Your Top 5 Irish locos of all time.

[enniscorthyman]

Now to cause trouble and heated debate,

Your Top 5 Irish locos of all time.

1.071 class-The greatest loco ever to grace this island.

2.141/181 class-outstanding over their lifetime.

3.121 class-outstanding as well.

4.A class-good when re engined and kept railways going in bad times.

5.201 GM class-a power house but not good quality.

I had thought about J15s,and C MV class as well but that is what

I came up with.

[201bhoy]

201 top for me - they're beasts!

[heirflick]

i. 460 no. 800 MAEDB

 

2. 060 j15 no 186

 

3. A class METRO VICS

 

4. GM class 121

 

5. GM class 071

Edited June 6, 2012 by heirflick

[minister_for_hardship]

For me, in no particular order and giving as best a geographical spread

 

J15 aka 101 - the original all purpose, standardised, go anywhere locos.

NCC 'Jeep'

GM121 the pioneer GMs

MGWR Class G2 - last 2-4-0s here or across the water and flying machines to boot

GSR 500 class

GNRI Class V

 

Honourable mentions:

GM 141/181

Woolwich Mogul

(Rebuilt) A Class Metrovicks

 

Overrated:

800 class

 

Worse than useless:

Sulzer 113 class

[BabyGM]

1: Class 071's

2:171 'Slieve Gullion'

3:Class 141's

4:Class 121's

5:A Class

[Glenderg]

201 - cost some dafty decided to stick her on an antonov and fly it here. Nobody ever did that with BR diesels. Queen of the diesels. End of.

121 - Every time I saw her at Lmk Jct. was different, 2 cravens and jenny from lmk, cement bubbles, waiting to rescue some other bird on some other road..... Ugly duckling who never got the glory she deserved.

071 - King of the diesels, and by association his small brothers. He could of been painted white and still been king. Will outlast 201 by 70 years, in memory at least.

BCDR no D1 - a workhorse of queens quay yard, harland & Wolff, precursor to the BR 08 Class. Iconic and forgotten.

D300 class,on par with the above, except she may have lasted a hell of a lot longer shunting carriage formations around heuston, and had a bit more appreciation, except for CIE's nonsense.

 

Everything else is only a turf burner......Except for Maedbh 800. Why she is in cultra escapes me.

[Warbonnet]

Ah, for the craic.

 

1. 071s

2. A Class

3. 141s

4.121s

5. Hard to choose between the B101s, 113/114 and Cs

 

Steamers are just big teapots anyway.

[heirflick]

Ah, for the craic.

 

 

 

Steamers are just big teapots anyway.

 

 

right, thats it fran-for comments like that its....pistols at dawn in the heuston guinness yard!!!

[Warbonnet]

right, thats it fran-for comments like that its....pistols at dawn in the heuston guinness yard!!!

 

Do you take milk and sugar Seamus?

[heirflick]

both please, mugs will do nicely!!

[Glenderg]

Steamers are just big teapots anyway.

 

I'll happily break out the big guns with Seamus ..... bring it war bonnet! Lol

[Weshty]

071. Nothing but nothing has such a ballsey look and sound. Hard to call it a she after that really....

B4 bandon tank. A beautifully dimensioned loco and iconic representative of the CBSCR.

D17 uniquely irish and a great runner

201 Modern Power and elegance.

800 Maebh aesthetically elegant and strength to match

 

Honourable mention to the 171 Sliabh Gullion, simple elegance and a beautiful livery and the re-engined A Class. It did exactly what it said on the tin, even if the design was a little bland.

[Flying Scotsman 4472]

In the words of Highlander (THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE) 071

[jhb171achill]

GSWR D14 (4.4.0), MGWR D16 (4.4.0), GSR B1a (800 class 4.6.0), CDR Class 5 (2.6.4T), GM 121 class. Ah, there's more. MGW J26 (0.6.0T), GNR(I) "S" Class 4.4.0, Tralee & Dingle Nos 1-3 (2.6.0T), Cavan and Leitrim 4.4.0T, DSER (RPSI!) 461, "Bandon Tank" 4.6.0T, Isle of Man 2.4.0 tank locos, and my all-time favourite loco, an Indonesian 3ft 6in gauge "B50" class 2.4.0T, a wood-burning 2.4.0 tender looco, some examples of which survived in passenger traffic as late as 1987.

