GNRI Class V
Encyclopedia
The Great Northern Railway (Ireland)
V class steam locomotives were 3-cylinder compound locomotive
s of 4-4-0
wheel arrangement
built in 1932 by Beyer, Peacock and Company
.
The resultant ‘V’s were designed by George T. Glover with on-site experience learnt from the design teams for the British LMS compounds.
The ‘V’ class engines were ordered from Beyer Peacock (with tenders built in Dundalk) and delivered in 1932, and cost £5,847 (c. €500,000 in 2008), £3,000 cheaper than the ‘SG3’ 4-4-0 class, built ten years previously. They were named after birds of prey: Eagle (No. 83), Falcon (84), Merlin (85), Peregrine (86), and Kestrel (87). The V-class was the first locomotive in the whole of Ireland with a three-cylinder engine, weighed 103 tons 11 cwt including tender and had a round-topped boiler and Stephenson’s valve-gear.
The result was an engine that looked dramatically larger than their predecessor the S class
, which led to the unfounded rumour among railway workers that they had been designed for use in Russia.
As the GNR(I)'s only compound locomotives they were often referred to simply as 'The Compounds'.
They were introduced for the accelerated Dublin-Belfast schedule, and reduced existing times by up to 22 minutes. However, as for the S-Class before them, the high pressure schedule resulted in severe maintenance problems: hot boxes, connecting rod issues and boiler re-tubes, and as a result the boiler pressure was reduced by 50 lb./in., leading to a 20% drop in tractive effort.
The V Class was chosen to haul a new non-stop service called the ‘Enterprise’ between Belfast and Dublin in August 1947 (a service that still runs today). The premium service was restricted to seven bogie vehicles. During the early 1950s the ‘Pounders’ shared most of the heavy main line work with the newer ‘Vs’ class but, with the introduction of new railcars in 1957, the class was relieved of its main duties.
With her final years as a spare in Dundalk works, running the occasional Dublin, the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum
rescued her from the scrapyard in 1965, acquiring her (minus tender) for £600. She was stored variously in Inchicore, Amiens Street, Dundalk, Adelaide shed in Belfast and in Lisburn before finally moving to the museum's gallery at Witham street, Belfast, in 1969. Displayed here until 1976, she was moved to Harland and Wolff for a comprehensive overhaul organised by the Museum, the RPSI and Lord Dunleith, and on completion in 1982, she was moved to the RPSI’s Whitehead headquarters.
She was officially launched into traffic on June 30, 1986 heading the official Belfast - Dublin ‘Enterprise’ that September and also headed the 40th anniversary of the ‘Enterprise’ the following August, drawing the same length train as in 1947 (seven bogie vehicles) and matching the timings of the original run.
Having received a further overhaul in the 1990s, Merlin continued to be leased by the RPSI
and used on the main line until the expiry of her boiler certificate in 2004. In August 2009, the RPSI announced that the locomotive is to be overhauled with a view of returning it to traffic by 2011. Work has begun on dismantling the locomotive at the RPSI's main base at Whitehead
to allow the boiler to be lifted for overhaul.
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...
V class steam locomotives were 3-cylinder compound locomotive
Compound locomotive
A compound engine unit is a type of steam engine where steam is expanded in two or more stages.A typical arrangement for a compound engine is that the steam is first expanded in a high-pressure cylinder, then having given up heat and losing pressure, it exhausts directly into one or more larger...
s of 4-4-0
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...
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...
built in 1932 by 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...
.
Design
The V class was intended for use on the GNR(I)'s most important passenger service, the Dublin-Belfast expresses. The S and S2 Class which had previously served the route were giving trouble as boiler pressure had been raised to increase power and performance. This increased maintenance (particularly with broken crank axles) and as a result the boiler pressure was brought back down. This left the GNR(I) with no option but to progress the development of a more powerful engine.The resultant ‘V’s were designed by George T. Glover with on-site experience learnt from the design teams for the British LMS compounds.
The ‘V’ class engines were ordered from Beyer Peacock (with tenders built in Dundalk) and delivered in 1932, and cost £5,847 (c. €500,000 in 2008), £3,000 cheaper than the ‘SG3’ 4-4-0 class, built ten years previously. They were named after birds of prey: Eagle (No. 83), Falcon (84), Merlin (85), Peregrine (86), and Kestrel (87). The V-class was the first locomotive in the whole of Ireland with a three-cylinder engine, weighed 103 tons 11 cwt including tender and had a round-topped boiler and Stephenson’s valve-gear.
The result was an engine that looked dramatically larger than their predecessor the S class
GNRI Class S
The Great Northern Railway 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...
