Irish Railway Record Society

LOCOMOTIVES

121-Class No. 124 returned to service in September after attention in Inchicore Works to traction motor problems. Both it and 134 were in regular service throughout autumn and winter, generally paired with a 141/181-class.

141/181-Class Locomotive 170 was damaged in a fire in the engine compartment in Limerick and brought to Inchicore Works for storage. Locomotive 162 was returned to service in December after several months storage in Inchicore.

071-class Overhauls continue in Inchicore, with 086 returned to traffic at the end of November.

On Tuesday 20 November, standby locomotive 077 failed to start in Athlone. Another 071-class worked from Inchicore to take over standby duties. It towed 124, which in turn, towed the dead 077 back to Inchicore.

DIESEL RAILCARS

22000-Class (Rotem) Deliveries continued throughout the autumn and winter. Sets 22009 and 22012 were delivered through Dublin Port on 14 August and all subsequent deliveries have been through Belview Port, Waterford. Sets 22014-15 were delivered in September and sets 22013 and 22016-24 were delivered in November. All were subsequently hauled to Limerick, with some lying over in Limerick Junction for a time. On Monday 3 November 175 hauled 2 x 3-car sets from Waterford to Limerick Junction, departing at 10:45 with 169 hauling two more sets at 17:00.

Testing mainly took place on the Dublin-Cork line, with trains based in Limerick. Testing and driver training also took place on the Dublin-Sligo, Dublin-Dundalk and Dublin-Rosslare lines. Deliveries of 6-car sets are due this Spring.

On Thursday 8 November, set 22009 worked a 09:15 Connolly-Rosslare Strand test train in connection with ride comfort trials south of Enniscorthy. It was observed at Merrion Gates at 17:50 on its return.

Route clearance continues to expand. On Monday 15 October, 080 was noted passing Clonsilla at 10:10 hauling a new 22000-class railcar from Longford to Connolly. The class had been cleared on the following lines by December:

After a prolonged approval process the first of the new railcars entered service on Wednesday 19 December on the 11:05 Connolly-Sligo and 14:55 Sligo-Connolly using sets 22006 + 22002. These were described as ‘in-service trials’. A second pair entered service on Thursday 3 January when 22007 + 22005 worked the 14:15 Limerick–Heuston and 17:25 return. A third pair, 22003 + 22004, entered service on the 19:05 Connolly-Sligo on Wednesday 9 January.

The set number is now indicated on the front of the vehicle in simplified form e.g. 6.

Passenger reaction to the new trains has been very favourable, in particular regarding passenger accommodation and ride comfort. There has been some criticism of the lack of bicycle space -- two per train. A Fáilte Ireland spokeswoman said that they would be meeting IÉ to express its concerns. ‘We see it as a crucial link for cycling tourism and we're working hard to come to some kind of arrangement’.

2600 & 2700-classes The mixed set 2609+2716 remains in service in the Cork area. The 2700-class has been worked through Inchicore Works to have their wheel bearings renewed.

29000-class The blended brake was removed from the fleet commencing 17 December. Each vehicle has a motor (powered) and a trailer (un-powered) bogie. The blended brake uses a combination of brake disc application and hydrodynamic braking from the Voith transmission --- the latter is the cause of the main engine revving up when the train is braking. It was causing excessive wear to the motor bogie brake pads as the first 50% of the brake effort is provided by the motor bogie only. The trailer bogie provides the additional brake effort above 50%. When the blended brake is isolated the braking is shared equally between motor and trailer bogies and there is no reduction in braking performance.

New Trains Related to the advertisement for new electric and diesels multiple units in July (See JOURNAL 164), IÉ advertised for legal advisers ‘to provide specific legal services (incorporating advice, drafting and review of documentation, furnishing expert legal opinion and attending meetings in Ireland)’.

Copyright © 2008 by Irish Railway Record Society Limited
Revised: March 31, 2008 .