GS&WR Class 333

The Great Southern and Western Railway (GS&WR) Class 333 consistent of eight 4-4-0 mixed-traffic locomotives designed by Robert Coey and built by Inchicore railway works in 1907/8. In 1936 the successor company the Great Southern Railways (GSR) built five similar engines known as GSR Class 342.[1]:113–115,269–270

GSWR 333/GSR 338/342 Class
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
Designer
  • Coey (333)
  • A. W. Harty (342)
BuilderInchicore
Build date
  • 1907—1908 (333)
  • 1936 (342)
Total produced13 (333 & 342)
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte4-4-0
Gauge5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm)
Leading dia.3 ft 0 in (910 mm)
Driver dia.5 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,740 mm)
Length30 ft 1 3⁄4 in (9,188 mm)
Adhesive weight32 long tons (33 t)
Loco weight51.5 long tons (52.3 t)
Water cap3,450 imp gal (15,700 l; 4,140 US gal)
Boiler pressure180 lbf/in2 (1.24 MPa)
Cylinders2
Cylinder size18 in × 26 in (457 mm × 660 mm)
Performance figures
Tractive effort18,820 lbf (83.72 kN)
Career
OperatorsGreat Southern and Western Railway (GSWR)
Great Southern Railways (GSR)
CIÉ
ClassD4 (Inchicore)
Power classL
Number in class
  • 8 (333)
  • 5 (342)
Numbers333—340,342—346
LocaleIreland
Withdrawn1955—1960
DispositionAll scrapped
Class 342 as built except where noted
[1]:113–115,269–270

Design and modifications

The design used the same taper boiler and 18x20 cylinders as Coey's express 4-4-0 express passenger engine 321 however the smaller driving wheels and less than 16 long ton maximum axle load were suitable for go anywhere and secondary passenger and mixed duties.[2]

The later Class 342 locomotives were essentially modeled on the 1927 rebuild of Locomotive 338 of Class 333.[1]:113–115,269–270

Service

In practice all members of these classed were treated interchangeably for operational purposes. A 16 long tons (16 t) maximum axle load allowed the class to be used almost anywhere. They were assessed in 1948 as quite powerful and fast and especially useful for passenger specials.[1]:113–115,269–270

Loan to GNRI

In 1946 Locomotive 346 which was an oil burner at the time was lent to the Great Northern Railway (GNRI) to operate the Dublin-Bundoran express as far as Dundalk.[1]:270

References
  1. Clements, Jeremy; McMahon, Michael (2008). Locomotives of the GSR. Colourpoint Books. ISBN 9781906578268.
  2. Chacksfield, J.E. (2010). Richard Maunsell - An Engineering Biography (revised ed.). Oakwood Press. pp. 33, 35, 43. ISBN 9780853616955.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.