Irish Queen

The first railway in Ireland, from Dublin to Kingstown, was built to the British standard gauge; all subsequent main lines were of 5 ft. 3 in. gauge, and this has effectively isolated the Irish railways from those of Britain and the rest of Europe. They are of great interest to the enthusiast, however, especially the railways in the Republic of Ireland.

All the companies working exclusively in Eire were amalgamated in 1925 to form the Great Southern Railway, which in 1945 itself became part of Coras lompair Eireann, the national Transport Company of Ireland.

At the time of amalgamation in 1925 the 587 locomotives taken over comprised no less than 114 different classes, mostly from the former Great Southern & Western, and after that time very few new engines were built, due to diminishing traffic.

In 1939, however, for working express passenger and Mail services on the Dublin-Cork main line, E. C. Bredin designed three magnificent 4-6-Os named after former Queens of Ireland. With three 181/2in x28 in. cylinders, 225-lb. boiler pressure and 6 ft. 7 in. wheels, these three Class ' Bla ' engines were the most powerful 4-6-Os ever built in Europe, with the exception of the G.W.R. ' Kings,' and on a test run No. 800 hauled a train of fifteen coaches unassisted from Cork to Mallow. This was a notable achievement in view of the long 1 in 60 climb out of Cork, over which two and often three locomotives are used for each train.

Unhappily the war prevented the ' Queens ' showing their capabilities to the full, and since the advent of diesels they were withdrawn, but one has been stored for museum preservation. Our picture shows No. 802 ' Tailte' at Cork; it would have been finished in light apple green, the ' Queens' were the acme of Irish locomotive design.