Great Northern 0-6-0 Locomotives in Ireland

Class A, AL (Locobase 20743)

Data from "Six-Coupled Goods Engines, Great Northern Ry (I(", The Locomotive Magazine, Volume XXV [25](15 October 1919), p. 165-166. GNR(I)'s Dundalk Works delivered 2 and 4 in the 1880s-1890s; the latter had works numbers 13-14 in 1894, 15 in 1895, and 18 in 1896. . Beyer, Peacock works numbers were 2116-2117 in 1882, 2394-2395 in 1883, 2784-2786 in 1886, 2904-2906 in 1888, 3273-3275 in 1890. Later engines delivered with somewhat higher boiler pressure: 3583-3584 in 1893-1894, 3607-3609 in 1894, and 3797-3798 in 1896.

LM's 1919 report gives details on both these original engines and the modified locomotives that appeared "recently". Starting in 1876, the GNR(I) settled on a standard six-coupled goods and these locomotives continued the line beginning in 1882. The 1893 and later engines differed little from the the fifteen delivered in 1882-1890 except for a boiler set to a higher pressure.

These latter locomotives had names redolent with Irish geography and history. BP delivered the Waterford (36), Kilkenny (59), Westmeath (141), Limerick (140), Clare (1894), Cork (57), and Kerry (58). Dundalk supplied Drogheda (32), Enniskillen (29), Portadown (55), and Omagh (56).

All were updated with new boilers; see Locobase 20744.

Class A, AL - new boiler (Locobase 20744)

Data from "Six-Coupled Goods Engines, Great Northern Ry (I(", The Locomotive Magazine, Volume XXV [25](15 October 1919), p. 165-166. GNR(I)'s Dundalk Works delivered 2 and 4 in the 1880s-1890s; the latter had works numbers 13-14 in 1894, 15 in 1895, and 18 in 1896. . Beyer, Peacock works numbers were 2116-2117 in 1882, 2394-2395 in 1883, 2784-2786 in 1886, 2904-2906 in 1888, 3273-3275 in 1890. Later engines delivered with somewhat higher boiler pressure: 3583-3584 in 1893-1894, 3607-3609 in 1894, and 3797-3798 in 1896.

LM's 1919 report gives details on the original engines (Locobase 10743) and these modified locomotives that appeared "recently". G T Glover's update focused mainly on increasing boiler power. Although tube count increased by a mere 2 (214 to 216), each tube gained 14" (356 mm) in length. The grate and firebox areas grew very slightly. Boiler pressure increased by 25 psi (1.72 bar), which boosted starting tractive effort by about 17%. As weight grew by 4.1 long tons (4,166 kg), the factor of adhesion actually decreased slightly but still remained healthy.

Thus refreshed and heartened, the class moved goods traffic for almost 40 years in most cases. Three were later sold to the Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties Railway in 1927 (2--Glencar and Sligo) and 1940 (1-Sligo) to replace the first Sligo.

Class LQG (Locobase 10669)

Data from "Six-Coupled Goods Locomotives, G N R (Ireland)", The Locomotive Magazine, Vol XIV (15 September 1908), p. 158. Two were built by Dundalk in 1908 -- 78 Pettigo and 108 Pomeroy (works numbers 31-32)

The others came from North British Locomotive Corporation as follows:

1906 --- works 17082-17084, road numbers 158 Ballybay, 159 Cootehill, and 160 Culloville

1908 - works 18286-18291.

110 Laytown, 111 Malahide, 161 Adavoyle, 162 Ballyroney, 163 Banbridge, and 164 Fintona,

78 Pettigo Dundalk 31/1908

108 Pomeroy Dundalk 32/1908

These powerful six-coupleds saw steam out on the Coras Impar Eiorann. 158 was given a longer frame, larger cylinders (19" x 26") and 8" piston valves. The others in the class received superheated boilers 8" piston valves in 1928

Class SG (Locobase 20158)

Data from "Superheater Goods Locomotives, Great Northern Railway (Ireland)", Volume XIX [19] (14 June 1913), pp. 124-125. See also "GNRI Class SG" at [], last accessed 2 April 2017. Beyer, Peacock works numbers were 5633-5637 in 1913.

Designed by Charles Clifford not long before his death, this quintet of all-adhesion six-coupleds were intended to work "the heavier main line traffic". Wikipedia says that the 61" drivers were tall enough for the engines to pull heavy excursion trains "with ease and speed." Their cylinders received their steam through 8" (203 mm) piston valves and drove the axle through rocker arms.

Wikipedia adds that the class was "originally built with flush riveted smokeboxes. After the first major overhaul, domed rivets were used." A later tender held 4,200 US gallons (15,897 litres).

They were the first of a series of B-P superheated goods locomotives delivered to the GNR(I) between 1913 and 1921.The 1915 SG2s differed in eliminating the rocker arms, inclining the piston valves, and fitting the boiler with a Robinson superheater. (See Locobase 13582 for the SG3s of 1920.) As with all the SG series engines, all of this class were retired in 1961-1965.

Class SG3 (Locobase 2340)

Data from Ahrons (1927). Beyer, Peacock works numbers were 6040-6052.

George T Glover design for Ireland's Great Northern. As 0-6-0s went, this one had a lot of superheater area, which accounted for a higher percentage of the total than most all-adhesion six-coupleds. They were limited to working the Belfast-Dundalk and Portadown-Londonderry sections until the viaduct over the Boyne was beefed up in 1932.