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Belfast Telegraph
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Belfast Telegraph
Ireland's first American locomotive turns heads in transit as it arrives in new Co Down home
The two vehicles – the first of four in total – arrived at the Downpatrick and Co Down Railway (DCDR) museum on Sunday having turned the heads of many people as they were driven along the roads from Co Clare in the Republic. The trains which arrived were the former Irish Rail and CIE locomotives – numbers 124 and 190. The other two vehicles, the number 152 and A3R, will be arriving next weekend. The number 124 train represents a particularly special piece for the museum. First arriving on rails in 1961, it is Ireland's first American built locomotive. The CIE 121 class locomotives (No. 124) have been described as a 'game-changer' for Irish railways when they arrived in that decade. Built by General Motors in the USA, they were the first American locomotives to operate on the island of Ireland The 124 and 190 were brought over the border at the weekend, having been stored under tarpaulins at West Clare Railway since 2009. Originally, they were part of a broad and narrow-gauge railway museum project. However, due to issues with planning and logistics, this did not come to fruition and instead after over a year of planning and building to accommodate them, the historical pieces safety arrived at their new Co Down home. They were each serviced and inspected before being moved to their storage and restoration location. Welcoming the newest feature to their museum is the chair of the DCDR, Robert Gardiner. 'Having access to additional locomotives allows us to rotate our existing diesel locos for essential maintenance and cosmetic restoration without impacting our services as we continue our recovery,' he explained. 'Of the four locomotives being relocated from Moyasta, two will be restored and returned to operational service, while the other two will provide valuable spare parts to support the existing fleet. 'This is a proud day for our railway and the heritage community. 'The arrival of these locomotives, especially No. 124 - which was the very first American-built locomotive to arrive in Ireland in 1961 - significantly strengthens our collection and operational resilience.' Peter Jones of the Irish Traction Group commented on the condition of the historic vehicles. 'Although covered and secured, the locomotives have suffered from exposure to the sea air at Moyasta,' he said. News Catch Up - Monday 2nd June 'Fortunately, recent inspections revealed their internal mechanical and electrical components remain complete, and the engines still bar over. "At this point we would like to express our sincere thanks and gratitude to Jackie Whelan, owner of the West Clare Railway, for allowing the group to store our locomotives at the site for the last fifteen years. 'And our thanks and gratitude to the Downpatrick and Co Down Railway for their kind offer of providing them with a new home.' The trains caused a stir on the roads form Lisburn to Saintfield during transit, as a DCDR apologised on social media for any delays caused to motorists while the vehicles were being transported. 'Were you stuck in a massive traffic jam on the road from Lisburn to Saintfield yesterday? Sorry, that was us. We had a rather large delivery arrive at the railway,' a spokesperson wrote on social media.
Belfast Telegraph
16-05-2025
- Belfast Telegraph
Co Down train carriage makes final journey
The carriage, known as former CIÉ Steam Heating Van No. 3189, arrived in Downpatrick in 2007, where it became a guard's van, generator vehicle and storage facility, before being retired at the end of 2019 Lapland Express Season. Retired during the Covid pandemic, and later damaged by flooding, the carriage was found to require over £100,000 worth of restoration work. The railway museum — the only full-size heritage railway on the island of Ireland — had been closed to the public for almost a year from October 2023 to October 2024 due to extensive flooding in the Downpatrick area. Given its advanced corrosion and limited operational use, the steam heating van was not considered of significant enough rarity or historical importance to warrant major fundraising for restoration. Robert Gardiner, chairman of the DCDR says he 'desperately tried to find a home for it', but efforts to sell the carriage proved unsuccessful. 'There were a few expressions of interest, but nothing firm,' he said. "As much as I'd have loved to restore our only Mk1, it realistically would have been a complete money pit – and we have much more pressing needs at the railway.' Today the van was cut in half and loaded onto lorries for its final trip to County Antrim, with spare parts kept by the DCDR for potential reuse. The Downpatrick & County Down Railway, the only full-size heritage railway on the island of Ireland, operates on part of the former Belfast & County Down Railway route, which closed to passenger traffic in 1950. Previously the Railway had partnered with Belfast Shipbuilders Harland & Wolff to help restore a Victorian railway carriage.
