Steam locomotives of Ireland

A wide variety of steam locomotives have been used on Ireland's railways. This page lists all those that have been used in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Irish railways generally followed British practice in locomotive design.

The list that follows is roughly geographic (north to south) order.

1 Northern Ireland
- 1.1 Belfast and County Down Railway
- 1.2 Belfast and Northern Counties Railway (1848–1903) & Northern Counties Committee (1903–1949)
2 Cross-Border Lines
3 Irish Free State and Republic of Ireland
4 See also
5 References
6 External links

Northern Ireland

The Ulster Transport Authority, which controlled the railways in Northern Ireland between 1948 and 1966, replaced steam haulage on passenger trains with diesel multiple units, but had only two diesel shunting locomotives, which meant a continued role for steam on freight work. Twenty-three locomotives passed to Northern Ireland Railways in 1967, but most were not used again and all had been withdrawn by 1970.

Belfast and County Down Railway

Class 1
Class 4
Class 5
Class 6
Class 8
Class 9
Class 14
Class 22
Class 26
Class 29

Belfast and Northern Counties Railway (1848–1903) & Northern Counties Committee (1903–1949)

The Belfast and Northern Counties Railway (BNCR), was a railway that served the north-east of Ireland. It had its origins in the Belfast and Ballymena Railway that opened to traffic on 11 April 1848. The Northern Counties Committee came into existence on 1 July 1903 as the result of the Midland Railway taking over the BNCR. At the 1923 Grouping the Committee became part of the London Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS); with the nationalisation of the railways in Britain in 1948 the line passed to the British Transport Commission and in the following year, 1949, it was sold to the Ulster Transport Authority (UTA).

Belfast and Ballymena Railway (1848–1860) and other constituents

The early locomotives of the constituent companies were to assorted designs from a number of manufacturers. The first locomotives for the Belfast and Ballymena Railway were purchased from Bury, Curtis, and Kennedy. These were four 2-2-2 singles and one 0-4-2 goods engine. Later, four more 2-2-2s were ordered but this time from Sharp Brothers. Fairbairn 2-2-2s were to be found on the Ballymena Ballymena, Ballymoney, Coleraine and Portrush Junction Railway but this company also favoured Sharp locomotives which were double framed 2-4-0s.

Belfast and Northern Counties Railway (1860–1903)

The BNCR introduced class letters for its locomotive stock in 1897. The MR (NCC) and later the LMS (NCC) continued to use the system adding new classes as required.

Class A (13) 4-4-0 Heavy compound locomotives
Class B (5) 4-4-0 Light compound locomotives
Class C 2-4-0 Light compound locomotives
Class D 4-4-0 Heavy compound locomotives
Class E 0-6-0 Compound goods locomotives
Class F 2-4-0
Class G 2-4-0
Class H 2-4-0
Class I 2-4-0
Class J (4) 2-4-0ST locomotives
Class K 0-6-0
Class L 0-6-0
Class M
Class N (2) 0-4-0ST
Class O Narrow gauge locomotives
Class P Narrow gauge locomotives
Class Q Narrow gauge locomotives
Class R Narrow gauge locomotive
Class S (6) 2-4-2T narrow gauge compound locomotives

Northern Counties Committee (1903–1949)

Class A1 (9) 4-4-0 locomotives
Class B1 4-4-0 Compounds
Class B2 4-4-0
Class B3 (5) 4-4-0 locomotives
Class D1
Class E1 0-6-0 Compound goods locomotives
Class F1
Class K1 0-6-0
Class L1 0-6-0
Class S1 (2) 2-4-2T narrow gauge compound locomotives: numbers 101–102 (renumbered 41–42)
Class S2 (1) 2-4-4T narrow gauge compound locomotive number 110
Class T Railmotor units
Class T Narrow gauge locomotives
Class U 4-4-0
Class U1
Class U2 (18) 4-4-0 locomotives: numbers 70–87
Class V
Class W
Class WT (20) 2-6-4T locomotives: numbers 1–10, 50–57
Class X (Diesel shunter)
Class Y (2) 0-6-0T locomotives: numbers 18–19

