seagoebox

Coal and oil consumption sheets for 1941, locomotives are summarised into districts, Northern GSWR/ DSER, MGWR, Southern, Eastern and Western. No 800 is not mentioned anywhere, answers on a postcard pleas !

Further exploration of my files produced the following... make your own conclusions but things were not working out so well with the classes Make your own minds up, but things appeared not to be bright and rosy with the "Premier Engines" in 1951 !

Leslie, I have a draft copy of Great Southern Steam by Peter Rowledge,(unpublished 1983?), Bob Clements and Peter worked very closely together for years. I quote... "The coming of the diesels quickly displaced the 800's from the top link jobs. As early as March 1954 there was some doubt about repairing 801 when it was shopped after failing with an over-heated big end. However the repairs were made and eventually this was the last of the three to run. The boiler of 802 was in poor condition by this time and the engine last ran in early 1956; some parts were then used to repair 801, but the boiler went to Spain as scrap. Amongst the engine men No. 800 was considered to be the strongest of the three, No. 801 the fastest, and No. 802 the most reliable. The latter was the hardest worked of the three and about 1950 the mileages (according to adverts issued by the manufacturers of the roller bearings) were 372,000, 351, 000 and 428,000 respectively. The final mileage for No. 802 was 641,000 and neither of the other two are likely to have exceeded that mileage by any great amount as their work after 1956 became more limited. No 800 was held as a spare for seasonal passenger trains and in May 1958 it was exhibited at Inchicore for a visit by the Institution of Locomotive Engineers, afterwards returning to traffic. During Christmas 1958 No. 800 failed with leaking tubes at Ballybrophy when working the 3.40pm down. After being taken off the train this engine was put onto the front of the following down perishables itself headed by No. 801 and loaded to only seven vans! This was in all probability the only time that a train had two of the 800 class. The former was then dumped at Thurles shed and stayed there for a long time. No 801 continued to work a variety of tasks, menial for such a fine express engine. Very often these were cattle specials or empty wagons, but on 5th June 1961 the very last passenger duty of the class took place when this engine worked the IRRS/SLS/RCTS Grand Tour from Cork to Mallow. This engine was the only one to stray away from the Dublin- Cork main line, visiting Limerick in September 1961 as a light engine, and three times in January 1962 with overload wagons (ie, wagons left from previous trains) after a strike of engine men at Cork. Soon afterwards No. 801 joined its sister at Thurles. Then on 25th August 1962 both were towed away to Inchicore, although there was a prolonged wait in a siding at Portarlington because of the failure of the hauling diesel locomotive. No 801 was cut up very soon after arrival at Inchicore."

801 appeared very briefly on the 1961 "Grand Tour"... Monday 5th June 1961 departing Cork at 8.15am, including a photo stop at Blarney (8.32-8.35) arriving at Mallow at 8.57. There the train headed by J15 no 131 departed at 9.10 and travelled the Kerry Road to Newmarket, Kanturk, Castleisland, Tralee & Fenit, arriving at Limerick that evening, 12 hours later at 8.30pm The post-railtour blurb published by the IRRS/ RCTS and SLS very briefly described 801's run as.... "This was a soft morning, No. 801 starting up the bank from Glanmire Road shrouded in rain and steam. The view of this large 4-6-0 entering Blarney shows clearly the extent to which she outstripped all the other locomotives in size and apparent power. At Mallow she was replaced by J15 No. 131..."

Robert, E-mail sent, Michael.

The IRRS Journal - Vol. 10, No. 59, October 1972 has a ten-page article "The Transplant Story" by Barry Carse dealing with both the A and C classes.

CIE published "Cuisle Na Tire", Vol 1 no 1 January 1945, the last one I have is May 1949 "CIE Weekly News" seems to have been running at the same time, Vol 3 No 2 is 11th June 1948, , vol 5 no 4 is August 27th 1948 and Vol 10 no 8 is 21st October 1949, how they got to Vol 16 on your scan of the Enterprise in 1950 suggests strange numbering! (I attach a scan of CIE Weekly News Vol 5 no 4, August 27th 1948 which states under the header... and issued as a supplement to CIE readers of Cuisle Na Tire.) "The Link" appeared in 1950?, I have 1952 issues Vol 3 no 1 January 4th, No 2 January 11th, No 3 January 18th "Nuacht" was launched in October 1960, I think it ran to around 2003? I'm fairy sure there are copies in the IRRS at Heuston.

And here it is !

No. 81 Carrickfergus Castle was hired by the GN on 1st May 1952, until replaced by no 72 on 12th March 1954 which stayed until 29th September 1954, working mostly Belfast to Clones.

The last WTT to have "FTD" to Derry was dated 3rd June 1996

Nice 8- page article in Rail Archive no 3 "The Rise and Fall of the STEAM RAIL MOTOR" The GSR Clayton cars were well covered in the Railway Gazette, 2nd November 1928

175 photos (incl. 5 in colour!) 48 drawings/ diagrams 6 maps 246 pages hardback 8 chapters, 7 appendices, bibliography & index (Very limited number of Locomotives of the GS&WR are also available from Transport Treasury as well )

The Public Record Office in Belfast has (had?) the GNR(I) bridge books for their area.