CIÉ 611 Class


The Córas Iompair Éireann 611 class locomotives were delivered from the manufacturers, Motorenfabrik Deutz at Cologne, Germany. They were delivered between December 1961 and February 1962, entering revenue earning service in the following August after receiving the new tan / black paint job at Inchicore.

History

Nos. 611 to 617 were a larger development of the earlier 601 class locomotives. They were fitted with a Deutz F/A8L 714 engine of, with Voith hydraulic transmission, weighed and had a maximum speed of.
They went into traffic in various parts of the country, as shunting engines at smaller depots such as Dublin's North City Mills siding and branch line duties such as the Loughrea branch line between Attymon and Loughrea. They briefly appeared on the Limerick - Foynes mixed train service for a few months until that line was closed in 1963. Unlike the earlier 601 class, these locomotives were fitted with brake connections enabling them to work passenger trains. Apart from their use on the Foynes and Loughrea lines, they never hauled passengers until preservation in Downpatrick, where all three preserved have served on public passenger trains.
With their original lightweight branch line haunts all closed and therefore little to do, they were withdrawn from service between 1967 and 1977. Nos. 611, 613, 615, 616 and 617 were sold to Cómhlucht Siúicre Éireann in 1977. Four of these locomotives have been preserved, with the remainder scrapped.

Fleet list

NumberStatusNotes
G611PreservedOwned by ITG at DCDR - fully operational
G612Scrapped
G613PreservedPrivately owned, based at DCDR - partway through restoration
G614Scrapped
G615ScrappedCab preserved privately
G616PreservedOwned by ITG at Carrick-on-Suir - under restoration
G617PreservedOwned by ITG at DCDR - fully operational

Model

The 611 Class has been made as a 00 gauge brass kit by Worsley Works Models .