Irish Railway Record Society

Journal 169 - LOCOMOTIVES  

141/181-Class 187 was cut up in Inchicore on Tuesday 24 February. It had been running one week previously. The sole remaining 181-class was 190, which was a works pilot in Inchicore. 167 was used on the Inchicore-Heuston staff shuttle, known as the “taxi”, on 20 April, but was taken out of service and placed in the scrap road the following day. This left 141, 142, 144, 146, 147, 152, 162, 171, 175, 177, and 190 in service.

On Sunday 18 January 2009, 171 passed south through Raheny at 13:13, hauling failed Enterprise locomotive 207 from Belfast to Dublin Connolly and Inchicore Works.

On Monday 26 January, observations noted 141, 142 (with 2 oil wagons), 144 and 177 in Limerick; 147+162 at Portlaoise; 187 and 190 on pilot duties at Heuston; 167 on pilot duties at Inchicore; 171 on pilot duties at Connolly.

On Monday 2 March, 167 was the Heuston pilot, with 175 on the Inchicore-Heuston ‘taxi’.

On Saturday 7 March, 146 and 167 were on pilot duties at Dublin Heuston in the afternoon, while 171 was on the ‘taxi’. 175 was the Connolly pilot.

On Tuesday 10 March, 171 was Heuston pilot and 146 was the Inchicore-Heuston “taxi”.

On Friday 20 March, 175 was the Connolly pilot, while 146 was the Heuston pilot at 15:40.  Nos. 141, 167 and 190 (pilot) were at Inchicore.

On Tuesday 31 March, 146 was in the ‘wash road’ in Connolly at 17:22 coupled to failed 228. It departed shortly thereafter for Inchicore Works. 146 was on pilot duties at Heuston.

On Saturday 4 April, 167 and 175 did spells as Heuston pilots; 077 was the Inchicore-Heuston “taxi”; and 146 was the Connolly pilot.

Revenue duties continue to be Kilmastulla-Mungert (Limerick) shale trains, pilot duties and Departmental trains.

071-class 083 returned to service in March. Its place was taken by 072, which was undergoing fitting of the Teloc event recorder in the Ramps in Inchicore during March. Mid-March saw many 071s out of traffic for checks on their bogie frames, but they were quickly returned to service.

201-Class Further locomotives of the first series of 201s have been stored in Inchicore as the need for them reduces with the introduction of InterCity Railcars (ICRs). These are from the series 201-205 and 210-214, which are not fitted with Buckeye or Dellner couplers for working push-pull services. In January, 203 was stored in serviceable condition alongside 201 and 202. Locomotive 210 was stored following its failure on the 18:25 Dublin-Waterford on Friday 30 January. It had been giving some trouble in the preceding week. Its bogies were transferred to 223. In January, 211 and 213 were stored awaiting new wheels.

204 was also stored for a short period, but returned to service on 14 March after the recommencement of Limerick-Waterford cement trains. On Saturday 14 March it passed light-engine through Muine Bheag at 14:22 en route to Waterford.

205 was also taken out of service, but returned for a short period when 071-class were having bogie frame checks.

The following were stored in mid-April: 201, 202, 203, 205, 210, 211 and 213. Some had not worked since autumn 2008. Orange liveried 204, 212 and 214 were in service.

Enterprise locomotives 206 and 207 were undergoing their 4-year overhaul in Inchicore Works in March. 206 returned to service in mid-April and 207 was on the test bed in early May.

Copyright © 2009 by Irish Railway Record Society Limited
Revised: July 11, 2009 .