DWWR 55 explained

DW&WR 55
Powertype:Steam
Designer:Grierson
Builder:Vulcan Foundry
Serialnumber:1448/49, 1455/56
Builddate:1895–1896
Totalproduction:4
Rebuilder:Grand Canal Street
Rebuilddate:1906–1923
Numberrebuilt:4
Whytetype:4-4-0
Leadingdiameter:3feet
Driverdiameter:6feet
Length:34feet (est.)
Axleload:15LT
Locoweight:43.75LT
Watercap:2600impgal
Boilerpressure:1602NaN2
Cylindercount:Two
Cylindersize:18x
Tractiveeffort:15700lbf
Operatorclass:D9 (Inchicore)
Powerclass:N/M
Locale:Ireland
Withdrawndate:1929-1940
Disposition:All scrapped
Notes:Details are for No. 56 after 1911 rebuild

Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford Railway (DW&WR) 55 to 58 were 4-4-0 locomotives built from 1895 at Vulcan Foundry for express passenger duties on the Dublin—Wexford mainline. They were to remain the DW&WR's and subsequent Dublin and South Eastern Railway's leading express passenger locomotive until the arrival of Nos. 67 and 68 some ten years later.

History

These 4-4-0 locomotives built from 1895 at Vulcan Foundry and named Rathdown, Rathmines, Rathnew and Rathdrum. In their initial form they were poor steamers, the suggestion being the locomotive superintendent Grierson had specified larger cylinders on a previous design for an English railway without balancing this with an increased boiler. His successor Cronin rebuilt the locomotives with Belpaire boilers resulting in improved performance. On amalgamation to Great Southern Railways in 1925 they became numbered 450 to 453 and allocated to class 450/D8. They were withdrawn between 1939 and 1940.

Operations

These engines took over the express passenger trains from the smaller 2-4-0 type on the DW&WR's Dublin—Wexford mainline route.