MGWR Classes C and Cs

The Midland Great Western Railway (MGWR) C Class was a class of 4-4-0 locomotives designed and built at Broadstone by Edward Cusack between 1909 and 1915 using parts obtained from Kitson and Company. They replaced the earlier 7-12 class. The class survived through the Great Southern Railways (GSR) era from 1925-1944 and were withdrawn in the 1950s under Córas Iompair Éireann.[1][2]

C class
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
DesignerEdward Cusack
BuilderBroadstone
Build date1909–1915
Total produced9
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte4-4-0
Gauge5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm)
Leading dia.3 ft 6 in (1,070 mm)
Driver dia.6 ft 3 in (1,900 mm)
Tender wheels3 ft 9 in (1,140 mm)
Wheelbase:
 • Engine		20 ft 11 in (6,380 mm)
 • Drivers8 ft 2 in (2,490 mm)
 • Tender12 ft (3,700 mm)
Total weight74 tons
Firebox:
 • Firegrate area		16 sq ft (1.5 m2)
Boiler:
​
 • Diameter4 ft 5 in (1,350 mm)
Boiler pressure175 lbs
Heating surface:
 • Tubes		975 sq ft (90.6 m2)
 • Firebox115 sq ft (10.7 m2)
Cylinder size18 in × 26 in (460 mm × 660 mm)
Career
OperatorsMidland Great Western Railway
Great Southern Railways
ClassC
Number in class9
Numbers536–544
LocaleIreland
Withdrawn1950–1959

Locomotives

The class consisted of nine locomotives as follows:[1][2]

MGWR No. Name Built GSR No. GSR Class Inchicore Class Withdrawn
4 (25 from 1924)Ballynahinch1910538536D71950
5 (26 from 1924)Croagh Patrick1910539536D71952
6 (9 from 1924)Kylemore1911542540D61959
7Connemara1909540540D61953
8St. Patrick1913541540D61959
9 (20 from 1924)Emerald Isle1912537536D71953
10Faugh a Ballagh1909543540D61959
11Erin go Bragh1915544540D61955
12Shamrock1913536536D71951

History

From their introduction in 1909 the class was originally designed to be used principally on trains on the Sligo and Mayo branches. Their large driving wheels caused low acceleration and difficulties on gradients so they were deployed to Dublin-Galway slow passenger work. Poor riding also led to a high incidence of breaking of bogie springs.[2]

In 1912 during the coal strike of that year No. 10 was converted to an oil burning locomotive using Holden oil burning apparatus.[3]

The class were rebuilt with superheated boilers and new cabs over their long lives beginning in the 1920s. Those also having piston-valves formed GSR Class 540 whilst those retaining slide values going to GSR Class 536. They were withdrawn in the 1950s, Class 536 with their poorer performance first.[2]

Liveries

When introduced the locomotives carried an apple green livery with black edged with white lining. The tender was lettered MGWR with the company seal between the letters G and W. They carried brass nameplates on the lead driving when splasher with the builders plate and number on the cabside. From 1915 after W.H. Morton was appointed Chief Mechanical Engineer of the MGWR the engines were repainted black until the merger of the MGWR into the Great Southern Railways in 1925. From then until withdrawal, all were painted plain grey, initially with cast cabside numberplates (also plain grey), but from about 1949 these were gradually removed with pale yellow painted numerals substituted.

References and sources

References
  1. Shepherd, Ernie (1994). The Midland Great Western Railway of Ireland - An illustrated History. Midland Publishing Limited. pp. 89, 130. ISBN 1-85780-008-7.
  2. Clements, Jeremy; McMahon, Michael (2008). Locomotives of the GSR. Colourpoint Books. pp. 185–188. ISBN 9781906578268.
  3. "Oil Fuel on British Railways". The Locomotive Magazine. 18 (237). 15 May 1912.

Sources
  • "The Railway Magazine Volume XXV". Railway Magazine. XXV. 1909.(subscription required)
  • Irish Railways In Pictures No. 2 The Midland Great Western Line. Irish Railway Record Society,London Area. November 1990. ISBN 978-0902564046.
  • "Cusack 4-4-0 express locomotive: "Faugh a Ballagh"". The Locomotive Magazine. 16 (217). 15 September 1910.
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