CIÉ 190

190 is one of several Downpatrick-based diesel locomotives owned by the Irish Traction Group (ITG). General Motors built the loco at their plant in La Grange, Illinois, USA for CIÉ in 1966.

Part of a batch of 12 locomotives, known as the (B)181 class, these were a follow on from the 1962 141 class, such as 146. The two classes are very similar bar a few detail differences. The 181 class had louvre vents on the cab fronts, unlike the 141s. CIÉ removed these from most of the fleet over time. Another difference was the provision of external ladders on the bonnets, and a larger GM-B645E 1100hp engine versus the 8-567CR 950hp engine found in the 141s. However, in practice, it was not unknown for the power units to be swapped between the various small GM classes during overhauls. Delivered as B190, she would lose the ‘B’ prefix in the 1970s. The loco then simply became known as 190. However, the ‘B’ prefix did remain on some depot documentation into the 2000s.

The locomotives found use all over the CIÉ system on both passenger and freight. The 181 class often worked in multiple with the older 121 and 141 classes. The more powerful 071 class locos arrived 1976 and ousted the older engines from top link express workings. The 181s still found gainful employment on the secondary passenger services well until the 2000s. These locos also worked freight, permanent way and even station pilot (shunting) duties in Dublin’s terminus stations.

Most of the 181s came out of service before the older 141s, so that by the end of the 2000s, 190 was the only 181 left. 190 lingered on as the Inchicore ‘premises pilot’ (i.e. shunter) until November 2009. 190 was now the sole surviving member of the class. The Irish Traction Group purchased the loco preservation. 190 worked at Inchicore right up to the day the lorry arrived to collect her. The lorry took 190 to the West Clare Railway premises at Moyasta, Co Clare. 190 spent the next 16 years in storage under a tarpaulin waiting for the day when a more permanent home became available.

The last of the 181 class locomotives

With the future of the mainline facilities at Moyasta looking uncertain, in late 2024 DCDR agreed to rehouse a number of the locomotives there. We gave the decision a lot of thought. There was a need to get a second air-braked locomotive into service to support 146. It also fitted our requirement to future-proof our fleet post-flooding with viable replacement locos and sources of spare parts for the existing ones. We believed that there was certainly a sound business case for this transfer taking place. The ITG paid for these transport costs in their entirety.

190 began its journey on a lowloader across Ireland for delivery to Downpatrick on 1st June 2025. ITG/DCDR volunteers successfully started 190 the first time in preservation on 7th June 2025.