Irish Railway Record Society

Journal 192  - Rolling Stock

LOCOMOTIVES

071-class: IÉ advertised for the supply and overhaul of dampers on this class as well as for the 201, 2600, 2800 and 22000 fleets. In addition, a separate tender was announced for the supply of new bogies and bolsters for the fleet. This is to be spread over 5 years with a minimum of 2 bogies and 2 bolsters to be supplied at a time, with all 36 bogies covered.

076 was sent to Cork on Monday 2 January 2017 to collect failed 234.  

Retro 071: The ‘Retro’ liveried class leader 071 was busy from October to January. On Thursday 13 October 2016, it worked 8 empty HOBS wagons from Portarlington to Platin for loading and then dropping on the Navan Branch

On Monday 17 October, it worked 11:00 Platin – Heuston per way train, then the following day to Thurles from North Wall with 11 empty spoil wagons.

It remained in Limerick area from 22 October after working the RPSI Special from Dublin Connolly via Athenry. It remained working there for a number of weeks.

On 23 November, it worked 3 empty timber 10:00 Limerick to Waterford and returned 13:15 Waterford to Limerick with 1 CPW and 1 empty timber wagon.

It remained based in the Limerick area until Thursday 8 December, when it worked the 07:50 Limerick to Inchicore wagon transfer consisting of 1 CPW and 1 wheelcarrier, but was swopped at Inchicore with 084 returning to Limerick L.E. (light engine).

By 20 December, it was on the Tara Mines working with 077, being observed on 29 December on the 09:20 Tara Mines – Alexandra Dock Road and 14:00 return

On 10 January 2017 it was swapped for 085, and went L.E. to Kildare for a timber. 

201-class: Knorr-Bremse Rail Systems (UK) won a tender calling for the fitting of sanding equipment to the 201 fleet. This is to be fitted after the 2600 fleet has been fully fitted.

231 was adorned with IWT logos for a photoshoot at North Wall. It worked the 09:35 North Wall – Ballina IWT on Tuesday 4 October 2016. The logos were only applied on one end and removed a week later.

229 suffered a cracked windscreen on Wednesday 5 October 2016, the damage occurring whilst working the 17:00 Heuston – Cork. The train terminated in Ballybrophy, with 3-piece ICR 22047 working onwards. The Mark 4 set (4007) then worked the 18:25 Portlaoise – Heuston local service, calling at Portarlington, Kildare, Newbridge and Heuston (in place of 22047)..

216 was dispatched on 29 November 2016 from Heuston to Mallow to collect failed loco 215. The consist returned that evening.

Locos 217, 220, 232 and 234 were all released to traffic during the period under review. Of interest is that 217 and 220 have gained yellow-backed nameplates, in place of the more conventional black-backed nameplates.

218 failed on Thursday 29 December 2016 whilst working the 12:20 Cork – Heuston. Passengers were de-trained at Ballybrophy, and 231 ran Light Engine to rescue the set (4006).

234 failed on Friday 30 December 2016 whilst working the 07:00 Heuston – Cork, the failure happening south of Mallow. Cork standby 229 went to rescue the set, and dragged it into Cork. 216 was sent as standby loco.

216 was finally used in passenger service on Sunday 22 January 2017, working the 12:20 Cork – Heuston and 19:00 Heuston – Cork. It then did a full diagram on Monday 23 January, finishing up in Heuston and being placed as standby loco for the Tuesday. On Wednesday it worked the 08:00 Heuston – Cork, 11:20 return, 16:00 Heuston – Cork and 20:20 return.

Inchicore: On 7 January 2017, 29016 was in the paint shop, 222 and 086 were undergoing body overhauls, while 215 and 234 were in fleet overhaul shop undergoing repairs. 081 was almost ready for re-entry to traffic after body overhaul, repaint and repairs, as well as modifications including new air tanks, new cab consoles, new handbrake, replacement overhauled bogies. 082 had finished its body overhaul but undergoing work similar to 081. Noted body-overhauled so far are: 216, 217, 220, 224, 226, 227, 228, 230, 231, 232, 233, 234.

Railcars 

Class 2600: 2601+2602 transferred to Limerick Depot for a B-exam on Wednesday 13 October 2016, working as the 20:30 Cork – Limerick Ety.

Sanding Equipment: The 2600 class railcars have been retrofitted with an on-board sanding system. It is a fully automatic variable rate system with an additional manual function. In automatic mode, the system will deliver sand to the railhead whenever the train experiences wheel slip or slide as indicated by the Wheel Slip Protection (WSP) system. As regards variable rate there are limits on the amount of sand that is allowed to be distributed on the railhead to ensure that train detection is not lost. A variable rate system can adjust the quantity of sand being distributed allowing more sand at higher speed and reducing the amount as the speed drops.

