Multiple units of Ireland

A wide variety of diesel and electric multiple units have been used on Ireland's railways. This page lists all those that have been used. Except with the NIR 3000 class the numbers given by each class in the lists below are those allocated to the coaches that make up the units in that class, otherwise unit numbers are not used in Ireland.

Ireland

2751 at Limerick Colbert
8106/8306 at the level crossing at Bray

Córas Iompair Éireann (CIE), which controlled the Republic's railways between 1945 and 1986, mainly used locomotives and hauled stock for its passenger trains. What diesel multiple unit cars it did have were numbered in the 26xx series. Since 1987, Iarnród Éireann (IE) has been increasing the use of this type of train, to replace older locomotives and carriages. The only electrified railway network in Ireland is the Dublin Area Rapid Transit (DART) system, in addition to the Luas which runs on a separate network. Its fleet of electric multiple units are numbered in the 8xxx series.

Diesel Multiple Units

Class Manufacturer In service Withdrawn Image
2600 Class (I) AEC 1951–1986 1986,
80 Class BREL 1987–1990
Hired from NIR		1990
2600 Class (II) Tokyu Car Corporation 1993–present
2700 Class GEC Alsthom 1998–2012 2012
2750 Class GEC Alsthom 1998–2012 2012
2800 Class Tokyu Car Corporation 2000–present
29000 Class CAF 2002–present
22000 Class Rotem 2006–present

Electric Multiple Units

Class Manufacturer In service Withdrawn Image
8100 Class Linke-Hofmann-Busch 1984–present
8200 Class GEC Alsthom 2000–2008 2008
8500 Class Tokyu Car Corporation 2000–present
8510 Class Tokyu Car Corporation 2001–present
8520 Class Tokyu Car Corporation 2004–present

Northern Ireland

3005 stands at Belfast Central

The majority of passenger services in Northern Ireland have been operated by diesel multiple units since the mid-1950s (the major exception being the locomotive-hauled Enterprise service between Belfast and Dublin), under the tenure of both the Ulster Transport Authority (1948–1966) and Northern Ireland Railways (since 1967). From 2001, all items of rolling stock in use on NIR had 8000 added to their number so as to be part of the Translink number series, which incorporates their road vehicles. The new 3000 Class stock are the first multiple units to be numbered from new in the Translink series. NIR will purchase an additional 20 new trains for entry into service in 2011.

Class Manufacturer Number Built In Service Withdrawn Image
AEC Class UTA Works 1951
1958 		1968
1972
MED Class UTA Works 14 x 3-car sets 1952 1978
MPD Class UTA Works 2 x 5-car sets
10 × 3 car sets 		1958 1981
70 Class UTA Works 8 x 3-car sets 1966 1986
80 Class BREL 22 x 2/3-car sets 1974 2012
RB3 BREL/Leyland 1 x single car 1983 1989
450 Class BREL 9 x 3-car sets 1985 2012
3000 Class CAF 23 x 3-car sets 2005
4000 Class CAF 20 x 3/4-car sets 2011

Great Northern Railway (Ireland)

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.

See also

External links