The Drumm Battery Train was an Irish battery electric multiple unit developed in the 1930s which ran successfully in service on the

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...

to route. The train's batteries were charged via an overhead pickup at the turnaround station. The train was a successful implementation of the battery developed by Dr James J. Drumm.

Background

Dr James J. Drumm developed the traction battery in the late 1920s and was supported by the Irish Government as a means of using the excess electricity generated by the

Shannon hydroelectric scheme The Shannon hydroelectric Scheme was a major development by the Irish Free State in the 1920s to harness the power of the River Shannon. Its product, the Ardnacrusha power plant, is a hydroelectric power station which is still producing power to ...

Prototype

A prototype was developed by converting petrol

railcar A railcar (not to be confused with a railway car) is a self-propelled railway vehicle designed to transport passengers. The term "railcar" is usually used in reference to a train consisting of a single coach (carriage, car), with a drive ...

386 to Drumm traction Battery operation.

Construction

Unit A was constructed at Inchicore railway works in 1931 shortly followed by unit B. Units C and D were constructed in 1938.

Performance

The units had a maximum operating range of as demonstrated by a test run to in 1932. The recharge time was about 1 minute for each mile to be covered, that is about 15 minutes for Dublin to Bray which could be covered in about 20 minutes nonstop. The geared maximum design speed of units C and D were though was touched on an inaugural run and even has been claimed in service.

Trials

Several inaugural runs were held in late 1931 including a trip with President Cosgrave on 2 December 1931.

Service

Units A and B were in service from 1932 to 1949, being joined by units C and D in 1939, though the later units were not as successful as hoped. The Drumm Battery Trains were especially useful in the coal shortages of the early 1940s however were restricted by electricity supply shortages of 1949.

Withdrawal

The units were withdrawn in 1949 due to the batteries becoming life expired and cheaper alternatives available. The batteries and electrical equipment were removed continuing in service as diesel hauled carriages until 1955. They were stored on a siding at Foxrock until being scrapped.

Incidents

At about 22:00 on 25 June 1935 the Drumm Battery "A" train collided about south of Dún Laoghaire with a collapsed wall resulting from a burst storm sewer during a storm and associated heavy rain. There were two fires in the battery chambers with arcing and considerable heat generated but only charring to the coach body.

Models

A handbuilt model of the Drumm Train is in the Fry Model Railway collection. The model correctly depicts the unit articulated bogie however the front end cab modelling would seem to be proposal for the C and D units but not the actual design used. This is reasonable as Cyril Fry the creator was a draughtsman at Inchicore Works where the units were designed and constructed and would have had access to such drawings.

References

External links

* * {{Ireland Multiple Units Iarnród Éireann multiple units Battery electric multiple units