The CIE 141 Class
locomotive
A locomotive is a rail transport, rail vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. Traditionally, locomotives pulled trains from the front. However, Push–pull train, push–pull operation has become common, and in the pursuit for ...
s were built in 1962 by
General Motors Electro Motive Division (EMD) in the United States. Numbered B141 to B177, they were an updated version of the
121 Class locomotives, mechanically very similar but with cabs at each end.
They are EMD model JL8 (J = Double Ended Cabs, L = Lightweight Frame, 8= 8-cylinder 567 engine) and although originally fitted with an
EMD 8-567CR engine of , all were later fitted with
645
__NOTOC__
Year 645 (Roman numerals, DCXLV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 645 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent m ...
type "power packs" (piston & liner assemblies) for parts standardisation. The original power output was kept for reliability reasons. They weighed 67 tonnes and had a maximum speed of .
Many of these locomotives were later rebuilt with a GM 8-645E engine of (as used in the re-engined
Class C locomotives), though some have since had the original engine refitted. The locomotives were delivered in the CIE livery of brown/black/white.
Service
Following crew training trials between Inchicore and
Monasterevin
Monasterevin (), sometimes Monasterevan, is a town in County Kildare, Ireland. It lies on the River Barrow and the Barrowline, a canal branch of the Grand Canal. In the 20 years between the 2002 and 2022 censuses, the population more than dou ...
(passenger trains),
Kildare
Kildare () is a town in County Kildare, Ireland. , its population was 10,302, making it the 7th largest town in County Kildare. It is home to Kildare Cathedral, historically the site of an important abbey said to have been founded by Saint ...
(goods trains), and
Hazelhatch (light engines), the class appeared on main line trials from
Amiens Street (Connolly) to
Drogheda
Drogheda ( , ; , meaning "bridge at the ford") is an industrial and port town in County Louth on the east coast of Ireland, north of Dublin. It is located on the Dublin–Belfast corridor on the east coast of Ireland, mostly in County Louth ...
, and
Westland Row
Westland Row () is a street on the Southside, Dublin, Southside of Dublin, Ireland.
Location
The street runs along the east end of Trinity College Dublin.
History
Westland Row first appeared on maps in 1776. It was originally known ...
(Pearse) to
Arklow
Arklow ( ; ; ) is a town in County Wicklow on the southeast coast of Ireland. The town is overlooked by Ballymoyle Hill. It was founded by the Vikings in the ninth century. Arklow was the site of one of the Battle of Arklow, bloodiest battles ...
on Tuesday 4 December 1962, entering traffic on the Dublin to Cork main line four days later. The locomotives were fitted for multiple working and
double-headed the 10:40 Dublin to Cork train and the return Cork to Dublin at 15:30. These were the heaviest trains at that time. From Monday 10 December 1962 one locomotive was allocated to the Dublin–Belfast ''
Enterprise
Enterprise (or the archaic spelling Enterprize) may refer to:
Business and economics
Brands and enterprises
* Enterprise GP Holdings, an energy holding company
* Enterprise plc, a UK civil engineering and maintenance company
* Enterpris ...
'' service.
In later years, regular passenger duties included trains on the
Rosslare to Waterford/Limerick lines, until they were superseded by railcars on these duties.
The remaining locomotives, nos. B141, B142, 144, 146, 147, 152, 162, 171, 175 and 177, were withdrawn in February 2010. However, 171 was reinstated for a short time, and was confined to pilot duties in the Dublin area.
Accidents and incidents
*On Tuesday 13 August 1974, locomotive B176 was hauling a passenger train when it was involved in a head-on collision with
locomotive B192, which was also hauling a passenger train, at . Fifteen people were injured.
*On Friday 5 May 1995, locomotive 165 left
Cork Kent railway station
Kent Station () is an Iarnród Éireann railway station in Cork, Ireland. Originally opened in 1893, the station operates as a hub for Intercity services to Dublin and Tralee and commuter services to Mallow, Cobh and Midleton. In 2016, Kent St ...
at roughly 06:30, ferrying an empty train into
Cobh
Cobh ( ,), known from 1849 until 1920 as Queenstown, is a seaport town on the south coast of County Cork, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. With a population of 14,148 inhabitants at the 2022 census of Ireland, 2022 census, Cobh is on the south si ...
. The train failed to stop and continued through the wall of the adjacent
Cobh Heritage Centre. There were no injuries incurred by any of the four personnel on board, the driver narrowly escaping injury as a roof beam penetrated the right side cab window. The carriages were later removed and services resumed from the station that day.
