CIE 501 Class
Encyclopedia
The Córas Iompair Éireann
501 Class locomotive
s were built in 1955 by Walker Brothers Limited of Wigan, Lancashire for use on the narrow gauge (3 feet) lines on the West Clare
section of CIÉ. They were small diesel mechanical locomotives, of 0-4-0+0-4-0 wheel arrangement
. Controlled from a central cab the locomotives had two Gardner engines of 224 hp, one under each end casing, driving through a fluid coupling and Wilson gear box the inner axle of the opposite bogie, through a spiral-bevel-reverse and reduction gear box. Unusually the locomotives were driven from a seat mounted sideways to the direction of travel giving a clear field of vision both ways by a mere turn of the head.
The locomotives were fitted with vacuum brakes, emergency braking coming from a "deadman's" pedal, one at the driving position and two others, one mounted on each side of the cab.
When used on freight services their maximum speed was 40 kilometres per hour (24.9 mph), but with an overdrive fitted, released by a key, this was raised to 51 kilometres per hour (31.7 mph) for passenger trains.
They were originally numbered C31-C33 in the West Clare steam locomotive series, but were subsequently renumbered into the diesel locomotive series as F501-F503. They were withdrawn in 1961 when the West Clare lines were closed and stored at Inchicore Works for seven years. The Isle of Man Railway made an offer for the locomotives which was rejected by CIÉ who subsequently made less money by selling them for scrap in 1968.
Córas Iompair Éireann
Córas Iompair Éireann , or CIÉ, is a statutory corporation of the Irish state, answerable to the Irish Government and responsible for most public transport in the Republic of Ireland and, jointly with its Northern Ireland counterpart, the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company, between the...
501 Class locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
s were built in 1955 by Walker Brothers Limited of Wigan, Lancashire for use on the narrow gauge (3 feet) lines on the West Clare
West Clare Railway
The West Clare Railway originally operated in County Clare, Ireland between 1887 and 1961, and has partially re-opened. This gauge narrow gauge railway ran from the county town of Ennis, via numerous stopping-points along the West Clare coast to two termini, at Kilrush and Kilkee...
section of CIÉ. They were small diesel mechanical locomotives, of 0-4-0+0-4-0 wheel arrangement
Whyte notation
The Whyte notation for classifying steam locomotives by wheel arrangement was devised by Frederick Methvan Whyte and came into use in the early twentieth century encouraged by an editorial in American Engineer and Railroad Journal...
. Controlled from a central cab the locomotives had two Gardner engines of 224 hp, one under each end casing, driving through a fluid coupling and Wilson gear box the inner axle of the opposite bogie, through a spiral-bevel-reverse and reduction gear box. Unusually the locomotives were driven from a seat mounted sideways to the direction of travel giving a clear field of vision both ways by a mere turn of the head.
The locomotives were fitted with vacuum brakes, emergency braking coming from a "deadman's" pedal, one at the driving position and two others, one mounted on each side of the cab.
When used on freight services their maximum speed was 40 kilometres per hour (24.9 mph), but with an overdrive fitted, released by a key, this was raised to 51 kilometres per hour (31.7 mph) for passenger trains.
They were originally numbered C31-C33 in the West Clare steam locomotive series, but were subsequently renumbered into the diesel locomotive series as F501-F503. They were withdrawn in 1961 when the West Clare lines were closed and stored at Inchicore Works for seven years. The Isle of Man Railway made an offer for the locomotives which was rejected by CIÉ who subsequently made less money by selling them for scrap in 1968.
External links
- http://www.worsleyworks.co.uk - official website