Cross-Border Lines

County Donegal Railway

914 mm (3 ft)
- (later County Donegal Railways Joint Committee)
Class 4
Class 5
Class 5a

Dundalk, Newry and Greenore Railway

Numbers 1-6

Great Northern Railway

The Great Northern Railway (Ireland) straddled the border between the Republic and Northern Ireland, and so was not incorporated in either the CIE or UTA. However, mounting losses saw the network purchased jointly by the Irish and British governments on 1 September 1953. It was run as a joint board, independent of the CIE and UTA, until 30 September 1958 when it was dissolved and the remaining stock split equally between the two railways.

J.C. Park (1881–1895)

Class A
Class AL
Class P

Charles Clifford (1895–1912)

Class JT
Class PG
Class PP
Class Q
Class QG
Class QGTs
Class QGT2
Class QL
Class QLG
Class QNG
Class RT
Class S and S2
Class SG and SG2

G.T. Glover (1912–1933)

Class SG3
Class T1
Class T2
Class U: Numbers 196-205
Class V: Numbers: 83-87

G.B. Howden (1933–1939)

H.R. McIntosh (1939–1953)

Class UG: Numbers 78-82, 145-149
Class VS: Numbers 206-210

Belfast Central Railway (to 1885)

Class BT

Londonderry and Lough Swilly Railway

Class 2
Class 5
Class 8
Class 10
Class 12
Class 15

Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties Railway

Glencar Class
Leitrim Class
Lough Class
Sir Henry Class

Irish Free State and Republic of Ireland

The railways wholly in the Irish Free State were merged into one private company — Great Southern Railways — in 1925. The GSR renumbered all the broad gauge locomotives in to one series with the former Great Southern and Western Railway locomotives retaining their old number. The GSR had two parallel classification systems – a numerical system which was the lowest number of a locomotive in that class, and an alpha-numrical which used a letter to indicate the wheel arrangement, and a number, with the lowest number given to the most powerful class with that wheel arrangement. The latter system was only used by Inchicore Works for accounting purposes, while the former was used by locomotive crews and the drawing office at Inchicore Works.

Letter	Wheel Arrangement	Letter	Wheel Arrangement	Letter	Wheel Arrangement
A	4-8-0	F	2-4-2	K	2-6-0
B	4-6-0	G	2-4-0	L	0-4-2
C	4-4-2	H	0-6-4	M	0-4-0
D	4-4-0	I	0-6-2	N	2-2-2
E	0-4-4	J	0-6-0	P	2-6-2

Note that narrow gauge locomotive classes included the letter N after the prefix letter, letter C was also used for Bo-Bo diesels, and that letters B, C, D, F, J, and K were used for the same wheel arrangements by the London and North Eastern Railway, while E and G changed places.

In 1945, the GSR became part of Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ), which was then nationalised. CIÉ settled on a policy of replacing steam with diesel locomotives, a process that was completed in 1962.

Midland Great Western Railway (1847–1924)

M. Atock (1872–1901)

MGWR Class D – GSR Class 530 or Class D16
MGWR Class E – GSR Class 551 or Class J26
MGWR Class H – GSR Class 619 or Class J6
MGWR Class K – GSR Class 650 or Class G2
MGWR Classes L and Lm – GSR Classes 573 and 594, Classes J18 and J19
MGWR Class Ln – GSR Class 563 or Class J16
MGWR Class P – GSR Class 614 or Class J10
MGWR Class W – GSR Class 234 or Class J17

E. Cusack (1901–1915)

MGWR Classes A, As and A1 – GSR class 545 or Class D5
MGWR Class B – GSR Class 646 or Class J2
MGWR Classes C and Cs – GSR Class 536 or Class D7
MGWR Classes C and C1 – GSR Class 540 or Class D6

W.H. Morton (1915–1924)

