Rail Transport in Ireland - Ireland Rolling Stock - B

Rail Transport in Ireland - B

Ireland Rolling Stock

Ireland Locomotives

Diesel traction is the sole form of motive power in both the IÉ and NIR networks, apart from the electrified Howth/Malahide-Greystones (DART) suburban route in Dublin. Apart from prototypes and a small number of shunting locomotives, the first major dieselisation programme in CIÉ commenced in the early 1950s with orders for 94 locomotives of two sizes (A and C classes) from Metropolitan-Vickers which were delivered from 1955, with a further twelve (B class) locomotives from Sulzer in the late 1950s.

Following poor reliability experience with the first generation diesel locomotives, in the 1960s a second dieselisation programme was undertaken with the introduction of sixty-four locomotives in three classes (121, 141 and 181) built by General Motors, of the United States. This programme, together with line closures, enabled CIÉ to re-eliminate steam traction in 1963, having previously done so on the CIÉ network prior to taking over its share of the Great Northern Railway. In parallel, NIR acquired three locomotives from Hunslet, of England, for Dublin-Belfast services. The Metropolitan-Vickers locomotives were re-engined by CIÉ in the early 1970s with General Motors engines.

The third generation of diesel traction in Ireland was the acquisition of eighteen locomotives from General Motors of 2475 h.p. output, designated the 071 class, in 1976. This marked a significant improvement in the traction power available to CIÉ and enabled the acceleration of express passenger services. NIR subsequently purchased three similar locomotives for Dublin-Belfast services, which was the first alignment of traction policies by CIÉ and NIR.

A fourth generation of diesels took the form of thirty-four locomotives, again from General Motors, which arrived in the early 1990s. This was a joint order by IÉ and NIR, with thirty-two locomotives for the former and two for the latter. They were again supplied by General Motors Electro-Motive Division.

IÉ designated their locomotives the GM 201 class, numbered 201 to 234 (the NIR locomotives were later prefixed with an 8). These locomotives are the most powerful diesels to run in Ireland, and are of 3200 horsepower (2.5 MW), which enabled further acceleration of express services. The NIR locomotives, although shipped in NIR livery, were repainted in 'Enterprise' livery, as were six of the IÉ locomotives.

The 071 class are now used on freight services. NIR's three similar locomotives are numbered 111, 112 and 113. There is seldom more than one of these serviceable at a time.

Ireland Multiple Units

NIR and IÉ both run suburban services using diesel multiple units (DMUs) - these are termed railcars in Ireland (see rail terminology).

Iarnród Éireann Railcars

• 2600 Class   Diesel multiple unit

Mallow-Cork-Cóbh
Mallow-Tralee (Sundays only)
Cóbh-Midleton
1993

• 2800 Class   Diesel multiple unit

Limerick-Waterford
Limerick shuttle
Limerick-Ennis
Limerick-Galway
Mallow-Tralee
Ballina-Manulla Junction
2000

• 29000 Class   Diesel multiple unit   DMU

Dublin-Maynooth
Dublin-Drogheda/Dundalk
Dublin-M3 Parkway
Dublin-Maynooth/Longford
Dublin-Rosslare Europort
2002-2005

• 22000 Class

Dublin-Newbridge/Kildare/Portlaoise
Dublin-Cork
Dublin-Maynooth/M3 Parkway/Longford/Sligo
Dublin-Rosslare/Galway/Westport
Dublin-Dundalk
Limerick shuttle
Tralee shuttle
2007-2012

IÉ DMUs operate all InterCity services apart from Dublin to Cork and Dublin to Belfast (one service per week from Dublin Connolly to Belfast and back is Railcar).

Rail Transport in Ireland Operation

Ireland Major Operators: Iarnród Éireann & NIR
Ireland Ridership: 50 million (Republic of Ireland, 2019)
15 million (Northern Ireland, 2017)
Ireland System Length:
Ireland Total: 2,733 km (1,698 mi)
Ireland Electrified: 53 km (33 mi)
Ireland Freight Only: 362 km (225 mi)
Ireland Track Gauge:
Ireland Main: 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in)
Ireland Electrification:
1500 V DC   DART in Dublin
Ireland No. Stations: 147