GNRI Class S
Encyclopedia
The Great Northern Railway (Ireland) class S was a class of 4-4-0
steam locomotive
that the Great Northern Railway
introduced in 1913 to haul Belfast – Dublin
express passenger trains.
A preserved example exists, No. 171 Slieve Gullion, which spent more than 40 years on various parts of the GNR system on the main line and secondary duties along with the other four members of her class. In preservation it has covered most of the Irish railway system, including many non-GNR(I) lines.
Beyer, Peacock and Company
of Gorton Foundry, Manchester
built 171 in 1913 (Works No.5629). The GNR renewed the locomotive in Dundalk
in 1938 and the Ulster Transport Authority
withdrew it from service in 1965. 171 is currently stored at the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland
's centre at Whitehead, County Antrim
. 171 was operational until 2002 when it was withdrawn for a boiler overhaul. It will begin to be restored with a view to returning to service for the RPSI's 50th anniversary in 2014, and an fundraising appeal has been launched to raise the funds needed for its restoration.
After much of the GNR network was closed in 1957 and the remaining system was split between Córas Iompair Éireann
and the Ulster Transport Authority (UTA) in 1958, 171 was allocated to CIÉ. CIÉ soon replaced its remaining steam locomotives with diesels and sold some of its former GNR steam locomotives to the UTA. This included 171, which the UTA bought in 1963. The UTA based 171 in Belfast and used it to haul trains on the Belfast – Portadown main line and Portadown – Derry "Derry Road".
4-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-4-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and no trailing wheels...
steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
that the Great Northern Railway
Great Northern Railway (Ireland)
The Great Northern Railway was an Irish gauge railway company in Ireland.The Great Northern was formed in 1876 by a merger of the Irish North Western Railway , Northern Railway of Ireland, and Ulster Railway. The Ulster Railway was the GNRI's oldest constituent, having opened between Belfast and...
introduced in 1913 to haul Belfast – Dublin
Dublin-Belfast railway line
The Dublin-Belfast main line is a major railway route in Ireland that connects Dublin Connolly station in the Republic of Ireland and Belfast Central station in Northern Ireland.-History:The railway line was built by three separate companies...
express passenger trains.
A preserved example exists, No. 171 Slieve Gullion, which spent more than 40 years on various parts of the GNR system on the main line and secondary duties along with the other four members of her class. In preservation it has covered most of the Irish railway system, including many non-GNR(I) lines.
Beyer, Peacock and Company
Beyer, Peacock and Company
Beyer, Peacock and Company was an English railway Locomotive manufacturer with a factory in Gorton, Manchester. Founded by Charles Beyer and Richard Peacock, it traded from 1854 until 1966...
of Gorton Foundry, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
built 171 in 1913 (Works No.5629). The GNR renewed the locomotive in Dundalk
Dundalk
Dundalk is the county town of County Louth in Ireland. It is situated where the Castletown River flows into Dundalk Bay. The town is close to the border with Northern Ireland and equi-distant from Dublin and Belfast. The town's name, which was historically written as Dundalgan, has associations...
in 1938 and the Ulster Transport Authority
Ulster Transport Authority
The Ulster Transport Authority ran rail and bus transport in Northern Ireland from 1948 until 1966.-Formation and consolidation:The UTA was formed by the Transport Act 1948, which merged the Northern Ireland Road Transport Board and the Belfast and County Down Railway...
withdrew it from service in 1965. 171 is currently stored at the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland
Railway Preservation Society of Ireland
The Railway Preservation Society of Ireland is an Irish railway preservation group operating in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. It was founded in 1964. The Society has its headquarters at Whitehead, County Antrim, Northern Ireland and a base at Mullingar, County Westmeath...
's centre at Whitehead, County Antrim
Whitehead, County Antrim
Whitehead is a small seaside town on the east coast of County Antrim, Northern Ireland, lying almost midway between the towns of Carrickfergus and Larne. It lies within the civil parishes of Island Magee and Templecorran, the barony of Belfast Lower, and is part of Carrickfergus Borough Council...
. 171 was operational until 2002 when it was withdrawn for a boiler overhaul. It will begin to be restored with a view to returning to service for the RPSI's 50th anniversary in 2014, and an fundraising appeal has been launched to raise the funds needed for its restoration.
After much of the GNR network was closed in 1957 and the remaining system was split between Córas Iompair Éireann
CIE
-Organizations:* Cambridge International Examinations, an international examination board* Cleveland Institute of Electronics, a private technical and engineering educational institution — the International Commission on Illumination...
and the Ulster Transport Authority (UTA) in 1958, 171 was allocated to CIÉ. CIÉ soon replaced its remaining steam locomotives with diesels and sold some of its former GNR steam locomotives to the UTA. This included 171, which the UTA bought in 1963. The UTA based 171 in Belfast and used it to haul trains on the Belfast – Portadown main line and Portadown – Derry "Derry Road".