The MGWR class E was a small 0-6-0T

steam locomotive A steam locomotive is a locomotive that provides the force to move itself and other vehicles by means of the expansion of steam. It is fuelled by burning combustible material (usually coal, oil or, rarely, wood) to heat water in the locomot ...

class designed in 1891 by

Martin Atock Martin Atock, also formerly known as Martin Attock, was an English railway engineer, who is best known as the Locomotive Superintendent of the Midland Great Western Railway (MGWR) from 1872 to 1900. Life Atock was born in June 1834 in Presto ...

, the then locomotive superintendent of the

Midland Great Western Railway The Midland Great Western Railway (MGWR) was the third largest Irish gauge () railway company in Ireland. It was incorporated in 1845 and absorbed into the Great Southern Railways in 1924. At its peak the MGWR had a network of , making it Irela ...

(MGWR) and twelve engines were built. After the MGWR was merged into

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 ...

(GSR) in 1925 they were designated Class 551 or J26. They were also known as the ''Irish

Terrier Terrier (from Latin ''terra'', 'earth') is a type of dog originally bred to hunt vermin. A terrier is a dog of any one of many breeds or landraces of the terrier type, which are typically small, wiry, game, and fearless. Terrier breeds vary ...

'' class.

Locomotives

Design and historical development

The MGWR Class E were initially intended for shunting around the Dublin Broadstone terminus. Further locomotives were ordered for rural and small branch line work around

Killala Killala () is a village in County Mayo in Ireland, north of Ballina. The railway line from Dublin to Ballina once extended to Killala. To the west of Killala is a Townsplots West (known locally as Enagh Beg), which contains a number of ancient ...

Achill Achill Island (; ga, Acaill, Oileán Acla) in County Mayo is the largest of the Irish isles, and is situated off the west coast of Ireland. It has a population of 2,594. Its area is . Achill is attached to the mainland by Michael Davitt Brid ...

Clifden Clifden (, meaning "stepping stones") is a coastal town in County Galway, Ireland, in the region of Connemara, located on the Owenglin River where it flows into Clifden Bay. As the largest town in the region, it is often referred to as "the Cap ...

Athboy Athboy () is a small agricultural town located in County Meath. The town is located on the ''Yellow Ford River'', in wooded country near the County Westmeath border. Local Clubs are Clann Na nGael and Athboy Celtic. History In medieval tim ...

and

Kingscourt Kingscourt, historically known as Dunaree (), is a town in County Cavan, Ireland. It is located near the Cavan– Meath border. The town was founded near the site of the old village of Cabra, by Mervyn Pratt, towards the end of the 18th centur ...

. After the grouping of 1925, the

classified them Class 551 or Class J26, and fitted them with new smokeboxes, safety valves and chimneys. The nameplates, builder’s plates and sandbox numbers were removed at this time and replaced with a numberplate. After 1920 they were forced to move from the Achill branch when that became restricted for 6 wheel coupled locomotives. Their low axle loading gave them good utility and they were often popular, though some duties stretched their abilities. Three engines, 553, 555 and 560 were fitted with enlarged cabs and modified footsteps. This enabled an additional ton of coal to be carried and they successfully worked on the enclosed Waterford and Tramore section.

Model

An etched-brass kit of the Class E / J26 has been produced by Studio Scale Models including brass etches and cast

white metal The white metals are a series of often decorative bright metal alloys used as a base for plated silverware, ornaments or novelties, as well as any of several lead-based or tin-based alloys used for things like bearings, jewellery, miniature f ...

parts.

References

{{Ireland Steam Locomotives Sharp Stewart locomotives Kitson locomotives 0-6-0T locomotives Railway locomotives introduced in 1891 5 ft 3 in gauge locomotives Steam locomotives of Ireland Scrapped locomotives E

Locomotives

Design and historical development

Model

See also

References