MGWR Classes F, Fa, and Fb – GSR Class 623 or Class J5

Great Southern and Western Railway (1845–1924)

Alexander McDonnell (1864–1883)

GS&WR Class 2 – GSR Class 2 or Class D19
GS&WR Class 21 – GSR Class 21 or Class G4
GS&WR Class 47 – GSR Class 47 or Class E3
GS&WR Class 90 – GSR Class 90 or Class J30
GS&WR Class 91 – GSR Class 91 or Class J29
GS&WR Class 92 – GSR Class 92 or Class H2
GS&WR Class 101 – GSR Class 101 or Class J15
GS&WR Class 203 – GSR Class 203 or Class H1
GS&WR Class 204 – GSR Class 204 or Class J12
GS&WR Class Sprite – GSR Class Sprite or Classes L4 and L5

J.A.F. Aspinall (1883–1886)

GS&WR Class 52 – GSR Class 52 or Class D17
GS&WR Class 60 – GSR Class 60 or Class D14

H.A. Ivatt (1886–1896)

GS&WR Class 33 – GSR Class 33 or Class F6
GS&WR Class 37 – GSR Class 37 or Class C7
GS&WR Class 201 – GSR Class 201 or Class J11
GS&WR Jumbo – GSR Class Jumbo or Class J13

R. Coey (1896–1911)

GS&WR Class 27 – GSR Class 27 or Class C4
GS&WR Class 211 – GSR Class 211 or Class J3
GS&WR Class 213 – GSR Class 213 or Class I1
GS&WR Class 301 – GSR Class 301 or Class D11
GS&WR Class 305 – GSR Class 305 or Class D12
GS&WR Class 309 – GSR Class 309 or Classes D3 and D10
GS&WR Class 321 – GSR Class 321 or Classes D2, D3, and D4
GS&WR Class 333 – GSR Class 333 or Classes D2, D3, D4, and D4a
GS&WR Class 341 – GSR Class 341 or Class D1
GS&WR Class 351 – GSR Class 351 or Class J9
GS&WR Class 355 – GSR Class 355 or Class K3
GS&WR Class 362 – GSR Class 362 or Class B3 – "Long Toms"
GS&WR Class 368 – GSR Class 368 or Class K4

R.E.L. Maunsell (1911–1913)

GS&WR Class 257 – GSR Class 257 or Class J4
GS&WR Sambo – GSR Class Sambo or Class L2

E.A. Watson (1913–1922)

GS&WR Class 900 – GSR Class 900 or Class A1
GS&WR Class 400 – GSR Class 400 or Classes B2 & B2a

J.R. Bazin (1922–1924)

GS&WR Class 500 – GSR Class 500 or Class B1

Waterford & Limerick Railway

The Waterford and Limerick Railway changed its name to Waterford, Limerick and Western Railway in 1896. It was acquired by the Great Southern and Western Railway in 1900; by which time all but one of its locomotive fleet had been designed by Robinson.

WLR 29 – GS&WR Class 228 – GSR Class 228 (0-4-0ST)

J.G. Robinson (1888–1900)^[1]

Year	Type	Nos.	GSWR Class	GSWR Nos.	GSR Class	Inchicore Class	Withdrawn	Notes
1888–93	0-6-0	WLR 5 to 7	224	224 to 226	—	—	1905–1909
1889–94	2-4-0	WLR 10, 22, 20, 23, 43, 44, 47, and 48	276	263, 275, 273, 276, 290 to 293	276	G3	1907–1959
1891	2-4-2T	WLR 13 and 14	266	226 and 227	267 491	F4 F5	1933–1935	226 sold to CMDR 6 in 1913; to GSR 491 in 1925
1892	0-4-2T	WLR 3	260	260	—	—	1912
1893	0-6-0	WLR 45, 46, 49, and 50	233	233 to 236	235	J22	1911–1951
1894	0-4-4T	WLR 15	268	268	—	—	1912
1895	0-4-4T	WLR 51 and 52	294	294 and 295	295	E2	1910–1954
1896–97	4-4-2T	WLWR 16 to 18, and 21	269	269 to 271, 274	269	C5	1949–1957
1896–97	4-4-0	WLWR 53 to 55	296	296 to 298	296	D15	1928–1949
1897	0-6-0	WLWR 56 to 58	237	237 to 239	222	J25	1934–1951
1899	0-4-4T	WLWR 27	279	279	279	E1	1953
1900	0-6-0	WLWR 2, 4, 11	222	222,	222	J25	1929–1950	4 and 11 sold before delivery to MGWR 141 and 142

