190

General Motors EMD built locomotive 181 class locomotive 190 for Coras Iompair Éireann (CIE), at their premises at La Grange, Illinois, USA in 1966. Originally numbered B190, it was part of a class of 12 Bo-Bo locomotives designated 181 ‘B’ class and numbered B181-B192 inclusive.

The 181 (B) class locomotives were almost identical in appearance to the thirty-seven 141 (B) class locomotives that were built in 1962. There were some minor external differences, including a roof access ladder as opposed to individual steps, and vents on the cab front (an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to alleviate moisture build up between the inner and outer skin of the cab).

Internally, the 181 (B) class locomotives were fitted with the larger GM-B645E engine of 1100 hp rather than the 8-567CR engine of 950 hp that was fitted to the 141 (B) class locomotives. In addition, GM fitted the 181 (B) class locomotives with an electric cooling fan motor instead of the mechanically driven type fitted to the 141 (B) class locomotives. The 181 (B) class locomotives also used a different type of reverser and were fitted with type D77 traction motors. (The 141 class used D57 traction motors).

The 181 (B) class locomotives worked all over the Irish Rail network. They operated both local and express passenger, and also freight and engineering services. They did this both singley, and in multiple with other 181 (B) class, 141 (B) class and even 121 (B) class locomotives.

B190 entered traffic with CIE on 3rd December 1966. CIÉ dropped the letter prefix ‘B’ from 1972 onwards. As such, the locomotive eventually became 190.

181 class withdrawals

191 was the first of the class to come out of service. An unauthorised person got into the loco’s cab while it was unattended in North Wall on 17th August 1991. 191 was working pilot duties at the time. The individual applied full power before jumping off again, leaving locomotive 191 to run away in the direction of Sligo. The locomotive travelled for around 7 miles before it finally ran into a set of buffers in a headshunt at Clonsilla. Following recovery, IÉ took locomotive 191 back to Inchicore Works. There it laye grounded and bogie-less for years. IÉ gradually stripped 191 for spares before scrapping it seven years later.

During the course of their operating lives, several of the 181 class locomotives had their original engines exchanged with GM 8-B645E engines recovered from former 201 (C) class locomotives. Locomotive 190 eventually received one of the former 201 (C) class engines during its period in service. It retains this to this day.

The rest of the fleet kept going for over a decade more. However, in November 2003 IÉ took locomotive 188, out of service in November 2003 in need of an overhaul. Over the following six years, IÉ gradually took the remaining members of the 181 class out of traffic. They did this one at a time, and scrapped shortly thereafter. By February 2009 locomotive 190 was the only remaining example of its class left in existence.

Last of the 181 class locomotives

Locomotive 190 spent around the last 12 months in service as pilot locomotive at Inchicore Works, Dublin. It finally came out of service in November 2009. IÉ sold the loco to the Irish Traction Group for preservation. It is the only preserved 181 class locomotive.

Locomotive 190 was moved by low-loader from Inchicore Works to the West Clare Railway, Moyasta, Co. Clare, on 27th November 2009 for planned display in a new museum. Unfortunately this didn’t come to pass. In 2025, we moved the loco to a new home at the Downpatrick & County Down Railway. 190 arrived at its new home on 1st June.

On 7th June 2025 ITG volunteers successfully started 190 for the first time in preservation, marking the start of restoration work on the locomotive.

Click here to make a donation towards the ITG’s efforts to preserve Irish diesel locomotives.