In the cab, the activating button on the driver's desk illuminates whenever the system is dispensing sand in automatic or manual mode.

Externally a sand box is fitted in each corner behind the front cowling. It is connected to the main reservoir pipe which supplies the air pressure for distributing the sand. A hose goes from the box to the sanding nozzle which directs the sand under the leading wheel in the direction of travel. Knorr-Bremse Rail Systems (UK) fitted the systems at Limerick works.

Class 2800: Due to the Ballast Cleaning requiring 8-pice ICR formations (that cannot call at Ballybrophy), the Ballybrophy-Limerick service was extended to Portlaoise on 29/30 October, 5 November, and 5 December for all services, connecting into the Cork services. This requires an empty trip to Portarlington between runs, due to the signalling layout at Portlaoise. 2807+2808 were noted on 5 November.

Class 22000 ICR: The ICR fleet is currently going through an external deep clean, with the appearance of such sets being far brighter than previously. Sets so far observed are: 22010, 22027, 22019, 22058, 22006, 22061 and vehicle 22331. In addition, the fleet are slowly getting blue seat-back tables, to reduce the appearance of dirt. Sets so far treated are: 22001, 22002, 22005, 22007, 22010, 22019, 22027, 22031, 22038, 22047, 22061.

The new front as described in Journal 188 continue to be fitted. Since Journal 191, the following vehicles have been fitted: 22131, 22133, 22135, 22136, 22201, 22202, 22205, 22209, 22210, 22213, 22215, 22217, 22219, 22222, 22225, 22226, 22227, 22230, 22249, 22250, 22252, 22259, 22301, 22302, 22303, 22305, 22309, 22313, 22315, 22317, 22319, 22327, 22328, 22330, 22331, 22332, 22333, 22335, 22350, 22351, 22352, 22359, 22361. This makes 25 sets fully fitted with the new fronts, with a total of 62 new fronts installed. Of note is that the bottom bar of the new front is vulnerable to damage, with several vehicles noticed with damaged or missing bars. Apart from that minor issue, the new fronts are standing up well to damage.

Numbering: The fleet is gaining internal UIC numbers displayed over the cab doors, replacing the previous style. It appears that only the number above the cab doors are being done, with other numbers left in the original style.

Failures: 22010+22043 failed on Sunday 16 October 2016 whilst working the 09:50 Heuston – Galway. They overnighted in Tullamore, and 22010 was identified as the issue. Repair of 22043 was achieved on site, and it was worked back to Laois Traincare Depot. Due to the unavailability of a Laois Traincare driver, the set stabled in the Down Yard at Portarlington, making a new section of the network covered by ICR’s. 22010 was dragged back to Laois Traincare Depot at a later date.

Unusual Working: 22036 was allocated to the 16:55 Docklands – M3 Parkway service following the failure of booked set 22044. This marked the first visit of a 5-car Premier Class set to Docklands and M3 Parkway. It worked the 17:05 M3 Parkway - Docklands, 18:25 Docklands - M3 Parkway and 19:05 M3 Parkway – Connolly as well.

Trial Refurbishment: 22038 was chosen as a trial set for a refresh. New lower interior panels have been fitted, replacing the previous cloth material with a Lamigraf material. The lower interior panels around the buffet area have also been changed, from a grey colour to light blue.

Class 8100: Motor coaches 8107 and 8112 have a new rainstrip fitted along the entire bodyside in a trial fitting.

Coaching Stock 

COACHING STOCK

MkIV News: An additional set has been brought back into traffic, making the 08:00/16:00 Heuston – Cork and the 11:20/19:20 Cork – Heuston Mark IV operation. The table below shows the workings now in the hands of Mark IVs:

On Friday 23 December, all seven MkIV sets were in traffic for the first time since November 2012. This was due to increased demand on the last Friday before Christmas. The seventh set is nominated as maintenance spare and not normally used. This resulted in the following workings:

13:00 Heuston – Cork: 217 + 4006set (8pce)

11:20 Cork -– Heuston: 4004 (7pce) + 231

12:20 Cork -– Heuston: 4001 (8pce) + 219

14:00 Heuston -– Cork:  224 + 4002 (8pce)

15:00 Heuston - Cork : 220 + 4003 (8pce)

16:00 Heuston -– Cork : 231 + 4004 (7pce)

14:20 Heuston -– Cork: 4007 (8pce) + 221

17:00 Heuston -– Cork  : 219 + 4001 (8pce)

15:20 Heuston -– Cork: 4005 (7pce) + 234

Copyright © 2017 by Irish Railway Record Society Ltd.
Revised: August 22, 2017 .