CIE 121 Class
Encyclopedia
The Córas Iompair Éireann 121 class is a railway locomotive which was manufactured by General Motors
Electro-Motive Division. These locomotives were in regular service on the Irish railway network until 2002, with the last two remaining in service until 2008.
s were manufactured in December 1960 and January 1961 and numbered B121 to B135. The last two locomotives that survived in traffic (Nos. 124 and 134) were both withdrawn from service on 3 May 2008. Prior to 1961, almost all Irish diesel locomotives
were built in Great Britain, but from the 1960s onwards, GM became the sole supplier of locomotives to CIÉ, which eventually also extended to Northern Ireland Railways
locomotives at a later stage. These were EMD's first ever fully American-built locomotives delivered to Europe.
The Class 121 locomotives were a typical American-style single cab ‘road switcher
'. The layout of the cab was quite different from the other conventional CIÉ diesel models of the time, with the controls to the side of the driver, rather than the front. Due to apparent driver complaints of reduced visibility when operating with cab trailing, it was ultimately decided that these locomotives should only operate in a cab-leading formation. Later conversion for multiple-unit working allowed two 121 class locomotives to be coupled hood-end
to hood-end, removing the need to turn them around for their return journey.
Although originally fitted with an EMD 8-567CR
engine of 960 hp, all were later fitted with 645
type "power packs" (piston & liner assemblies) for parts standardisation, while at the same time keeping their original power output for reliability reasons. They weighed 64 tons and had a maximum speed of 123 km/h (76.4 mph). Numbers 126-129 were later rebuilt with an EMD 8-645E
engine of 1100 hp; as used in the 181 Class
locomotives.
All but three (121, 125, and 135) were fitted with Train Door Control equipment for operation with the Inchicore-built, BR Mark 3 based, Push-Pull
train units. The push-pull equipment of locomotive 132 was subsequently decommissioned. Entering service in 1989, these trains, consisting of a single 121 class and up to six carriages, were mainly used on the Dublin northern suburban passenger railway service. These were to be the last regular passenger duties for the 121s (edit - incorrect, Dublin suburbans went to 201s in the Winter of 1995/6, the Limerick shuttle continued to be 121 worked for several years after this date). In 1994, a railcar "revolution" had begun, and the push pull carriages were later re-deployed to inter-city duties with the Class 201
locomotives.
By 1995, the class 201 had replaced the class 121 on most passenger routes. Throughout the late 1990s the fleet dwindled, and by 2005 only numbers 124 and 134 remained in service, with number 123 in storage for five years until eventually being scrapped in 2008. The rest of the fleet has since been scrapped, due to the ongoing decline in freight traffic that they were also used for.
Their last official scheduled mainline passenger working was on Saturday, 9 July 2005 on the Sligo line
. The last known passenger working of this class was the 13:15 Waterford-Heuston service on 18 January 2007. Previously, these locomotives had filled in on the Manulla-Ballina service or the occasional service from Limerick.
The very last use of them in public service was in the early months of 2008 on maintenance trains - by this stage 124 and 134 were the only survivors. Both were retired by degrees and officially withdrawn in July 2008, though at this stage neither had done much for many weeks.
has preserved one member of this class, No.124. It is located at Moyasta junction on the preserved West Clare Railway.
The other surviving member of the class, No.134, is currently stored at Inchicore Works, but is earmarked for preservation by the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland
.
The cab of No.133 is preserved at the Cavan & Leitrim Railway in Dromod
, County Leitrim
.
Murphy Models have announced plans to release an '00' gauge ready to run model of the 121 class.
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
Electro-Motive Division. These locomotives were in regular service on the Irish railway network until 2002, with the last two remaining in service until 2008.
History.
The Class 121 locomotiveLocomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
s were manufactured in December 1960 and January 1961 and numbered B121 to B135. The last two locomotives that survived in traffic (Nos. 124 and 134) were both withdrawn from service on 3 May 2008. Prior to 1961, almost all Irish diesel locomotives
Diesel locomotives of Ireland
Although prototype diesel locomotives ran in Britain before World War II, the railways of both the Republic and Northern Ireland changed over much more rapidly from steam to diesel traction, in the 1950s than those in Britain, due to the island's limited coal reserves and ageing steam locomotive...
were built in Great Britain, but from the 1960s onwards, GM became the sole supplier of locomotives to CIÉ, which eventually also extended to Northern Ireland Railways
Northern Ireland Railways
NI Railways, also known as Northern Ireland Railways and for a brief period of time, Ulster Transport Railways , is the railway operator in Northern Ireland...
locomotives at a later stage. These were EMD's first ever fully American-built locomotives delivered to Europe.
The Class 121 locomotives were a typical American-style single cab ‘road switcher
Switcher
A switcher or shunter is a small railroad locomotive intended not for moving trains over long distances but rather for assembling trains ready for a road locomotive to take over, disassembling a train that has been...
'. The layout of the cab was quite different from the other conventional CIÉ diesel models of the time, with the controls to the side of the driver, rather than the front. Due to apparent driver complaints of reduced visibility when operating with cab trailing, it was ultimately decided that these locomotives should only operate in a cab-leading formation. Later conversion for multiple-unit working allowed two 121 class locomotives to be coupled hood-end
Long hood
The long hood of a hood unit-style diesel locomotive is, as the name implies, the longer of the two hoods on a locomotive.-Equipment:...
to hood-end, removing the need to turn them around for their return journey.
