MGWR Class D


The MGWR Class D were 2-4-0 steam locomotives built in batches from 1873 to 1887 for the Midland Great Western Railway of Ireland to a Martin Atock design. Numbering 39 at their peak they were the standard MGWR passenger locomotive of their era. Six of the class were rebuilt as 4-4-0.
MGWR No.NameBuilderIntroducedD-bogieGSR No.Withdrawn
1OrionBroadstone18841922
2JupiterBeyer-Peacock188019005341949
3JunoBeyer-Peacock188019015351949
4VenusBroadstone18841910
5MarsBroadstone18841910
6VestaBroadstone18841816
13RapidNeilson18731893
14RacerNeilson18731893
15RoverNeilson18731895
16Rob RoyNeilson18731895
17ReindeerNeilson18731894
18RangerNeilson18731893
19SpencerNeilson18731894
20SpeedyNeilson18731894
21SwiftNeilson18731896
22SamsonNeilson18731896
23SylphNeilson18731896
24SpriteNeilson18731896
25→4CyclopsBeyer-Peacock188019015311945
26→5BritaniaBeyer-Peacock188019005321949
30ActiveDübs18761897
31AlertDübs18761897
32ArielDübs18761897
33ArrowDübs18761898
34AuroraDübs18761898
35AiredaleKitson18861922
36→1Empress of AustriaBeyer-Peacock188119005301949
37→35→6WolfdogBeyer-Peacock188119005331953
38EagleKitson18861923
39HawkKitson18861922
40LilyKitson18861922
41RegalBroadstone18831915
42OuzelBroadstone18831921
43LeinsterBroadstone18871916
44UlsterBroadstone18871911
45QueenBroadstone18861916
46ConnaughtBroadstone18871921
47ViceroyBroadstone18861921
48ConnaughtBroadstone18871922

History

The D class were originally built as 2-4-0s between 1873 and 1887. The first batch of 12 were built by Neilson and Company of Glasgow in 1873 and a further batch of 5 by Dübs and Company of Glasgow in 1876. The class took on all but the heaviest passenger duties becoming the standard passenger locomotive of their era. They were joined by a batch of six built by Beyer, Peacock and Company, Manchester in 1880–1881 and four were built by Kitson & Co. of Leeds in 1884. MGWR's own Broadstone Works built twelve between 1883 and 1887. Although Broadstone Works has been extended 1877 the reason that ten were subcontracted externally was due to Broadstone working to capacity at the time.
The first batches from Neilsons and Dübs were withdrawn 1893–1898 and replaced by the more powerful MGWR Class K 2-4-0, which cascaded the remaining Class D's to secondary duties.
The batch of six Beyer-Peacock locomotives were selected for a rebuild to a 4-4-0 bogie design in 1900/01, the first use of such a configuration on the MGWR. The rebuilt locomotives were found wanting for their intended use on the Sligo line west of Mullingar but nevertheless paved the way for the MGWR Class A and Class C 4-4-0s whilst doing useful work in the County Mayo and Achill areas.
The remaining Kitson and Broadstone built members of the class were withdrawn between 1911 and 1922, being cascaded out by more powerful 4-4-0 passenger locomotives being introduced.