| MGWR Class K | |||||||||||||||||||||
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 MGWR Class K 2-4-0 on an express at Clifden in 1914. | |||||||||||||||||||||
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The MGWR Class K was a Midland Great Western Railway (MGWR) 2-4-0 designed by Martin Atock for passenger work and introduced from 1893. They replaced earlier MGWR Class D locomotives that carried the same names and numbers. The class was also known as the Great Southern Railways (GSR) 650 G2 class. [2] [3] [4]
| MGWR No. | Name | Introduced | GSR No. | Withdrawn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | Rapid | 1893 | 659 | 1961 |
| 14 | Racer | 1893 | 650 | 1959 |
| 15 | Rover | 1895 | 660 | 1959 |
| 16 | Rob Roy | 1895 | 651 | 1959 |
| 17 | Reindeer | 1894 | 661 | 1959 |
| 18 | Ranger | 1893 | 652 | 1954 |
| 19 | Spencer | 1894 | 653 | 1963 |
| 20 | Speedy | 1896 | War loss | 1923 |
| 21 | Swift | 1896 | 662 | 1955 |
| 22 | Samson | 1896 | 663 | 1959 |
| 23 | Sylph | 1896 | 664 | 1961 |
| 24 | Sprite | 1896 | 665 | 1959 |
| 27 | Clifton | 1896 | 666 | 1957 |
| 28 | Clara | 1896 | 654 | 1963 |
| 29 | Consilla | 1896 | 655 | 1961 |
| 30 | Active | 1897 | 656 | 1957 |
| 31 | Alert | 1897 | 667 | 1957 |
| 32 | Ariel | 1897 | 668 | 1959 |
| 33 | Arrow | 1898 | 657 | 1961 |
| 34 | Aurora | 1898 | 658 | 1954 |
The design was a progression of the MGWR Class D standard passenger locomotive and resulted in a design more powerful than the MGWR Class D-bogie 4-4-0. They were rebuilt with superheated boilers from 1918 increasing their power still further and becoming one of the few if not only superheated 2-4-0 classes in the world. [3] [4]
They were initially allocated to top expresses such at the limited mail with some of the heaviest requiring double heading. After the turn of the century they were displaced by 4-4-0 types to secondary duties throughout the MGWR network but became mainly based around the Sligo line in the GSR/CIÉ era. On the Achill line they would be brought in for heavier trains particular after 6 coupled locomotives were banned after 1925 on that branch. They remained active and useful into the 1950s with the last withdrawal in 1963. The locomotive class was also noted for working on the Ballaghaderreen branch line in its final years. [1] [2] [3] [4]
Several of the class were damaged in civil war incidents in 1922/23. In particular No. 20 Speedy was destroyed at Killala on 3 February 1923. [2]
A wide variety of steam locomotives have been used on Ireland's railways. This page lists most if not all those that have been used in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Irish railways generally followed British practice in locomotive design.
The MGWR Class D-bogie were first 4-4-0 operated by the Midland Great Western Railway (MGWR) of Ireland. They were rebuilt from MGWR Class D 2-4-0 locomotives in 1900/01 with the intention to use them on the Dublin to Sligo mainline but they proved underpowered for this work and were allocated to more suitable work around County Mayo, including Achill. This led to their nicknames of Mayo Bogies or Achill Bogies. Following the merger of the MGWR into Great Southern Railways (GSR) they also became designated class 530 or D16.
The Midland Great Western Railway (MGWR) was the third largest Irish gauge railway company in Ireland. It was incorporated in 1845 and absorbed into the Great Southern Railways in 1924. At its peak the MGWR had a network of 538 miles (866 km), making it Ireland's third largest network after the Great Southern and Western Railway (GS&WR) and the Great Northern Railway of Ireland.
The MGWR Classes F, Fa and Fb are a group of similar classes of 0-6-0 steam locomotives of the Midland Great Western Railway of Ireland which were designed and built between 1921 and 1924. The locomotives could be used to handle goods and also for passenger traffic.
