A A1A wheel arrangement and fitted with drop equalising bogies to overcome the weight and riding problems of 1100&1101.

Metropolitan Vickers may have gone for Crossley diesels in the A & C Class rather than the proven and reliable Sulzer engine to keep within the axle load and weight limits on the Irish system.

Shapeways produce CIE Class B Sulzer designed by B Lancer. https://www.shapeways.com/product/PZZCYVXM6/cie-b-class-sulzer-locomotive-oo-scale?optionId=42321334

An Irish modeller built a batch of Sulzers to a high standard several years ago, but there about as rare as hens teeth.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, WRENNEIRE said:

Could be in trouble with the news of the new A's being produced

Thanks to helpful advice from @Warbonnet and @Glenderg four years ago, I was fortunate to only buy one of those RTR, subsequently building (assembling) two C class kits on 141 donor chassis.

45 minutes ago, flange lubricator said:

I have a feeling that over the next number of months we are going to see a major sell off  of silverfox/MIR A class locomotives on ebay etc 

I'm going to hang on to my few as they were an important part of Irish loco modelling history and were of their time. It will be nice to have one running on the layout for modelling nostalgia side by side with a fleet of IRM stunners designed by 'Sir Richard the Exact' and team IRM. :) 

It is a fantastic achievement by team IRM to get to a stage where they can realise such a major milestone and objective. :tumbsup:

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

28 minutes ago, Noel said:

Thanks to helpful advice from @Warbonnet and @Glenderg four years ago, I was fortunate to only buy one of those RTR, subsequently building (assembling) two C class kits on 141 donor chassis.

I'm going to hang on to my few as they were an important part of Irish loco modelling history and were of their time. It will be nice to have one running on the layout for modelling nostalgia side by side with a fleet of IRM stunners designed by 'Sir Richard the Exact' and team IRM. :) 

It is a fantastic achievement by team IRM to get to a stage where they can realise such a major milestone and objective. :tumbsup:

I'll hang on to my one SF A Class. Mainly because I went through hell and high water to get the chassis running well and the lights working! But it will probably become a display model. I'll happily strip out the good motor and drive shafts, the pcb and the Loksound decoder to use in other projects!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, flange lubricator said:

I have a feeling that over the next number of months we are going to see a major sell off  of silverfox/MIR A class locomotives on ebay etc 

Luckily I needed a few bob a few months back, After much deliberation I flogged off the 2 RTR ones I had and 2 bodies. Normally it does not work that way for me!

Re the one Wind Screen, Que the loads of emails to IRM towers saying one wiper is missing off my Loco! there were loads of questions re the lights on the Black and Tan 141 with fellas coming in to the shop and saying only one light is working.

 

  • Funny 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Dead Kennedy said:

A23_monistrevin_coalempties.jpg

A23R_Colour.jpg

059_1_1_1_DSC01487.JPG

A1 (new)

A5&A1.jpg

A very interesting selection, Deadkennedy. The one of A42 at Rosslare* shows something that personally, I have not seen before - the dark green one WITHOUT lining. So, we now have proof that light (majority) and dark green alike had variations with and without lining.

 

( * I just KNEW, as I hinted in another post, that there was SOMETHING unique about A42!)

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

30 minutes ago, jhb171achill said:

A very interesting selection, Deadkennedy. The one of A42 at Rosslare* shows something that personally, I have not seen before - the dark green one WITHOUT lining. So, we now have proof that light (majority) and dark green alike had variations with and without lining.

 

( * I just KNEW, as I hinted in another post, that there was SOMETHING unique about A42!)

Interesting to see the green A Class with the black/tan carriages!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

44 minutes ago, Irishrailwayman said:

Interesting to see the green A Class with the black/tan carriages!

The A42 was the loco involved in the Mullingar accident referenced below in earlier posts of this thread. The picture of it at Carlisle Pier dated 1962 I always thought may be suspect(!), given the black & tan stock, as it more reminiscent of the way the engine emerged from Inchicore post-1963 in the dark green unlined livery. This is believed to be the last A Class to remain in green in the 1960s.

On 10/27/2018 at 11:59 PM, flange lubricator said:

I think A42 was the last green A class ???

 

On 10/28/2018 at 9:14 PM, Eiretrains said:

Locomotive A42 was originally in the silver as delivered and it may have retained this prior to the accident, as a few silver ones survived into early 1960s (in poor appearance as one can imagine) but I suspect if it had a livery change before then it would be green. This picture (slightly off colour) suggests dark green without lining in 1962, a year before Mullingar - date may be suspect though. I may draw attention that the dark green it did re-emerge in following the accident did not feature any lining too (like as in the picture) and it remained so until repainted into the overall black livery just prior to the re-engining programme.

Edited by Eiretrains
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 minutes ago, Eiretrains said:

 

The A42 was the loco involved in the Mullingar accident referenced below by in earlier posts of this thread. The picture of it at Carlisle Pier dated 1962 I always thought may be suspect(!), given the black & tan stock, as it more reminiscent of the way the engine emerged from Inchicore post-1963 in the dark green unlined livery. This is believed to be the last A Class to remain in green in the 1960s.

 

 

 

035.JPG

Edited by Dead Kennedy
A Class in background?
Link to comment
Share on other sites

37 minutes ago, flange lubricator said:

Is that A42 ?? the damage looks different from this picture

http://catalogue.nli.ie/Collection/vtls000148612/Home?lookfor=a42&submit=Apply

 

37 minutes ago, flange lubricator said:

Is that A42 ?? the damage looks different from this picture

http://catalogue.nli.ie/Collection/vtls000148612/Home?lookfor=a42&submit=Apply

 

044_bw_Crash_1.jpg

  • WOW! 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use