1st generation Donegal diesels at Malahide

[jhb171achill]

Donegal “Phoenix” and railcars repose in retirement as the “Enterprise” passes through Malahide this afternoon.

 

[NIR]

Those early railcars look completely nuts.

[jhb171achill]

26 minutes ago, NIR said:

Those early railcars look completely nuts.

I suppose we all have to start somewhere!

The too one, No. 7, was one of a pair which as far as can be ascertained were the first DIESEL-powered passenger carrying rail vehicles in the world.....

Indeed, odd they looked, and even odder to the people of Donegal in 1931! But they are arguably the ancestors of every diesel railcar (or DMU, as our cross-channel neighbours would have it) in the world.

Meanwhile, the Tara passed Malahide today, and a Mk 4 set likewise (again, he’s got lost and is asking the Enterprise driver for directions to Limerick Junction, where the once-annually Limerick Junction to Waterford train awaits.....)

[Galteemore]

Another pioneering Irish contribution,  like the eco-friendly hydro-electric Giants Causeway tram, and the Drumm system. Unfortunately the major Irish contribution to steam power was maritime rather than railway related! https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turbinia 

Edited July 16, 2020 by Galteemore

[jhb171achill]

2 hours ago, Galteemore said:

Another pioneering Irish contribution,  like the eco-friendly hydro-electric Giants Causeway tram, and the Drumm system. Unfortunately the major Irish contribution to steam power was maritime rather than railway related! https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turbinia 

....................and "Maedb"!

[airfixfan]

Correct Railcar 7 of the CDR was the first purpose built passenger diesel Railcar in the British Isles. Without their pioneering development in the use of railcars the CDR would not have lasted as long as it did until 1960.

[DiveController]

On 7/16/2020 at 3:25 PM, NIR said:

Those early railcars look completely nuts.

All the same, it apparently did about 300,000 miles on the CVR and was still going strong when the line closed in 1941/2 

Edited August 6, 2020 by DiveController

[josefstadt]

To be pedantic, the shunting loco was steam-powered when on the Clogher Valley and was only fitted with a diesel engine when bought by the Donegal in 1931.

[airfixfan]

Railcar 7 was the first purpose built diesel Railcar in the British Isles. Phoenix converted to a diesel after purchase by the CDR after the CVR closed in 1942. CVR railcar was built in 1932 and bought by CDR in 1942 and became CDR Railcar 10 and is preserved at Cultra wirh Phoenix.

 

[josefstadt]

2 hours ago, airfixfan said:

Phoenix converted to a diesel after purchase by the CDR after the CVR closed in 1942.

 

The Atkinson-Walker steam tractor (un-numbered in its Clogher Valley days) did not survive on the CVR until that line's closure in1942. It was bought by Henry Forbes for the County Donegal Railways Joint Committee in 1931 and was sent to Dundalk for rebuilding in February 1932. The locomotive was ready for trials on the Donegal's lines at the end of December 1932. Although the locomotive, numbered No. 11 and given the name 'Phoenix' by the CDRJC, did not prove to be an unqualified success, it was useful as a shunter and accumulated over 204,000 miles in service up to the end of railway operations on the CDRJC.

What the CDRJC bought in 1942 were  railcar No. 1 (later CDRJC No. 10) and a diesel tractor No. 2, the latter without its engine. The tractor consisted of a cab, which was similar to that on the railcar, and behind this an open wagon body. Unlike the railcar, the tractor was not articulated. The cab of the tractor was used to replace that of the railcar after the latter was damaged in a collision at Strabane.

[airfixfan]

My mistake meant 1932 not 1942 and did not enter service until Jan 1933

 After closure of the CDR Phoenix was used to lift the line from Lifford only to Strabane. Only believed that story when I acquired a photo of that recently