The MGWR class E was a small 0-6-0T steam locomotive class designed in 1891 by Martin Atock, the then locomotive superintendent of the Midland Great Western Railway (MGWR) and twelve engines were built. After the MGWR was merged into Great Southern Railways (GSR) in 1925 they were designated Class 551 or J26. They were also known as the Irish Terrier class.
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.
The Ballaghaderreen branch line connected Ballaghaderreen railway station to Kilfree Junction on the Dublin to Sligo main line. It opened in 1874 and closed in 1963.
The MGWR Class L/Lm/Ln were Midland Great Western Railway (MGWR) 0-6-0 locomotives. Following merger of the MGWR into the Great Southern Railways (GSR) in 1925 these locomotives still generally kept to their former area, as did the equivalent GS&WR Class 101 standard goods to their former area. Whereas Class 101 was noted for some working of branch line passenger trains this was less likely for the MGWR class L; however they were noted for passenger mixed working on the Clifden and Ballaghaderreen branch lines.
Martin Atock, also formerly known as Martin Attock, was an English railway engineer, who is best known as the Locomotive Superintendent of the Midland Great Western Railway (MGWR) from 1872 to 1900.
William Herbert Morton was a British locomotive engineer who rose to the position of general manager of the Great Southern Railways (GSR) in Ireland. He previously held the chief engineering positions for GSR and Midland Great Western Railway (MGWR).
The Midland Great Western Railway (MGWR) A Class, later Inchicore Class D5, consisted of 6 4-4-0 express passenger locomotives built at Broadstone Works in the period 1902-1905. The largest express passenger locomotive in Ireland for a short while after introduction they were used on the MGWR's flagship services to Galway with most surviving until the 1950s albeit on less prestigious work.
The Midland Great Western Railway (MGWR) B Class 0-6-0 was a class of 4 locomotives built at North British Locomotive Company in 1904. In 1925 they were allocated Great Southern Railways (GSR) Class 646 / Inchicore Class J2.
The Great Southern Railways (GSR) 222/234 Classes 0-6-0 originated from 2 batches of 3 locomotives built for the Waterford, Limerick and Western Railway (WLWR) by Kitson with a contract payment dispute resulting in the final two members going to Midland Great Western Railway becoming MGWR Class W.
The Midland Great Western Railway (MGWR) Class P were an 0-6-0T tank locomotive designed by Martin Atock introduced in 1881 designed for shunting and banking round North Wall freight yard. After 1925 they became Great Southern Railways (GSR) class 614 / Inchicore class J10.
The Midland Great Western Railway (MGWR) Class H were an 0-6-0 locomotive bought in 1880 from Avonside Engine Company. After 1925 they became Great Southern Railways (GSR) class 619 / Inchicore class J6.
Midland Great Western Railway (MGWR) Classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 13 were 2-2-2 locomotives acquired over the period 1847-1862 serving the railway in its formative years.
The Midland Great Western Railway (MGWR) Classes 6, 8, 10, 11, 17 and 18 were 2-4-0 locomotives introduced in the period 1852-1870. The 22 locomotives were spread across 6 different manufacturers and all were withdrawn in the decade between 1880 and 1890 though some donated parts to other builds at Broadstone Works.
The MGWR Class D were 2-4-0 steam locomotives built in batches from 1873 to 1887 for the Midland Great Western Railway (MGWR) of Ireland to a Martin Atock design. Numbering 39 at their peak they were the standard MGWR passenger locomotive of their era. Six of the class were rebuilt as 4-4-0.
The MGWR Class 7–12 were a set of six 2-4-0 locomotives introduced in 1889/90 by the Midland Great Western Railway (MGWR) of Ireland replacing the MGWR Class 18 with the same names and numbers. They were withdrawn from 1909 to 1922 with none surviving into service with Great Southern Railways (GSR). Their construction included iron frame plates, steel standard goods boilers, automatic brakes and a redesigned motion incorporating four slidebars. They were noted for economical coal consumption.
The Loughrea branch line was a railway line that opened in 1890 and closed in 1975. The 9 mile single track branch ran from the Attymon Junction on the Dublin to Galway main line and terminated at Loughrea. Dunsandle was the single intermediate stop. It was the last rural branch line to survive in Ireland.