 

Or an Indian Railways YP 4.6.2 metre gauge express passenger loco.

[djkonore]

121 Class - The American switcher that started the GM revolution in Ireland

071 Class - The most imposing looking Irish loco, which could be heard thundering across the countryside for miles

141/181 Class - The first double cab GM loco ever built, a cornerstone of Irish Railways for decades

The rest is pants when compared to these powerhouses!

[Mayner]

While the 121s probably saved the railway, it was only because the Metrovicks were so unreliable. They were a light weight GM Export loco rather than a switcher underpowered for fast passenger operation and under braked for working freights.

 

I wonder why CIE went direct to the States when GM locos were being built on the Continent, was it anything to d with the Kennedys?

 

Nohab http://www.jernbanesider.dk/page170.html who had been building double cabbed GM locos under license in Sweden and Belguim since the early 1950s.

 

An MY would have looked impressive than a 121 on the Enterprise.

 

John

[Weshty]

I've a different but related question to ask. Just looking at Kirley's photos of the glorious collection of locos preserved in York.

 

Of the irish steam loco types that no longer exist, which two would you have given your left ball to preserve?

No prizes for guessing my two. The B4 and D17. I wonder how viable it would be to make steel plate and fibre glass replicas of them?

[RedRich]

152

187

134

086

220

 

I won't name any kettles as they are something that I would never have seen everyday, in everyday use.

 

Rich,

[Garfield]

Jaysus, but me head is melted trying to whittle down this list...

 

121

141/181

071

B113/114

A class

 

Honorable mentions: B101, C class, E401/421, G class, Woolwich Mogul, MGWR E/J26 class 0-6-0, C&L 4-4-0, CB&PR 2-4-2... and too many others to list here!

[heirflick]

thats a tough one westy me ould flower!!....so many beautiful locos graced irish metals. but if i was pushed it would have to be..

 

first- C.I.E class K1a 2-6-0

 

second GSWR/GSR class 900 4-8-0 tank

 

and i have to enclude a third- GSR class 850 2-6-2 tank

 

cant find any pics on the 900 and 850 on the net but they can be found in book ''LOCOMOTIVES of the GSR'' by clements and mcmahon.

 

 

westy-cant find any reference to the B4..do you mean D4?

[Weshty]

 

 

westy-cant find any reference to the B4..do you mean D4?

 

Sorry heirflick, the B4 is the CBSCR Bandon Tank 4-6-0T

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CBSCR_Bandon_Tank

[heirflick]

now..dont i feel like a gobshite!

 

 

 

 

and a little beauty she is too!

[Guest hidden-agenda]

That,s one beautiful looking loco thanks for the pic HF.

[Broithe]

1, 071

2, 141/181

3, 121

4, 201

5, Jinty

 

So, I'm fairly happy with progress to date..!

[snapper]

121

071

141

A class

No 4

[Weshty]

That,s one beautiful looking loco thanks for the pic HF.

 

It's a 35mm original slide that I got recently and now use on SSM to illustrate the B4 kit

[heirflick]

just going to tell gareth its from your website westy....looks like it was taken in cork- will you clarify that des please. great shot of the green metro behind her!

[Guest hidden-agenda]

It's a 35mm original slide that I got recently and now use on SSM to illustrate the B4 kit

 

A great shot and thanks for sharing Des.

[Weshty]

just going to tell gareth its from your website westy....looks like it was taken in cork- will you clarify that des please. great shot of the green metro behind her!

 

Yup, it's in Cork alright. I get homesick just looking at it ;-))))

 

I've enjoyed the odd party in the houses up behind on the hill.

[heirflick]

[quote

 

I've enjoyed the odd party in the houses up behind on the hill.

 

your a rebel westy!

[Mayner]

While the diesels are basically mass produced US or Britsh designs most of the steam locos were designed and built for Irish conditions and some classes were quite advanced and ahead of their time.

