CIÉ 421 Class
Córas Iompair Éireann E class (later 421 class) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Córas Iompair Éireann 421 Class was a railway locomotive, built by the CIÉ at Inchicore Works between 1962–1963 and designed for branch line traffic use and shunting.
History
[edit]The 421 Class was a larger development of the earlier 401 Class, and were fitted with a Maybach MD220 engine of 420 horsepower (310 kW) with diesel hydraulic transmission via a Mekydro KL64U transmission. Unlike the earlier E401 class, these locomotives were fitted for multiple operation. They were of C wheel arrangement.
The first of the class made its debut in early October 1962 on pilot duties in the Dublin area and although they had a design maximum speed of 100 km/h (62 mph), experience (notably the derailment of a trial train hauled by E421) showed that they did not ride well when travelling at speeds over 40 km/h (25 mph) and so henceforth were limited to that speed and used simply for shunting duties instead. They were numbered E421–E434, and were withdrawn from service between 1979 and 1983.
Preservation
[edit]Three of these locomotives have been preserved, as follows:
- E421 and E432: Owned by and based at the Downpatrick and County Down Railway, Northern Ireland.[1] Both locos are currently stored out of traffic.
- As of 2005[update] E428 had recently moved from Inchicore Works to Dunsandle, County Galway under private ownership.
Model
[edit]The E421 was available as a resin model from "Q Kits",[2] but this company is no longer trading as the owner has retired.
References
[edit]- ^ D&CDR. "Rolling stock". Downrail. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
- ^ Johnson 2018.
- Boocock, Colin (1 October 2009). Locomotive Compendium Ireland (1st ed.). Hersham: Ian Allan. ISBN 9780711033603. OCLC 423592044.
- Johnson, S. (2018). "The E401 and E421 Class". Irish Railways (Johnson). Archived from the original on 23 July 2018.
- Strickland, David C. (September 1983). Locomotive Directory: Every Single One There Has Ever Been. Camberley: Diesel and Electric Group. p. 166. ISBN 978-0-906375-10-5. OCLC 16601890. OL 27959920M. Wikidata Q105978499.