Great Southern & Western 4-8-0 Locomotives in Ireland

Class A 1 (Locobase 2375)

Data from "New Locomotives, Great Southern & Western Ry of Ireland", Locomotive Magazine, Volume XX [20] (15 October 1914), pp. 258-259 and "4-8-0 Tank Locomotive, No. 900, GS&WR, Locomotive Magazine, Volume XXI [21], No 279 (15 November 1915). See also (Ahrons (1927), and Wikipedia's 4-8-0 entry at [], last accessed 23 January 2018; and Steamindex's GSR overview at [],last accessed 9 September 2018.

These engines, designed by EA Watson, were low-drivered tank engines with Belpaire firebox and an all-inside motion. Wikipedia's account says that the 900 was designed for the Dublin Kingsbridge (now Heuston) yard and for banking on the steep gradient out of Cork Glanmire Road (now Kent). , the first locomotive emerged from the company's Inchicore workshops in 1915 and the second in 1924.

They were not successful, says Wikipedia, proving to be "expensive to operate and unsuitable for sharp curves". Steamindex adds that they were prone to derailment and, presumably in an attempt to remedy the problem, the 900 was turned into a 4-6-2T.

So the first, delivered in 1915, was withdrawn in 1928. The second, which Inchicore turned out in 1924 lasted only seven years before being deleted in 1931.