GSR Class 800

Great Southern Railways Class 800
GSR No. 800 Maeḋḃ
Type and origin Power type Steam Designer E. C. Bredin Builder GSR, Inchicore Works, Dublin Build date 1939–1940 Total produced 3
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 4-6-0 Gauge 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm) Leading dia. 3 ft 0 in (914 mm) Driver dia. 6 ft 7 in (2,007 mm) Axle load 21 long tons 0 cwt (47,000 lb or 21.3 t) Adhesive weight 63 long tons 0 cwt (141,100 lb or 64 t) Loco weight 84 long tons 4 cwt (188,600 lb or 85.6 t) Fuel type Coal Fuel capacity 8 long tons 0 cwt (17,900 lb or 8.1 t) Water cap. 5,000 imp gal (22,700 L; 6,000 US gal) Firebox: ​  • Grate area 33.5 sq ft (3.11 m2) Boiler pressure 225 lbf/in2 (1,551 kPa), later reduced to 180 lbf/in2 (1,241 kPa) Heating surface: ​  • Firebox 200 sq ft (19 m2)  • Tubes and flues 1,670 sq ft (155 m2) Superheater: ​  • Type MeLeSCo  • Heating area 468 sq ft (43.5 m2) Cylinders Three Cylinder size 18.5 in × 28 in (470 mm × 711 mm) Valve type 9 in (229 mm) piston valves Valve travel 6.75 in (171 mm) Valve lap 1.5 in (38 mm) Valve lead 0.3 in (7.6 mm)
Performance figures Tractive effort 34,799 lbf (154.8 kN), later reduced to 27,839 lbf (123.83 kN)
Career Operators Great Southern Railways, → Córas Iompair Éireann Class 800 or B1a Numbers 800–802 Official name 800 Maeḋḃ 801 Maċa 802 Tailté Withdrawn 1955–1962 Disposition One preserved, two scrapped

Side view of Maeḋḃ in the museum at Cultra

The Great Southern Railways Class 800 steam locomotives were built principally for express passenger work on the Dublin to Cork main line of that company. These locomotives were designed under the supervision of E. C. Bredin with his Chief Draughtsman, H. J. A. Beaumont, preparing the drawings. They were the largest and most powerful engines ever to run in Ireland by quite a large margin.

Design

The engines had three 18.5 by 28 inches (470 mm × 711 mm) cylinders and 225 pounds per square inch (1.55 MPa) boiler pressure. The nominal tractive effort was 34,799 lbf (154.8 kN), which corresponded with Great British main-line power. Further, it was the only design which exploited the full extent of the extra width afforded by the 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m) gauge. Originally four or five were to be built, named Maeḋḃ, Maċa, Táilte, Gráinne, and Deirdre, but only three were eventually turned out - 800 Maeḋḃ in 1939, with Maċa (801) and Tailté (802) in 1940, along with a fourth boiler which acted as a spare. They were intended for the Dublin–Cork route but wartime coal shortages and the early 1950s advent of diesels on main line services resulted in their never having had much chance to show what they were capable of. In the 1950s they gradually became neglected and even resorted to light goods trains on occasion, with little other work to do.

Locomotive names

No.	Built	Irish Name	Anglicised name	Withdrawn	Notes
800	1939	Maeḋḃ	Maeve or Maedhbh	1962	Preserved
801	1940	Maċa	Macha	1957
802	1940	Táilte	Tailtiu	1955

The name and number plates were of cast bronze with polished raised lettering and beading on a blue painted background. The nameplates’ lattering was in Gaelic script using dot above in place of the 'h' (see Irish orthography), although at first locomotive 800 carried an Anglicised name Maeve in roman type.

No. 800 Maeḋḃ was withdrawn from service in 1962 and is now on display at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, Cultra, Northern Ireland.

Livery

The locos were turned out in a completely unique livery, which no other locomotives ever carried. In the height of the Great Southern era, when every single locomotive in Ireland wore a plain unlined battleship grey livery, these engines were turned out in a smart mid green, with a distinct bluish tint. The green was lined in black and light yellow, and the GSR coat of arms was carried on the tender, flanked by large pale yellow letters "G S", which appear to have been shaded in red and gold. The cabside number plates and nameplates had blue backgrounds, and raised polished brass rims and numerals.

In Córas Iompair Éireann days they received the 1950s standard green, somewhat darker than they had carried before, with black and white lining. This is the livery the preserved 800 carries, though rather than the CIÉ "Flying snail" emblem which would be appropriate to this later livery, it incorrectly carries the earlier "G S" without shading, and a replaced GSR coat of arms.

Model

An etched brass 4mm scale model is available from Studio Scale Models. This comes complete with nickel silver chassis, whitemetal detailing, transfers and lining. Both OO and 21mm gauge versions can be made.

See also

• Coaching Stock of Ireland
• Diesel Locomotives of Ireland
• Multiple Units of Ireland
• Steam locomotives of Ireland

References

• Clements, Jeremy & McMahon, Michael (2008). Locomotives of the GSR. Newtownards: Colourpoint Books. pp. 271–277. ISBN 978-1-906578-26-8.