The DSER 20 class was a class of three

4-4-2T Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives by wheel arrangement, represents a configuration of a four-wheeled leading bogie, four powered and coupled driving wheels, and two trailing wheels supporting part of the we ...

locomotives operated by the

Dublin and South Eastern Railway The Dublin and South Eastern Railway (DSER), often referred to as the Slow and Easy, was an Irish gauge () railway in Ireland from 1846 to 1925. It carried 4,626,226 passengers in 1911. It was the fourth largest railway operation in Ireland oper ...

and later the

Great Southern Railways The Great Southern Railways Company (often Great Southern Railways, or GSR) was an Irish company that from 1925 until 1945 owned and operated all railways that lay wholly within the Irish Free State (the present-day Republic of Ireland). The p ...

and

CIÉ Córas Iompair Éireann (''Irish Transport Company''), or CIÉ, is a statutory corporation of Ireland, answerable to the Irish Government and responsible for most public transport within the republic and jointly with its Northern Ireland counte ...

History

, they were intended for express passenger work. No. 20 ''King George'' was the last locomotive to be built at

Grand Canal Street railway works Grand Canal Street railway works, also known as ''The Factory'', served the Dublin and Kingstown Railway (D&KR), its successors the Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford Railway (DW&WR) and the Dublin and South Eastern Railway (DSER). It was preceded by ...

though the boiler was made by

Kitson & Company Kitson and Company was a locomotive manufacturer based in Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. Early history The company was started in 1835 by James Kitson at the Airedale Foundry, off Pearson Street, Hunslet, with Charles Todd as a part ...

. The remaining locomotives, numbered 34 and 35, were built by

Beyer, Peacock & Company Beyer, Peacock and Company was an English railway locomotive manufacturer with a factory in Openshaw, Manchester. Founded by Charles Beyer, Richard Peacock and Henry Robertson, it traded from 1854 until 1966. The company exported locomotives, ...

in 1924. It is suggested the design might have arisen as an attempt to emulate the success of the

LB&SCR I3 class The LB&SCR I3 class was a class of 4-4-2 steam tank locomotives designed by D. E. Marsh for suburban passenger service on the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway. History After introducing two unsuccessful designs of 4-4-2 tank locomoti ...

, however on introduction engine No. 20 seemed to have issues with high axle loading restricting the route and it also appeared to have difficulties with heavier trains, steep gradients and hot axleboxes. The relatively large driver wheel diameter of may not have helped especially as it ended up being used on suburban services, only averaging a mere a day. It may have been hoped the Belpaire boilers, increased weight and other changes on those ordered from Beyer, Peacock & Company in 1924 may have helped. Upon merger of the DSeR with the

in 1925. they were allocated the numbers 455 though 457 and Inchicore class C2. Rebuilds in the 1930s seem to have resolved most of the issues and a 1948 CIÉ report commented: "DSER heavy passenger engines. (When) (sic.) well maintained not all that bad. Essential to local service".

References

{{Ireland Steam Locomotives 4-4-2T locomotives 5 ft 3 in gauge locomotives Beyer, Peacock locomotives Railway locomotives introduced in 1911 Steam locomotives of Ireland Scrapped locomotives