 

1. GSWR 500 Class 4-6-0 first modern mixed traffic 4-6-0 distinctive "modern" GSWR/GSR styling probably 10 years ahead of the LMS Black 5 & GWR Grange. Probably GSWR/GSR/CIE most useful 4-6-0 design.

http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/18279129_TbnP49#!i=1744829609&k=fn3pWmG

 

2.GSWR 333 (D4) 4-4-0 large boilered 4-4-0 designed for the Rosslare Route powerfull simple lightish axleload go nearly anywhere design standard motive power on the DSER Line so good the GSR built another 5 in 1935.

http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/18279129_TbnP49#!i=1406411983&k=bjfdVK4&lb=1&s=M

http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/18279129_TbnP49#!i=1508581668&k=nSzSZXq&lb=1&s=M

3.GSWR 60 (D14) 4-4-0 simple very fast 19th Century design some modernised by the GSR in the 1920s

http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/18279129_TbnP49#!i=1784579086&k=7g6fFsH&lb=1&s=M

4. MGWR K Class (GSR 650 G2) 2-4-0 one of the best Midland passenger/mixed traffic designs eqqually at home on DSER suburban services, Midland Mail Trains and Branch Line Services the last 2-4-0s in Europe

http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/18279129_TbnP49#!i=1744829685&k=KWqjJn2&lb=1&s=M

5. GSR/CIE KN2 2-6-0T The Tralee and Dingle Hunslets. Typical Hunslet design tough and extremly good steamers. The only engines that survived the Tralee and Dingle, West Clare and Cavan & Leitrim.

http://www.tdlr.org.uk/stock.htm

 

John

 

John

[waffles]

The Dublin built pair of 113 and 114 were built and designed in the 1950 to a cie design original design drawing s first appeared in 1945 !, the only domestic built bogie twin cab locos built here

The B 101 class were the the only sulzers to run in Ireland and only ever 12 built plus 113 and 114

The NIR 101 were the only hunslet diesels to run in Ireland all three of them

THE 121s were the first American single cab locos to run in Europe.

The 141s were ahead of there time and indeed the first class of locomotive that gm emd built with twin cabs.

the current 201 locos were built to a unique design and are exclusive to Ireland

 

so we are far from being a country of mass produced diesel locos we quite the opposite in fact with locos designed for the needs and conditions of this country adapted as like steam loco designs were also for this country

Edited July 11, 2012 by waffles

[Guest hidden-agenda]

Waffles would the West Clare Walker diesel,s fit in your list some where? and great bit of history there.

[waffles]

Waffles would the West Clare Walker diesel,s fit in your list some where? and great bit of history there.

 

i will start my narrow gauge list later with the west clare walker built locos at number one ,

thanks for the reminder

[heirflick]

While the diesels are basically mass produced US or Britsh designs most of the steam locos were designed and built for Irish conditions and some classes were quite advanced and ahead of their time.

 

1. GSWR 500 Class 4-6-0 first modern mixed traffic 4-6-0 distinctive "modern" GSWR/GSR styling probably 10 years ahead of the LMS Black 5 & GWR Grange. Probably GSWR/GSR/CIE most useful 4-6-0 design.

http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/18279129_TbnP49#!i=1744829609&k=fn3pWmG

 

2.GSWR 333 (D4) 4-4-0 large boilered 4-4-0 designed for the Rosslare Route powerfull simple lightish axleload go nearly anywhere design standard motive power on the DSER Line so good the GSR built another 5 in 1935.

http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/18279129_TbnP49#!i=1406411983&k=bjfdVK4&lb=1&s=M

http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/18279129_TbnP49#!i=1508581668&k=nSzSZXq&lb=1&s=M

3.GSWR 60 (D14) 4-4-0 simple very fast 19th Century design some modernised by the GSR in the 1920s

http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/18279129_TbnP49#!i=1784579086&k=7g6fFsH&lb=1&s=M

4. MGWR K Class (GSR 650 G2) 2-4-0 one of the best Midland passenger/mixed traffic designs eqqually at home on DSER suburban services, Midland Mail Trains and Branch Line Services the last 2-4-0s in Europe

http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/18279129_TbnP49#!i=1744829685&k=KWqjJn2&lb=1&s=M

5. GSR/CIE KN2 2-6-0T The Tralee and Dingle Hunslets. Typical Hunslet design tough and extremly good steamers. The only engines that survived the Tralee and Dingle, West Clare and Cavan & Leitrim.

http://www.tdlr.org.uk/stock.htm

 

John

 

John

 

great reference pics john. the shot of the D4 class 346 oil burner ....possibilities of a future conversion? she looks fab!