G616

Locomotive G616 is a CIE G Class locomotive, one of a batch of seven shunting locomotives constructed between 1961/62 by Motorenfabrik Deutz at Köln, Germany. CIE ordered the little G class locomotives specifically for shunting and light branch line work. Locomotive G616 entered traffic with CIE on 4th June 1962, and lasted in service until 2nd May 1977. CIE took the locomotive out of service on 29th July 1977.

Following withdrawal by CIE, Comhlucht Siuicre Éireann (Irish Sugar Company), purchased this locomotive, along with sister locomotives G611, G613, G615 and G617. The Sugar Company used G616 for shunting at the sugar factory at Carlow. CSÉ transferred ocomotive G616 to the Thurles factory when rail-borne operations at the Carlow factory ceased, where the locomotive was to remain until it was preserved, along with G617, by the now defunct Great Southern Railway Preservation Society (GSRPS) in the mid-1980s. The GSRPS moved G616 and G617 to their base base at Mallow station. Here, volunteers made a start on their restoration.  

However, this project eventually floundered in the early 1990s. The GSRPS sold both locomotives to the Deutz Operators Group (DOG) in November 1991. The DOG consisted of four of the then Committee members of the ITG, who stepped in to purchase the locomotives to prevent them from being sold for scrap.

At the time, the ITG were unable to take the two locomotives as the Group had not yet secured an operating base. Volunteers carried out some restoration work on G616 at Mallow. However, as both locomotives were stored outside, and off their wheels, the scope of work that could be carried out was extremely limited.

Once the ITG secured its base at Carrick-On-Suir, it gained ownership of both G616 and G617 in August 1993. We re-united both locomotives with their wheels, and moved the pair by low-loader to Carrick-On-Suir. Once at Carrick-On-Suir, we commenced work on stripping down G616. Over the next three years the volunteer team made good progress  on its restoration. They cleaned up and repainted most of the frame and cab fittings. However, a lack of volunteers, coupled with other various commitments, meant that work on G616 eventually ground to a halt.

In January 2012 we recommenced on the restoration of this CIE G Class locomotive. Our Carrick-on-Suir volunteers repainted the cab interior and refitted the cab back onto the frames. Most of the equipment removed from the cab is gradually being replaced. We also repainted the inside of the driver’s desk in grey gloss. The team also removed and repainted many components from the inside of the desk. Replacement of some of these components has commenced. We have fully repainted the lower section of the desk which contains the control levers and part of the vacuum system. The team is fitting it out with equipment. We have rewired and replaced the top section of the desk. This contains the gauges, switches and most of the electrical system.

Following the replacement of manifolds, and some other minor repairs, we successfully restarted the engine on 29th September 2012 for the first time in 26 years. Our Carrick-on-Suir volunteers continue to work on the locomotive with the replacement of various missing components.

Bob Twigg, with the assistance of Aidan Brosnan, starts the engine of G616 for the first time in approximately 25 years. 29/09/12. Video – Aidan Kehoe