Preservation
Railway Preservation Society of Ireland
The first of the 141 class locomotives to enter preservation was class leader 141, which was purchased by the
Railway Preservation Society of Ireland
The Railway Preservation Society of Ireland (RPSI) is a railway preservation group founded in 1964 and operating throughout Ireland. Mainline steam train railtours are operated from Dublin, while short train rides are operated up and down th ...
with sponsorship from Murphy Models in February 2010. The sale of the locomotive was assisted by Phil Verster, the CME of Iarnród Éireann. As part of the sale, the locomotive received a repaint into its original Black & Tan livery as B141 at Inchicore workshops, where it was held in store.
Later in February 2010, locomotive 142 was purchased privately by a member of the RPSI and given to the Society. This locomotive was also repainted into its original Black & Tan livery as B142 at Inchicore, and ran an enthusiasts' special on Wednesday 24 February 2010 with B141. Following this the locomotive was moved to the RPSI's site at
Whitehead, where it saw regular service as a yard shunter. Bodywork repairs, including cab floors and sides were completed in 2020/21, a full engine rebuild during 2021/22 after failure due to cylinder liner o-ring failure, and full repaint to original livery in 2023.
In January 2011, the RPSI newsletter ''Five Foot Three'' announced that the RPSI had approached IÉ with the intentions of purchasing a third 141 class locomotive. At the time IÉ had three locomotives - numbers 162, 171, and 175 - still in service and agreed to make the best of the three locomotives available for preservation. Accordingly, locomotive 175 was selected for future preservation. In 2014 the locomotive was bought by the RPSI.
In July 2016, the two stored GM 141 locomotives owned by RPSI (B141 & 175) were brought out of the sidings in Inchicore, and moved to RPSI's shed at Connolly station for storage. The move happened on Tuesday 19 July, hauled by 071. Assessment of their condition took place afterwards and restoration to mainline running is planned. 175 was originally earmarked as a source of spares for B141, B142 and 121-class B134, but it may also be refurbished.
Irish Traction Group
The
Irish Traction Group
The Irish Traction Group is a railway preservation society dedicated to preserving diesel locomotives from Iarnród Éireann, Irish railways. It was founded on 4 June 1989 with the intention of attempting to preserve at least one example of eve ...
(ITG) purchased locomotive 146 in May 2010. This locomotive, withdrawn in March 2010, remained in storage at Inchicore until November of that year, when it was transported by Allelys to the
Downpatrick and County Down Railway
The Downpatrick and County Down Railway (DCDR) is a Track gauge in Ireland, 5 foot, 3 inch (1,600 mm) Track gauge, gauge heritage railway in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is operated by volunteers and runs passenger trains using Steam loco ...
. The locomotive is in active service and is a useful member of the D&CDR fleet. Later in November 2010, the ITG purchased locomotive 152. This locomotive had been employed on work trains in the Mayo area until withdrawn in February 2010 following a brake failure at Ballyhaunis. Although repairs were started by IÉ, work was stopped after some preliminary dismantling work had been carried out in both cabs. It was sold as a source of spare parts for 124, 146, and 190. It was in storage at Moyasta Junction on the
West Clare Railway
The West Clare Railway (WCR) originally operated in County Clare, Ireland, between 1887 and 1961. This narrow-gauge railway ran from the county town of Ennis, via numerous stopping-points along the West Clare coast to two termini, at Kilrush a ...
until 6th June 2025, when it was moved by road to the Downpatrick and County Down Railway arriving the following day.
Preservation Status
645 Engine Re-fitted: B142, 145, 149, 151, 154, 157, 163, 167, 170, 172 and 175.
567 Engine fitted: B141, 143, 144, 146, 147, 148, 150, 152, 153, 155, 156, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 164, 165, 166, 168, 169, 171, 173, 174, 176 and 177.
In fiction
*Class members 164 and 172 appear in the 1992 Irish fantasy family adventure
''Into the West''.
*Class member 151 appears in the
Walt Disney Productions
The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was founded on October 16 ...
film ''
The Secret of Boyne Castle''
Model
* Murphy Models have produced via Bachmann a comprehensive range of
'00' gauge 141 Class models. All liveries are covered (Black & Tan, CIE Golden Brown, Irish Rail and Iarnród Éireann) and with correct detailing for each era (e.g. LED pilot lights on the later versions). These models were first released in early 2008.
* A Rapid Prototyped 141 N Scale body is available from Valve Design.
* The 141 class along with many other locomotives and rolling stock has been made into a drivable locomotive for the game openbve by Celtic trainsim.
References
Bibliography
*
External links
Eiretrains - Irish LocomotivesPreserved loco 141Preserved loco 142Preserved loco 146Preserved loco 152Preserved loco 175
{{EMD misc
Iarnród Éireann locomotives
Electro-Motive Division locomotives
Bo-Bo locomotives
5 ft 3 in gauge locomotives
Railway locomotives introduced in 1962
Diesel–electric locomotives of Ireland