226

Construction

Locomotive C226 was built for Coras Iompair Éireann (CIE), the Irish State owned transport company, by Metropolitan Vickers at their premises at Dukinfield, Manchester, in 1956. C226 was part of a class of 34 Bo-Bo locomotives, designated ‘C’ class and numbered C201 – C234 inclusive, which were ordered as part of the drive to eliminate the majority of steam traction from the railways of the Irish Republic in the late 1950s.

The contract to build these locomotives was signed at Heuston Station, Dublin, on 5th May 1954. The bodies for the thirty-four ‘C’ class locomotives were constructed by Metropolitan Cammell at their Midland Works in Birmingham between 1956 and 1958.  The English Steel Corporation constructed the bogies in Sheffield, and Crossley Brothers at Openshaw, Manchester, supplied the engines. The electrical equipment for these locomotives was provided by Metropolitan Vickers Electrical Co. Ltd. The completed locomotive bodies were then transported by low loader to Metropolitan Vickers’ premises at Dukinfield, Manchester, for fitting of their engine/generator sets, bogies and for testing prior to shipping to Ireland.

In Service

C226 entered traffic with CIE on 21st August 1957. When built, these locomotives were originally fitted with a Crossley ESTVee8 engine of 550 hp. However, the Crossley engines proved to be extremely troublesome and unreliable. In 1969, the decision was taken to re-engine the whole class with General Motors 8-B645E engines of 1100 hp. C226 itself was re-engined on 10th June 1972, and subsequently re-numbered B226 to reflect its higher power classification. Eventually, the letter prefix ‘B’ was dropped, and the locomotive became 226.

Locomotive 226 continued in service with CIE until it was stored unserviceable with an engine defect on 5th May 1984. The locomotive was officially withdrawn on 25th September 1986. 226 covered a total of 612,000 miles during service, 305,000 miles while fitted with a Crossley engine and 307,000 miles whilst fitted with a GM engine.

Preservation

C226 being handed over to the ITG

During May 1990 the fledgling Irish Traction Group (ITG) approached Iarnród Éireann with a view to purchasing a ‘C’ class locomotive for preservation. At this stage the Group did not know if it would be offered a complete locomotive, or a gutted shell. On 28th May 1990 a few members of the ITG, accompanied by an Iarnród Éireann representative, examined the eight remaining ‘C’ class locomotives at Inchicore Works that were still fitted with a GM 8-B645E engine. By then, many of the remaining ‘C’ class locomotives had seen their 8-B645E engines removed for re-use in the 121/141/181 class GM locomotives, and a scrap engine dumped in its place.

Locomotives 209, 226 and 231 were found to be the most complete and the best candidates for preservation. 226 was eventually selected for preservation by the Group. Over the following 18 months, Iarnród Éireann put locomotive 226 to one side, and tried to keep it under cover whenever possible to enable the locomotive to dry out prior to restoration taking place. Once the ITG had come to an agreement to rent the Old Goods Store at Carrick-On-Suir station, locomotive 226 was released for sale and was purchased by the ITG on 23rd October 1992 for I£ 500 plus VAT.

This locomotive had the distinction of being the first main line diesel locomotive to be preserved in Ireland. It was officially handed over to the Group during a ceremony at Inchicore Works. 226 was moved by rail from Inchicore Works to Carrick-On-Suir for restoration on 6th December 1992.

Restoration of C226 continued slowly but surely over the next 20+ years, culminating in successful starts of the engine in 2016 and the locomotive moving under its own power for the first time since withdrawal on 13th October 2018.

For the full story of the restoration of C226, see the in-depth report.