Although originally fitted with an EMD 8-567CR
EMD 567
The EMD 567 is a line of diesel engines built by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division. This engine, which succeeded Winton's 201-A, was used in EMD's locomotives from 1938 until its replacement in 1966 by the EMD 645. It has a bore of , a stroke of and a displacement of 567 in³ per cylinder...
engine of 960 hp, all were later fitted with 645
EMD 645
The EMD 645 family of diesel engines was designed and manufactured by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors. Intended primarily for locomotive, marine and stationary engine use, one 16-cylinder version powered the 33-19 "Titan" prototype haul truck designed by GM's Terex...
type "power packs" (piston & liner assemblies) for parts standardisation, while at the same time keeping their original power output for reliability reasons. They weighed 64 tons and had a maximum speed of 123 km/h (76.4 mph). Numbers 126-129 were later rebuilt with an EMD 8-645E
EMD 645
The EMD 645 family of diesel engines was designed and manufactured by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors. Intended primarily for locomotive, marine and stationary engine use, one 16-cylinder version powered the 33-19 "Titan" prototype haul truck designed by GM's Terex...
engine of 1100 hp; as used in the 181 Class
CIE 181 Class
The Córas Iompair Éireann 181 Class locomotives were built in 1966 by General Motors Electro-Motive Division and numbered B181 to B192.These locomotives were virtually identical to the earlier 141 Class locomotives, but fitted with the more powerful 645 engine and thermostatically controlled engine...
locomotives.
All but three (121, 125, and 135) were fitted with Train Door Control equipment for operation with the Inchicore-built, BR Mark 3 based, Push-Pull
Push-pull train
Push–pull is a mode of operation for locomotive-hauled trains allowing them to be driven from either end.A push–pull train has a locomotive at one end of the train, connected via some form of remote control, such as multiple-unit train control, to a vehicle equipped with a control cab at the other...
train units. The push-pull equipment of locomotive 132 was subsequently decommissioned. Entering service in 1989, these trains, consisting of a single 121 class and up to six carriages, were mainly used on the Dublin northern suburban passenger railway service. These were to be the last regular passenger duties for the 121s (edit - incorrect, Dublin suburbans went to 201s in the Winter of 1995/6, the Limerick shuttle continued to be 121 worked for several years after this date). In 1994, a railcar "revolution" had begun, and the push pull carriages were later re-deployed to inter-city duties with the Class 201
IE 201 Class
The Iarnród Éireann 201 Class locomotives are the newest and most powerful diesel locomotives operating in Ireland, and were built between 1994 and 1995 by General Motors. They are model type JT42HCW, fitted with an EMD 12-710G3B engine of 3200 hp, weigh 112 tonnes and have a maximum speed of...
locomotives.
Withdrawal
The first member of the class to be withdrawn was 125 in 1986 following an electrical fire, though it had been extensively damaged in an accident twelve years previously. However it was not scrapped until 2002.By 1995, the class 201 had replaced the class 121 on most passenger routes. Throughout the late 1990s the fleet dwindled, and by 2005 only numbers 124 and 134 remained in service, with number 123 in storage for five years until eventually being scrapped in 2008. The rest of the fleet has since been scrapped, due to the ongoing decline in freight traffic that they were also used for.
Their last official scheduled mainline passenger working was on Saturday, 9 July 2005 on the Sligo line
Dublin-Sligo railway line
The Dublin to Sligo line is a main line railway route operated by Iarnród Éireann in the Republic of Ireland. It starts in Dublin Connolly station, terminating at Mac Diarmada railway station in Sligo...
. The last known passenger working of this class was the 13:15 Waterford-Heuston service on 18 January 2007. Previously, these locomotives had filled in on the Manulla-Ballina service or the occasional service from Limerick.
The very last use of them in public service was in the early months of 2008 on maintenance trains - by this stage 124 and 134 were the only survivors. Both were retired by degrees and officially withdrawn in July 2008, though at this stage neither had done much for many weeks.
Preservation
The Irish Traction GroupIrish Traction Group
The Irish Traction Group is a railway preservation society dedicated to preserving diesel locomotives from Irish Railways. It was formed in 1989, with the intention of attempting to preserve at least one example of every type of diesel locomotive to have operated on Irish Rail.They currently own 13...
has preserved one member of this class, No.124. It is located at Moyasta junction on the preserved West Clare Railway.
The other surviving member of the class, No.134, is currently stored at Inchicore Works, but is earmarked for preservation by the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland
Railway Preservation Society of Ireland
The Railway Preservation Society of Ireland is an Irish railway preservation group operating in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. It was founded in 1964. The Society has its headquarters at Whitehead, County Antrim, Northern Ireland and a base at Mullingar, County Westmeath...
.
The cab of No.133 is preserved at the Cavan & Leitrim Railway in Dromod
Dromod
Dromod is a village in County Leitrim, Ireland. Dromod is a noted fishing village on Loughs Bofin and Boderg, which are threaded by the River Shannon....
, County Leitrim
County Leitrim
County Leitrim is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Leitrim. Leitrim County Council is the local authority for the county...
.
Livery
On delivery, the locomotives were painted in a Yellow and Grey livery. This was replaced within a year by a black / tan (“golden brown”) colour scheme with a thick white band similar to the Cravens coaching stock, delivered in 1963. With time, the colour scheme changed to tan with a black band. Soon after CIÉ Rail services became known as Irish Rail, the colour scheme was enhanced when two white bands (approx. 25 mm / 1") separating the colours were added. At the same time, as a safety aspect, self-adhesive high-visibility panels were added to the front of the Locomotives.Model
The 121 Class has been made as a 00 gauge Whitemetal kit by Model Irish Railways.http://website.lineone.net/~sjohnson40/Loco%20Profiles/B121.html.Murphy Models have announced plans to release an '00' gauge ready to run model of the 121 class.