Where I was today

Carrick on Suir Ireland...bear with me , photo wont load!

 

Shock, horror. Two people on the track and not a single hi-viz in site.

 

two dozen more like and I had a hi viz in my pocket.

 

possiby the last time you'll see a steam train (or maybe any train ) use the loop there..points are life expired and unlikely to be replaced....

 

An interestingly ugly locomotive! What is the cage-type thing on the front of the tender for?

How many people are on the footplate? Looks crowded.

 

cage is for running under the wires, to stop the fire irons being live!

 

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151366913217161.1073741866.630552160&type=1&l=1088b219cd

a few more shots

 

Ugly? Really? I think she's quite a handsome loco.

As explained above, the cage is for running under the overhead lines around Dublin, you will also notice that there is a deflector between the safety valves to deflect steam away from the wires.

There are probably 3 people on the footplate - driver, fireman and RPSI rep.


Keith

 

Thanks keith, ( and Reading General too);

Keith, we must meet up in Ireland some time, where are you based please?

Regards
Chris:

 

Chris,

I'm just outside Belfast

Keith

 

Hi Keith, perhaps not ugly, but interesting then. Was it an older design modified with the leading wheels, higher pitched boiler and so on?

The condition is nice to see, it looks like a real working loco, cleaned well but not brand new. And great to see something of this size out on the main line rather than massive pacifics - what power class would it be roughly?

Andy

 

i'd say it would equate to a 4F. There were two built for express freight work fro the Dublin and South East Railway in abut 1921. It waasn't based on anything they previously had, but I have heard that the leading wheels were added in the design stage when the weight came out too high in the leading drivers. RPSI tours come highly recomended,

 

It's interesting the cage and deflectors are a requirement in Ireland but not in the UK, do they not trust the crews to remember not to use the irons under the wires or something ?.

 

The cage bit is bizarre - does anyone have a close up photo?
French locos had a much more elegant arrangement of a bar that (presumably) marked the limits of the loading gauge positioned toward the rear of the tender. I am not sure if this would help with the fire irons or if it was meant to remind people whilst filling the tender tank. I'll see if I can dig out a picture.

 

Look at the locos in the French WW2 film "The Train". Even then you can see the "cages".

 

Not to mention plenty of bullhead track!