DSER 15 and 16

Dublin & South Eastern Railway
15 and 16

GSR 461 at MacDonagh station, Kilkenny, in March 2015.

Type and origin Power type Steam Designer G. H. Wild Builder Beyer, Peacock & Co. Order number 02160 Serial number 6112–6113 Build date 1922 Total produced 2

Specifications Configuration 2-6-0 UIC class 1'C h2 Gauge 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm) Leading dia. 3 ft 0 in (0.914 m) Driver dia. 5 ft 1 in (1.549 m) Axle load 15 long tons 1 cwt (33,700 lb or 15.3 t) Adhesive weight 43 long tons 9 cwt (97,300 lb or 44.1 t) Loco weight 50 long tons 1 cwt (112,100 lb or 50.9 t) Tender weight 32 long tons 10 cwt (72,800 lb or 33 t) Fuel type Coal Fuel capacity 5 long tons 0 cwt (11,200 lb or 5.1 t) Water cap 2,600 imperial gallons (12,000 l; 3,100 US gal) Firebox:  • Firegrate area 20 sq ft (1.9 m^2) Boiler pressure 175 lbf/in^2 (1.21 MPa) Heating surface:  • Tubes and flues 952 sq ft (88.4 m^2)  • Firebox 134 sq ft (12.4 m^2) Superheater: ​  • Heating area 164 sq ft (15.2 m^2) Cylinders Two, inside Cylinder size 19 in × 26 in (483 mm × 660 mm) Valve type 8 in (203 mm) piston valves

Performance figures Tractive effort 22,890 lbf (101.82 kN)

Career Operators Dublin and South Eastern Railway → Great Southern Railways → Córas Iompair Éireann Class DSR: None GSR/CIÉ: 461 or K2 Numbers DSER: 15–16 GSR: 461–462 Withdrawn 1965, 1963 Preserved One: No. 15 / 461 Current owner Railway Preservation Society of Ireland Disposition One preserved, one scrapped

The Dublin and South Eastern Railway 15 and 16 were a pair of 2-6-0 steam locomotives which were built for the heavy goods (freight) traffic on the Dublin to Wexford main line of the Dublin and South Eastern Railway (DSER). The two locomotives were built by Beyer, Peacock and Company at their Gorton Foundry in Manchester.

On account of the risk of damage when new (during the Irish Civil War period of 1921–1922), both examples were initially sent to Belfast for safekeeping. They were stored by the Great Northern Railway (Ireland) at Adelaide yard until 1923, when they were returned to the DSER. The locos were withdrawn in the early 1960s.^[1]

In 1925, the DSER was absorbed into the Great Southern Railways and the two locomotives were renumbered 461 and 462, and placed in Class 461 or Class K2.

Livery

Originally said to have been painted green, although the DSER's standard livery was lined black, on becoming part of the GSR, they were painted in the standard livery of unlined dark battleship grey which they retained until withdrawal. Following withdrawal, she was repainted in lined DSER black for display until restoration to working order commenced.

In preservation, No.461 was initially painted plain black, but more recently has been outshopped in CIÉ lined green livery upon completion of her overhaul in 2011.

Preservation

461 at Bangor in 2013

Preserved by the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland (RPSI), 461 ^[2] was allocated to the Wexford goods and in Waterford, working beet traffic until its withdrawal in 1962, a year before CIÉ abolished steam locomotives entirely. It was presented by CIÉ to the RPSI in 1977. An extensive overhaul followed at Whitehead and the locomotive returned to traffic in late 1990. At present, the locomotive recently (2011) completed an overhaul at the RPSI's Whitehead base.^[3] Locomotive No.461 has appeared in theatrical film releases such as Michael Collins, Nora and Angela's Ashes.^[4]

461 on "The Marble City" railtour

See also

• Diesel Locomotives of Ireland
• Multiple Units of Ireland
• Coaching Stock of Ireland
• Steam locomotives of Ireland

References

1. "DUBLIN & SOUTH EASTERN RAILWAY K2 (GSR CLASSIFICATION) 2-6-0 No. 461". Railway Preservation Society of Ireland. Retrieved 2009-01-15.
4. "FILM CONTRACTS". Railway Preservation Society of Ireland. Retrieved 2009-01-14.

• Clements, Jeremy & McMahon, Michael (2008). Locomotives of the GSR. Newtownards: Colourpoint Books. pp. 151–152, 287. ISBN 978-1-906578-26-8.

External links

• webpage for preserved K2 Class No.461