GS&WR Class 90

Great Southern & Western Railway
Class 90
Power type Steam
Builder Inchicore Works
Build date 1875, 1890
Total produced 4
Configuration 0-6-0T
UIC classification C t
Gauge 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm)
Driver diameter 3 ft 8 12 in (1.130 m)
Axle load 7 tons 18 cwt (17,700 lb or 8.0 t)
Locomotive weight 23 tons 8 cwt (52,400 lb or 23.8 t)
Fuel type Coal
Boiler pressure 150 psi (1.03 MPa)
Firegrate area 10 sq ft (0.93 m2)
Heating surface:
Tubes
310 sq ft (29 m2)
Heating surface:
Firebox
52 sq ft (4.8 m2)
Cylinders Two, inside
Cylinder size 10 × 18 in (254 × 457 mm)
Tractive effort 5,160 lbf (22.95 kN)
Career GW&SR, GSR, CIÉ
Class GS&WR: 90
GSR/CIÉ: 90 or J30
Locale Ireland
Withdrawn 1930–1959
Preserved No. 90
Disposition One preserved, three scrapped

The Great Southern and Western Railway Class 90 is a class of 0-6-0T steam locomotive. They were one of the smallest steam locomotives to be inherited by the CIÉ on its formation.

Contents

History

In 1875 Inchicore Works outshopped two railmotors, steam locomotives with a carriage on the same chassis, for working the Castleisland and Gortatlea Light Railway. In 1890 one of the railmotors was rebuilt, removing the carriage portion and leaving the locomotive as a small and light 0-6-0T. The other followed the example. The two examples were numbered 90 and 100 and were put to work in the Cork area. Unusually the locomotives had their centre driving wheel flangeless giving them great capabilities of working over tight radius tracks. Regular work was found shunting along the quayside at Cork and working car trains from the Ford works to Rocksavage yard. In the summer months both locomotives were coupled together to work the excursion trains on the lightly laid Timoleague and Courtmacsherry Light Railway. Also in 1890 the class was enlarged, Inchicore building two further examples for use on the Fermoy to Mitchelstown branch and two for the Kingsbridge to Inchicore branch, which they worked until 1945. Over the years several detail changes were made, one of the most noticeable being the chimney which originally had a pronounced taper from base to apex. This was replaced with a parallel version with a distinct lip.

Dimensions

Livery

As locomotives they were painted in green with black and white lining, numbers were large, yellow, shaded white and blue. Under the Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ) they were painted black with large yellow numbers on the tank side.

Preservation

One example, No. 90, was preserved for many years as a static exhibit at Mallow. This was painted in the green livery, as detailed above, but a cast number plate with black numerals on a silver background (not original) has replaced the painted numbers. After a brief spell in the CIÉ workshops at Inchicore No. 90 was removed to the workshops of the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland at Whitehead in 2005, to undergo restoration. The locomotive was back in steam by November 2006 and is expected to work at the Downpatrick Railway Museum in the 2007 season.

References

See also

External links