Dublin and South Eastern Railway (1854–1924)

J. Wakefield (1865–1882)

DSER 24, 25, 32, and 33 – GSR Class 422 or Class G7

W. Wakefield (1882–1894)

DSER 52 to 54 – GSR Class 458 or Class C3
DSER 3, 10, 11, 28, 45, 46 – GSR Class 428 or Class F2
DSER 1, 2, 6, 7, 9, 10, 28, 44 to 47, and 49 – GSR Class 423 or Class G1
DSER 50 and 51 – GSR Class 447 or Class J7
DSER 42 to 44 – No GSR class

T. Grierson (1894–1897)

DSER 55 to 58 – GSR Class 450 or Class D9

R. Cronin (1897–1917)

DSER 20, 34, and 35 – GSR Class 455 or Class C2
DSER 65 and 66 – GSR Class 454 or Class D8
DSER 8, 12, 27, 29, 30, 40 – GSR Class 434 or Class F1
DSER 4 and 5 – GSR Class 448 or Class J1
DSER 13, 14, 18, 65, and 66 – GSR Class 442 or Class J8
DSER 17 – GSR Class 440 or Class J20
DSER 18 – GSR Class 441 or Class J14
DSER 69 and 70 – GSR Class Imp or Class M1, later Class M2

G.H. Wild (1917–1924)

DSER 15 and 16 – GSR Class 461 or Class K2

Cork, Bandon and South Coast Railway (to 1924)

CBSCR 2–4–0T – GSR Class 482 or Class G6
CBSCR 4–4–0T – most rebuilt as 4–4–2T – GSR Class 479 or Class C6
CBSCR 0-6-0ST – GSR Classes 472, 474 and 475 or Classes J24, J23 and J21
CBSCR Bandon Tank – GSR Class 463 or Class B4

Minor broad gauge railways

Waterford and Tramore Railway

WTR Nos. 1 and 2 – GSR Class 483 or N1
WTR No. 3 – GSR Class 485 or L3
WTR No. 4 – GSR Class 486 or L1

Cork and Macroom Direct Railway

CMDR Nos. 2–4 – GSR Class 487 or G5
CMDR No. 5 – GSR Class 490 or I2
CMDR No. 6 – GSR Class 491 or F5

Timoleague and Courtmacsherry Light Railway

TCLR Argadeen – GSR Class K5
TCLR St. Molaga – GSR Class L6

Narrow gauge railways

Cavan and Leitrim Railway (to 1924)

CLR 1 to 8 — GSR Class 1L or Class DN2
CLR 9 – GSR Class 9L or HN1

Cork, Blackrock and Passage Railway (to 1924)

CBPR 1 to 3 – Broad gauge 2-2-2WT
CBPR 4 to 7 – GSR Class 4P or Class FN1, later Class 10L

Cork and Muskerry Light Railway (to 1924)

CMLR 1 to 3 – GSR Class 1K or Class DN6
CMLR 4 and 5 – GSR Class 5K or Class EN1, later Class 6S
CMLR 7 – GSR Class 7K or DN3
CMLR 8 – GSR Class 8K or DN7

Schull and Skibbereen Railway (to 1924)

SSLR 1 to 3 – GSR Class 2S or Class MN1
SSLR 4 – GSR Class 4S or Class DN5
SSLR 1 and 3 – GSR Class 1S or Class DN4

Tralee and Dingle Light Railway (to 1924)

