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This locomotive was purchased in
November 1992 as a source of spare parts for No. 226, and was
moved from Inchicore Works to Carrick-On-Suir for storage in
December 1992. However, as this locomotive was virtually
complete, and we had already acquired a good stock of spare
parts from other withdrawn “C” class locomotives, it was decided
that No. 231 was in too good a condition to dismantle for parts,
and was now an excellent candidate for restoration as well.
In December 1995, after spending
nearly three years in store at Carrick-On-Suir, No. 231 was
first moved to Waterford, and then back to Inchicore Works in
readiness for its eventual display at the “Inchicore 150” open
weekend in June 1996. Over the following few months, various
corroded sections of the locomotive’s body side were
re-panelled. The locomotive was eventually repainted into CIE
green livery, and renumbered C231, a few days before the open
weekend. Following the event, the locomotive remained at
Inchicore Works.
In June 1999 Iarnród Éireann
offered the Group the opportunity to have the locomotive shipped
back to the UK on a low-loader that would otherwise have gone
back empty. Negotiations were started with RMS Locotec at
Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, to have No. C231 returned to working
order. The locomotive was subsequently moved to Dewsbury on 30th
September 1999. Whilst there, the locomotive was completely
re-wired and the cooler group overhauled, with some parts being
manufactured to replace rotten items. The locomotive’s engine
was successfully started for the first time in seventeen years
on 14th July 2000.
Following this, the locomotive
was shipped back to Ireland in August 2000 following its display
at the Old Oak Common Depot open weekend on 5th and 6th
August 2000. It was then the intention to have Iarnród Éireann
undertake further work on the locomotive to complete its
restoration. However, this never happened, but most of the
remaining work has since been undertaken by ITG volunteers. No.
C231 is now drained down and sheeted over at Inchicore Works.
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231 before restoration.

C231 following restoration. |