MGWR Classes F, Fa, and Fb

Midland Great Western Railway

Industry	Railway transport
Founded	1845 (1845)
Fate	Amalgamated into Great Southern Railways in 1925
Headquarters	Dublin , Ireland
Products	Steam locomotives

Midland Great Western Railway Classes F, Fa, and Fb

The MGWR Classes F, Fa, and Fb represent a series of closely related 0-6-0 steam locomotive types developed for the Midland Great Western Railway in Ireland. These engines were engineered and constructed during the period from 1921 to 1924. Designed with versatility in mind, they served both freight and passenger transportation roles.

History

The Midland Great Western Railway sought to upgrade its fleet of locomotives and entrusted their Chief Mechanical Engineer, Walter H. Morton, with the task of developing a locomotive suitable for both freight duties and, when necessary, local passenger services. The primary requirement was to replace the underperforming MGWR Class C 4-4-0 engines operating on passenger and limited mail runs between Mullingar and Dublin. The design produced at the Broadstone Works Drawing Office in Dublin featured a six-coupled (0-6-0) tender locomotive. The initial unit was completed in 1921, with production concluding in 1924. It is speculated that the design may have been influenced by the availability of inexpensive surplus components following the First World War.

This class represented the final full series of locomotives designed and constructed at Broadstone before its closure and the subsequent transfer of work to Inchicore Works. The only locomotives built afterward at Broadstone were the initial "kit-built" Woolwich Moguls (GSR Class 372), before their production also shifted to Inchicore.

A total of 23 locomotives were produced: the first three were designated Class F; the next ten, including five built by Armstrong Whitworth, were Class Fa; and the final ten, distinguished by raised running plates, were Class Fb. Under the Great Southern Railways (GSR), all were classified as Class 623 or J5. Upon the establishment of Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ) in 1945, all units transferred to its ownership. Some members of this class remained operational until 1963, nearly marking the end of steam traction under CIÉ.

Oil firing

During the harsh winter of 1946/47, coal shortages severely disrupted services. In response, CIÉ converted 97 locomotives to oil-burning operation, focusing mainly on various 2-6-0 classes and the Class 623s, with some 4-6-0 types also included. Locomotives adapted for oil firing were marked by a white circle painted on both their smokeboxes and tender sides. Although a shipment of coal from America arrived in March 1947, it required an additional three months to replenish adequate stocks before normal operations could resume.

Service

Initially equipped with steam heating for passenger and limited mail duties, these locomotives demonstrated capability comparable to that of the GSR Class 372 mogul 2-6-0 engines when called upon. However, their use in such roles revealed a tendency toward accelerated wear and higher maintenance demands. Consequently, they were primarily assigned to freight tasks, where they effectively hauled heavy livestock trains at moderately high speeds, albeit still requiring considerable upkeep.

Livery

From 1913 onwards, MGWR locomotives had been painted black with red lining; therefore, those constructed from 1921 did not feature the vivid emerald green typical of earlier MGWR engines. Unlike most MGWR locomotives, this class was not given names and bore painted cabside number plates instead of cast iron ones. After their first servicing following the 1925 amalgamation forming the GSR, they were repainted into the new company's standard "dark battleship grey" livery. Their Buffer beams were finished in vermilion. Following GSR's absorption into CIÉ in 1945 and CIÉ's nationalisation in 1950, the only notable alteration was the addition of CIÉ's light green "flying snail" emblem on tender sides. The grey paint scheme persisted on these locomotives until their withdrawal in the early 1960s.

References

• Drew Donaldson, Modelling Irish Steam, featured in Model Railways magazine, 1978
• Irish Railway Modelling.Yuku.com (Reply to an inquiry regarding liveries)