TDLR 1 to 3, 6, and 8 – GSR Class 1T or Class KN2
TDLR 5 – GSR Class 5T or Class PN2
TDLR 7 and 8 – GSR Class 4T or Class KN1

West Clare Railway (to 1924)

WCR 5 to 7 – GSR Class 5C or Class IN1
WCR 2, 4, 8, and 9 – GSR Class 2C or Class PN1
WCR 10 – GSR Class 10C or Class BN1
WCR 11 – GSR Class 11C or Class BN2
WCR 1 – GSR Class 1C or Class BN3
WCR 3 and 7 – GSR Class 3C or Class BN4

Great Southern Railway (1925–1944) and Córas Iompair Éireann (from 1945)

J.R. Bazin (1925–1929)

GSR Class 372 – also Class K1: Numbers 372–391 (R.E.L. Maunsell, imported in 1924)
GSR Class 280 – also Class M1 (previous Class M1 became Class M2): numbers 280–281
GSR Class 700 – also Class J15a: Numbers 700–704
GSR Class 850 – also Class P1: Number 850

W.H. Morton (1929–1932)

GSR Class 393 – also Class K1a: Numbers 393–398 (R.E.L. Maunsell, imported in 1924)
GSR Class 495 – also Class M3: Number 495

A.W. Harty (1932–1937)

GSR Class 670 – also Class I3: Numbers 670–674
GSR Class 710 – also Class J15b: Numbers 710–719

Edgar Craven Bredin(1937–1942)

GSR Class 800 – also Class B1a: Numbers 800–802

M.J. Ginnetty (1942–1944)

C.F. Tyndall (1944–1951)

CIÉ Class C2a: Numbers 1100–1101 (Mainline diesels)
CIÉ Class J1a: Numbers 1000–1004 (Diesel shunters)

O.V.S Bulleid (1951–1958)

CIÉ No.CC1 Turf burning locomotive

References

^ Haresnape & Rowledge (1982), pp. 17–27

Clements, Jeremy & McMahon, Michael (2008). Locomotives of the GSR. Newtonards, County Down: Colourpoint Books. ISBN 978-1-906578-26-8.
Haresnape, Brian; Rowledge, Peter (1982). Robinson Locomotives, a pictorial history. Shepperton, Surrey: Ian Allan Limited. ISBN 0-7110-1151-6.

External links

Steam locomotives of Ireland

Belfast and County Down Railway (1846–1948)	1 4 5 6 8 9 14 22 26 29

Belfast and Northern Counties Railway (1860–1903)	A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S

Northern Counties Committee (1903–1949)	A1 B1 B2 B3 D1 E1 F1 K1 L1 S1 S2 U U1 U2 V W WT Y

Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties Railway (1875–1957)	Erne Faugh-a-Ballagh Glencar Leitrim Lough Pioneer Sir Henry Waterford

Great Northern Railway (1876–1958)	A AL P JT PG PP Q QG QGTs QGT2 QL QLG QNG RT S & S2 SG & SG2 SG3 T1 T2 U V UG VS

Dublin and South Eastern Railway (1854–1924)	24, 25, 32, 33 52–54 3, 10, 11, 28, 45, 46 1, 2, 6, 7, 9, 10, 28, 44–47, 49 50, 51 42–44 55–58 20, 34, 35 65, 66 8, 12, 27, 29, 30, 40 4, 5 13, 14, 18, 65, 66 17 18 69, 70 15, 16

Midland Great Western Railway (1847–1924)	D E H K L & Lm Ln P W A, As & A1 B C & Cs C & C1 F, Fa & Fb

Great Southern and Western Railway (1845–1924)	2 21 47 90 91 92 101 203 204 52 60 33 37 201 27 211 213 301 305 309 321 333 341 351 355 362 368 257 400 900 500 Sprite Jumbo Sambo

Great Southern Railways (1925–1944)	280 372 393 700 850 495 670 710 342 800

Córas Iompair Éireann (1945–1962)	Turf Burner No. CC1