GS&WR Class 90

The Great Southern and Western Railway Class 90 is a class of 0-6-0T steam locomotive. They were one of the smallest steam locomotives to be inherited by the CIÉ on its formation.

History

In 1875 Inchicore Works outshopped two railmotors, steam locomotives with a carriage on the same chassis to work the Castleisland and Gortatlea Light Railway. Both railmotors were rebuilt (the first in 1890) removing the carriage portion and leaving the locomotive as a small and light 0-6-0T. The two examples were numbered 90 and 100 and were put to work in the Cork area. Unusually, the centre driving wheels were flangeless giving very good working over tight radius tracks. They regularly shunted along the quayside at Cork and worked the car trains from the Ford works to Rocksavage yard. In the summer months both locomotives were coupled together to work the excursion trains on the lightly laid Timoleague and Courtmacsherry Light Railway.

In 1890 the class was enlarged with Inchicore building two further examples for use on the Fermoy to Mitchelstown branch and two for the Kingsbridge to Inchicore branch, which they worked until 1945. Several detail changes were made over the years. One of the most noticeable was the replacement of the original chimney (which had a pronounced taper from base to apex), being replaced with a parallel version with a distinct lip.

Great Southern and Western Railway

The Great Southern and Western Railway (GS&WR) was an Irish gauge (1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in)) railway company in Ireland from 1844 until 1924. The GS&WR grew by building lines and making a series of takeovers, until in the late 19th and early 20th centuries it was the largest of Ireland's "Big Four" railway networks. At its peak the GS&WR had an 1,100-mile (1,800 km) network, of which 240 miles (390 km) were double track.

The core of the GS&WR was the Dublin Kingsbridge – Cork main line; Ireland's "Premier Line", and still one of her most important main line railways. The company's headquarters were at Kingsbridge station. At its greatest extent the GS&WR included, in addition to the Dublin – Cork main line, the Dublin – Waterford and Mallow – Waterford lines and numerous branch lines.

Dublin – Cork Main Line

William Dargan, Ireland's foremost railway contractor, built much of the GS&WR's main line and a number of its other routes.

Construction of the Dublin – Cork main line began in January 1845. The project included a branch line to Carlow, which was completed in August 1846. In July 1848 the main line reached Limerick Junction, where it met the Waterford and Limerick Railway and thus linked Dublin and Limerick by rail.