| Cie 201 Class |
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Information AboutCie 201 Class |
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Unfortunately, these locomotives suffered from two distinct problems. Firstly, CIE underwent a large scale closure of its branch lines during the late 1950s and early 1960s , leaving them without a purpose. Secondly, they suffered badly from the unreliability of their Crossley engines, which were of insufficient power even when they did work. As a result, attempts were made to re-engine these locomotives with more suitable equipment. In 1965 - 1966 , a Maybach MD650 engine of 980hp was tested in 233 and 234. However, a permanent solution was found by converting the entire class with General Motors engines from 1969 (a similar process was also undergone by the 001 Class ). From this time they were partnered with former Diesel Multiple Unit s converted to four-car Push-pull carriage rakes to operate the suburban services around Dublin . When built, these locomotives were numbered C201-C234, and as locomotives were re-engined, they were renumbered B201-B234 to reflect their increased power. However, the prefix letter was later dropped. From 1984 the class was replaced by Electric Multiple Unit s operating the newly-electrified Dublin Area Rapid Transit (DART) services, and the remaining examples were all withdrawn over the following two years, the first, No.201 was bomb damaged and withdrawn in 1973 , the last in 1986 ). TECHNICAL DETAILS The basic technical details of these locomotives are as follows:
NIR USE After withdrawal from CIE, six locomotives were sold to Northern Ireland Railways , which designated them 104 Class. They entered traffic for NIR in 1986-1987, except 105. Originally CIE 224 was intended to become 105, but it was subsequently rejected by NIR and replaced by 105, which only entered traffic in 1991. 224 was left stored on NIR until it was scrapped in January 1996. Of those that entered service, some had very short lives working for their new owners. They were stored as soon as any problems arose (e.g. a seized engine or traction motor), and the whole class was formally withdrawn in 1993 (107/109) or 1995 (the others). The locomotives involved, their new numbers and their withdrawal are set out below: PRESERVATION Two 201 Class locomotives, numbers 226 and 231, have been preserved by the , whilst 226 is undergoing restoration at Carrick-on-Suir {Link without Title} . A third example, NIR 106/CIE 227 was preserved privately and displayed at Cahirceveen , County Kerry [http://users.chariot.net.au/~nldoncas/nicspages/the_irish_crossleys.htm and carries the number C202, the number it bore when pulling the last train from Cahirciveen in 1960. Unfortunately it has suffered almost continuous vandalism since being displayed in 1997.[http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:Q7YRTZ1pgDkJ:www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3%3Fca%3D9%26si%3D1443335%26issue_id%3D12810+c202+acard&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=5]. It may be moved to another location in the future as there are other groups interested in it. |
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