Steam Locos of a Leisurely Era
1882 Beyer Peacock 0-6-4T
Sligo Leitrim & Northern Counties Railway
Hazlewood in 1929
The 0-6-4T was the principal type of locomotive in use on this 48-mile-long railway in the north west of Ireland, since the partition partly in Eire and partly in Ulster.
The first two engines Leitrim and Fermanagh were built in 1882, followed by Lurganboy in 1895, with two more, Lissadell and Hazlewood in 1899.
Three more engines of an enlarged design appeared between 1904 and 1915, Sir Henry, Eniskillen and Lough Gill, whilst finally two more with further minor improvements came in 1950, Lough Melvin and Lough Erne.
Lough Erne in 1953
The last two were notable in being the last new conventional steam engines delivered to any Irish railway (In 1958 an experimental steam turf-burning locomotive was built for the CIE). Although constructed in 1949, they did not arrive in Ireland until 1950. All the above were built by Beyer Peacock & Co. and the original five engines retained the Company’s distinctive bell-shaped domes to the end. The SL & NCR never numbered its engines. Leitrim and Fermanagh were scrapped in 1952, and Lurganboy in 1953. The others remained until the final closure of the railway in 1957.
Leitrim – Driving wheels – 4’ 9”, Cylinders – 16½”x 20”, Pressure – 160 lb., Tractive effort – 12513 lb., Weight – 47½ Tons.
Sir Henry – Driving wheels – 4’ 8”, Cylinders – 17”x 24”, Pressure – 160 lb., Tractive effort – 16840 lb., Weight – 53½ Tons.
Lough Erne – Driving wheels – 4’ 8”, Cylinders – 18”x 24”, Pressure – 160 lb., Tractive effort – 17100 lb., Weight – 54½ Tons.
Freight on the line www.blacklion.ie Mickey Macmanus
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