, which led to the unfounded rumour among railway workers that they had been designed for use in Russia.
As the GNR(I)'s only compound locomotives they were often referred to simply as 'The Compounds'.
They were introduced for the accelerated Dublin-Belfast schedule, and reduced existing times by up to 22 minutes. However, as for the S-Class before them, the high pressure schedule resulted in severe maintenance problems: hot boxes, connecting rod issues and boiler re-tubes, and as a result the boiler pressure was reduced by 50 lb./in., leading to a 20% drop in tractive effort.
Rebuild
No. 87 Kestrel was the first to be rebuilt in 1946 and was the first GNR(I) loco to receive a Harland and Wolff built square topped Belpaire-style firebox. Merlin had one fitted in 1950 with the old boiler rebuilt as a spare.The V Class was chosen to haul a new non-stop service called the ‘Enterprise’ between Belfast and Dublin in August 1947 (a service that still runs today). The premium service was restricted to seven bogie vehicles. During the early 1950s the ‘Pounders’ shared most of the heavy main line work with the newer ‘Vs’ class but, with the introduction of new railcars in 1957, the class was relieved of its main duties.
Withdrawal from service
In October 1958 the old GNR(I), (now the Great Northern Railway Board, or GNRB) was split between Northern Ireland’s Ulster Transport Authority (UTA) and the Republic’s Coras Iompair Éireann (CIE). Nos. 83, 86 and 87 went to the UTA and Nos. 84 and 85 went to CIE. The letters ‘UT’ or ‘CIE’ were stencilled on the front buffer beams. Steam finished on CIE in 1963 and subsequently all but No.85 “Merlin” were scrapped.Preservation
Merlin (No.85) was the only full-size working compound locomotive anywhere in the UK and Ireland prior to the expiry of her boiler certificate in 2003.With her final years as a spare in Dundalk works, running the occasional Dublin, the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum
Ulster Folk and Transport Museum
The Ulster Folk and Transport Museum is situated in Cultra, Northern Ireland, about east of the city of Belfast. It comprises two separate museums, the Folk Museum and the Transport Museum...
rescued her from the scrapyard in 1965, acquiring her (minus tender) for £600. She was stored variously in Inchicore, Amiens Street, Dundalk, Adelaide shed in Belfast and in Lisburn before finally moving to the museum's gallery at Witham street, Belfast, in 1969. Displayed here until 1976, she was moved to Harland and Wolff for a comprehensive overhaul organised by the Museum, the RPSI and Lord Dunleith, and on completion in 1982, she was moved to the RPSI’s Whitehead headquarters.
She was officially launched into traffic on June 30, 1986 heading the official Belfast - Dublin ‘Enterprise’ that September and also headed the 40th anniversary of the ‘Enterprise’ the following August, drawing the same length train as in 1947 (seven bogie vehicles) and matching the timings of the original run.
Having received a further overhaul in the 1990s, Merlin continued to be leased by the RPSI
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...
and used on the main line until the expiry of her boiler certificate in 2004. In August 2009, the RPSI announced that the locomotive is to be overhauled with a view of returning it to traffic by 2011. Work has begun on dismantling the locomotive at the RPSI's main base at Whitehead
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...
to allow the boiler to be lifted for overhaul.
| No. | Name | 1958 owner | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 83 | Eagle | UTA | |
| 84 | Falcon | CIÉ | |
| 85 | Merlin | CIÉ | Preserved |
| 86 | Peregrine | UTA | |
| 87 | Kestrel | UTA |
Model
The V Class is currently available as a 00 gauge etched-brass kit from Studio Scale Models. It includes transfers, brass etches and cast white metal parts.External links
- http://www.steamtrainsireland.com/locomotives/loco85.htm
See also
- Steam Locomotives of IrelandSteam locomotives of IrelandA wide variety of steam locomotives have been used on Ireland's railways. This page lists all those that have been used in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland...
- Multiple Units of IrelandMultiple Units of IrelandA wide variety of diesel and electric multiple units have been used on Ireland's railways. This page lists all those that have been used. Except with the NIR 3000 class the numbers given by each class in the lists below are those allocated to the coaches that make up the units in that class,...
- Coaching Stock of IrelandCoaching Stock of IrelandA wide variety of hauled coaches have been used on the railways of Ireland. This page lists all those since 1945.-Republic of Ireland:When formed in 1945, Córas Iompair Éireann inherited from its constituents a motley collection of coaching stock from various manufacturers, in equally variegated...
- Rail transport in IrelandRail transport in IrelandRail services in Ireland are provided by Iarnród Éireann in the Republic of Ireland and by Northern Ireland Railways in Northern Ireland.Most routes in the Republic radiate from Dublin...