The Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford Railway(Later named the Dublin and South Eastern Railway and in 1907 a change in livery) asked Beyer Peacock to build two goods engines in 1921. This was a major turning point for the DSER as they were able to afford the most up to date in steam engine technology with the only limitation being the length as the engine had to fit on the Harcourt Turntable. These engines were the future for the DSER into what became the Golden Age for Britsh Railways. However during the last phase of construction, the Irish Civil War broke out and destroying trains was a tactic used by the Anti-Treaty forces. When the XXXI Class were completed and shipped over to Dublin in 1922, the DSER had the engines transferred to the Great Northern Railway of Ireland's Shed in Adelaide, Belfast where they would be safe from the War, This was for the future of the company who solely depended on their survival. In 1923 the engines were returned to Dublin in secret as the Civil War was still going on however had moved to the South West. Many of the DSER's engines and rolling stock had been destroyed and the company was finachially in trouble and so the engines were put into work discretely on the Harcourt Street-Wexford Night Goods train. Due to the finachial loss of the Civil War the company was forced to become part of the Great Southern Railways in 1925. Afterwards these engines continued to work the South East Line but all the way down to Rosslare Harbour, renumbered at 461 and 462. 461 was stationed at Wexford and 462 was stationed at Grand Canal Street, they worked heavy night goods trains from Rosslare Harbour to Dublin and during the day 462 would work suburban passenger trains in Dublin while 461 worked passenger trains from Rosslare Harbour-Wexford. No.462 was later moved to Broadstone to work goods on the ex-MGWR line. These engines were very popular amongst crew although there was a case when 462 was fitted with an automatic ash ejection system which the crew hated and were known to plug them with sugar beet to help the engine to perform better. Surviving into CIE days and into the late 60s where No.462 was withdrawn in 1963 and later No.461 was withdrawn in 1965 after briefly being a stationary boiler. However in 1967 CIE announced the preservation of three engines as static exhibits near to their orginal company routes. Ex-GNR(I)'s No.131 was to be displayed at Dundalk, Ex-GSWR's No.184 was to be displayed at Inchicore, Dublin and ex-DSER No.461 was to be displayed at Waterford. However only No.131 was sucessfully displayed as the two others were put in storage at Inchicore. In 1968, an Inchicore open day was held to let the public look around the site, for the event No.461 was brought out of storage and was painted original DSER livery with original number and had white rimmed wheels to look impressive. Going back into storage until 1977 when CIE offered No.461 and No.184 to the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland who moved them to Mullingar for restoration however with not much facilities the engines were moved to Whitehead in Northern Ireland by Road. Due to funding and hard work by voluteers the RPSI returned No.461 to working condition in a GSR livery but painted black in 1990 and in 1991 461 was officially introduced back into to service by the President of Ireland Mary Robinson at Dublin Pearse Station that used to be the DSER Station known as Westland Row. No.461 was then used on RPSI passenger tours across Ireland until boiler expirary in 2001. In 2011 No.461 returned in CIE Green Livery and continues to work RPSI tours across Ireland. Includes AJS Script.
Тип: traincar