NIR (DH) locomotive No. 1 was one of three identical locomotives purchased by the ITG from Northern Ireland Railways (NIR) in September 1994, the other two locomotives being numbered No. 2 and No. 3. When purchased, all three locomotives had had their engines and transmissions removed, No. 1 was also missing its final drive unit. The locomotives were then moved south to Carrick-On-Suir in January 1995 for storage. Over the next 10 years at Carrick-On-Suir they were repeatedly attacked by vandals, despite our best efforts to make them secure.  

During their long period in store at Carrick-On-Suir, the Group had received several enquiries from various engineering companies with a view to them possibly acquiring one or more of these locomotives for industrial use. However, nothing ever came of these enquiries, mainly due to the high cost of replacing the engines and transmissions, around £ 70,000 Sterling being quoted to put just one locomotive back in running order.  

However, in May 2005, the ITG was contacted by Beaver Power Limited, enquiring if the Group would be prepared to sell all three locomotives to them for re-use in Sri Lanka. After much deliberation it was agreed to sell two locomotives to Beaver Power Limited, Nos. 2 and 3, and retain locomotive No. 1. The two locomotives were sold to Beaver Power Limited on 13^th June 2005 and they were collected from Carrick-On-Suir on Thursday 7^th July 2005 and moved to their workshops at Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales, for overhaul. 

On Wednesday 23^rd November 2005 DH locomotive No. 1 departed Carrick-On-Suir by Allely’s low-loader, also destined for the premises of Beaver Power Limited at Merthyr Tydfil. This was done in order for Beaver Power Limited to recover certain parts from this locomotive to assist in the overhaul of sister locomotives Nos. 2 and 3. In May 2006 locomotives Nos. 2 and 3 were exported to Sri Lanka for use at a cement factory in the Puttalam area, around 200 Km north of Colombo. The two locomotives were re-gauged to 5’ 6” gauge and fitted with Rolls Royce CV12 engines of 750 hp, coupled to a Twin-Disc 13800 MS230 torque converter.  

Subsequently, it was decided to offer DH locomotive No. 1 for sale. Prior to this decision being taken, consideration was given to cosmetically restoring No. 1, but in the absence of a suitable location at which to display the locomotive, it was not considered worthwhile. As at February 2007 the locomotive is still the property of the Irish Traction Group and is currently stored at the premises of Beaver Power Limited in Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales.

DH1 at Carrick on Suir.

Mike Collins.