Mark III Driving Trailers

[Sulzer201]

I had to do a botched repair on a buffer on my MK III DVT/Control Car. Got me thinking about these very unique vehicles and the great skill and ingenuity of the Inchicore workforce in adapting them for service as push/pull trains. In his book 'Irish Railway Rambler', Michael McMahon observes that five of these were built as 'Driving Brake Generator Second Class', better known as Control Cars. They had full width cabs with underfloor Cummins generators for on-board train services. Also a novel idea to have power generated underneath the coach (akin to practice in the USA), then I got to thinking, imagine if they had converted more of them up to full speed standard to work with push/pull fitted 071s! It would have made for some interesting sights and sounds and cut out the need for running around at the likes of Hueston and Kent stations on the top link workings. Initally the push/pulls were probably underpowered with the single 121 (still a great idea and lovely comfortable trains), from the mid 90s they got superpower in the shape of the 201s. Has any of these wonderful vehicles been preserved?

 

 

 

 

[Junctionmad]

want it the case that EU specifications on high(er) speed DVTs made that option untenable ?

[Mayner]

IE originally planned to build a fleet of MK3 diesel-electric railcars for use on suburban and secondary lines in addition to the 124 MK3 main line coaches currenty authorised.

 

The MK3 push-pull sets were designed to replace the Park Royal coaches on Northern Suburban services and the MK3 main line fleet capped at 99? coaches when the Government refused to authorise the building of the railcars or additional coaches beyond the 5 Driving Cars.

 

Interestingly the driving cars were designed to be retrofitted with a generator set and 3 phase traction motors hence the fitting of EMU bogies.

 

IE had an acute loco shortage at the time, the 121s fitted with 645 engines from scrapped B201 class fitted the bill, though a 6 coach push pull set was pushing it.

 

At the time (late 80s) IE may have hoped to get funding for additional railcars, the situation had changed by the early 90s when manufacturing jobs was less of an issue and Government procurement was opened up to meet EU requirements.

Edited February 24, 2017 by Mayner

[Sulzer201]

want it the case that EU specifications on high(er) speed DVTs made that option untenable ?

 

That could well be the case? Some EU regulations may have came into force following the serious crash at Polmont, Scotland in the mid 80s.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polmont_rail_accident

[Sulzer201]

IE originally planned to build a fleet of MK3 diesel-electric railcars for use on suburban and secondary lines in addition to the 124 MK3 main line coaches currenty authorised.

 

The MK3 push-pull sets were designed to replace the Park Royal coaches on Northern Suburban services and the MK3 main line fleet capped at 99? coaches when the Government refused to authorise the building of the railcars or additional coaches beyond the 5 Driving Cars.

 

Interestingly the driving cars were designed to be retrofitted with a generator set and 3 phase traction motors hence the fitting of EMU bogies.

 

IE had an acute loco shortage at the time, the 121s fitted with 645 engines from scrapped B201 class fitted the bill, though a 6 coach push pull set was pushing it.

 

At the time (late 80s) IE may have hoped to get funding for additional railcars, the situation had changed by the early 90s when manufacturing jobs was less of an issue and Government procurement was opened up to meet EU requirements.

 

Thanks John and most informative and interesting points there. I remember 121 operated push pulls on Sunday services on the Rosslare line back in the early 90s and they did often struggle on that route. I also remember one absolutely flying down the Rathdrum Bank. Interesting use of limited resources at the time and they made do with what they had. A far cry from the I.E. scene today with one of the most modern train fleets in Europe.

[Mayner]

That could well be the case? Some EU regulations may have came into force following the serious crash at Polmont, Scotland in the mid 80s.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polmont_rail_accident

 

BR retrofitted the MK2 cars used with the Glasgow-Edinburgh push pull sets with heavy steel cow catchers similar to those used by CIE/IE on the Park Royal & MK3 push pull control cars.

 

Some of the Irish MK3 push pull sets were used in Intercity services when the sets were displaced from Pearse-Drogheda services following the arrival of the 2700 Class railcars. Push-pull control cars used on Intercity services were retrofitted with standard MK 3 bogies with a max permitted speed of 90mph hauled and 70mph propelled.

 

An 071 hauled set was used on the Sunday afternoon Longford-Connolly service, the train was hauled in both directions as the 141/181 & 071 class were not fitted with door controls.

 

The construction of the MK3s was the end of an era in Ireland & the UK when government owned railways were expected to train engineering apprentices for private sector industry. All this changed in the 1990 with the shift to overseas manufacture and the railways focusing on running passenger trains & property development.