That's exactly what they sounded like. I remember when I started as an apprentice in Inchicore back in 1977, one of the Sulzers was ticking over on the line just across from the carriage shop. The fitters working on it would rev it every now and again. Over the next few days, that loco and other Sulzers were shunted into a siding were they remained for many years to just rust away..