DWWR 55

Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford Railway 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, [County Wicklow|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 They were withdrawn between 1939 and 1940.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.