Multiple units of Ireland

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A wide variety of diesel and electric multiple units have been used on Ireland's railways. This page lists all those that have been used. Except with the NIR Class 3000, the numbers given by each class in the lists below are those allocated to the coaches that make up the units in that class, otherwise, unit numbers are not used in Ireland.

Contents

Republic of Ireland

Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ), which controlled the Republic's railways between 1945 and 1987, mainly used locomotives and hauled stock for its passenger trains. What diesel multiple unit cars it did have were numbered in the 26xx series. Since 1987, Iarnród Éireann (IÉ) has been increasing the use of this type of train, to replace older locomotives and carriages. The only electrified railway network in Ireland is the Dublin Area Rapid Transit (DART) system, in addition to the Luas which runs on a separate network. Its fleet of electric multiple units are numbered in the 8xxx series.

Despite appearing to be a DMU (especially the Driving Van-Trailer end), the Dublin Cork service Mark 4 is an 8-car Push–pull train.

Diesel multiple units

ClassManufacturerDate BuiltNumber BuiltWithdrawnImageScrapped
AEC Class Initial Order AEC 1951–1956661987 Push-pull train at Howth Junction station.jpg 65
GNR Order1951–1956101975 Lambeg station (1971) - geograph.org.uk - 991887.jpg All
Bulleid Order Inchicore Works 19561975
BUT Class BUT 1956–1957121972–1975 BUT railcar, Lisburn - geograph.org.uk - 1442604.jpg
80 Class BREL 1974 (Hired from NIR)31990 IE80Class.jpg
2600 Class (II) Tokyu Car Corporation 199317still in use Fota 1.jpg 0
2700 Class GEC Alsthom 1997–1998122012 Dublin 5.jpg
2750 Class 2 Dublin 6.jpg
2800 Class Tokyu Car Corporation200010still in use Limerick 1.jpg 2
29000 Class CAF 2002–200529 Dublin 1.jpg 0
22000 Class Hyundai Rotem 2007–2011

2019–

63 Drogheda 1.jpg

Electric multiple units

ClassManufacturerYear BuiltNumber BuiltWithdrawnImageScrapped
Drumm Battery Trains Inchicore Works1931
1938
41949All
8100 Class Linke-Hofmann-Busch 1983–198440still in use Dart-8306-00.jpg 2
8200 Class Alstom1999–200052007–2008 DART Unit 8203.jpg 1
8500 Class Tokyu Car Corporation20004still in use Howth Junction railway station in 2007.jpg 0
8510 Class 20013 8700 EMU - 8614.jpg
8520 Class 2003–200410 DART Connolly.jpg

Northern Ireland

The majority of passenger services in Northern Ireland have been operated by diesel multiple units since the mid-1950s (the major exception being the locomotive-hauled Enterprise service between Belfast and Dublin), under the tenure of both the Ulster Transport Authority (1948–1966) and Northern Ireland Railways (since 1967). From 2001, all items of rolling stock in use on NIR had 8000 added to their number so as to be part of the Translink number series, which incorporates their road vehicles. The 3000 Class stock are the first multiple units to be numbered from new in the Translink series. NIR purchased an additional 20 Class 4000 DMUs which entered service in 2011 and 2012.

NIR purchased a Windhoff Multi-Purpose Vehicle for use as the Rail Head Treatment Train, equipped to lay sandite and high-pressure water. The MPV was procured to replace a converted Class 80 unit.

ClassManufacturerNumber BuiltIn ServiceWithdrawnImage
AEC Class GNR Sets GNR Works,

Dundalk

20 Power Cars

(10 After 1958)

1950–19721972 Lambeg station (1971) - geograph.org.uk - 991887.jpg
UTA 6 & 7 UTA Works 2 Power Cars1951–1972
BUT Class GNR Works,

Dundalk

24 Cars1957–19801980 BUT railcar, Lisburn - geograph.org.uk - 1442604.jpg
MED Class NIR Works14 x 3-car sets1952–19781978 Delayed train, Lisburn - geograph.org.uk - 1087236.jpg
MPD Class NIR Works2 x 5-car sets
10 × 3 car sets
1958–19811981 Lisburn railway station (4) - geograph.org.uk - 511723.jpg
70 Class NIR Works8 x 3-car sets1966–19861986 Permanent way train, Larne - geograph.org.uk - 1088463.jpg
Class 80 BREL2, 3, 4 or 6 cars per set1975-20172011 (passenger use)
2017 (departmental use)
69, North Junction.jpg
RB3 BREL/Leyland 1 x single car1981–19901990 NIR RB3 Ballymena Geograph-2091774.jpg
Class 450 BREL9 x 3-car sets1985–20122012 Downshire railway station in 2008.jpg
Class 3000 CAF23 x 3-car sets2005-presentstill in use Seahill (1) (cropped).jpg
Class 4000 CAF13 x 3-car sets
7 x 4-car sets
2011-presentstill in use Coleraine railway station 3.jpg

Great Northern Railway (Ireland)

The Great Northern Railway (Ireland) straddled the border between the Republic and Northern Ireland, and so was not incorporated in either the CIE or UTA. However, mounting losses saw the network purchased jointly by the Irish and British governments on Tuesday 1 September 1953. It was run as a joint board, independent of the CIE and UTA, until Tuesday 30 September 1958 when it was dissolved and the remaining stock split equally between the 2 railways.

Railcars in preservation

NumberOriginal companyIn servicePreserved byLocation
B Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties Railway 1947–1971 Downpatrick & Co. Down Railway Downpatrick
6111 CIÉ 1952–1987
450 Class 458 Northern Ireland Railways 1987–2012
798
788
Two–car

80 Class

691978–2017
749
Two–car

80 Class

90
7521979–2017
RB002 British Rail 1984–1990Riverstown Old MillRiverstown, Louth
Railcar 1 Northern Counties Committee (LMS)1933–1965 Railway Preservation Society of Ireland Whitehead
Railbus E Great Northern Railway 1921–1965 Ulster Folk and Transport Museum Cultra
1 County Donegal Railways 1906–1956
101932–1959
121934–1959 Foyle Valley Railway Derry
151936–1959 Donegal Railway Heritage Centre Donegal
181940–1959 Fintown Railway Fintown
191951–1959 Isle of Man Railway Isle of Man
20
712CIÉ1962–2005 Irish Traction Group Downpatrick
713Downpatrick & Co. Down Railway
1498 76773British Rail1970–1993Quirky Glamping Enniscrone
62411
76844

See also