At a glance:
Builder: Córas Iompair Éireann (Inchicore Works)
Build date: 1963
Original company: Córas Iompair Éireann
Withdrawal date: 1983
Final company: Córas Iompair Éireann
Arrived at DCDR: 1987
Current status: Stored
Current owner: DCDR

E432 was built by CIÉ in Inchicore Works in 1963, with its prime mover being supplied by Maybach of Germany. Part of the 14-strong ‘E Class’, E432 spent its working life shunting in Dublin’s docklands and locomotive and goods yards. Though it, and the rest of the E Class, had been intended to run at 60mph hauling mixed traffic branch line trains, an incident involving classmate E421 (which we have also preserved) during its test run confined the entire class to shunting duties.

E432 was eventually withdrawn in 1983 and remained in store at Inchicore Works until 1986, when it was purchased for preservation by DCDR. Originally bought as a source of spares for E421, which we were restoring to haul our first passenger trains at the time, it was soon realised the E432 could be a runner in its own right following the unexpected acquisition of even more spare parts. E421 had been moved to Downpatrick in November 1986, but E432 had to wait until early 1987 before it could follow.

By 1988, E432 was operational once again, and as we later found out from CIÉ drivers, it had enjoyed a better reputation than E421 during their days in company service! After over a decade in service with us, E432 was withdrawn by 2004 in need of a major overhaul. The locomotive is currently stored out of use in our yard until such time when funding and manpower permit its restoration, though unfortunately it is highly unlikely that this will be anytime in the foreseeable future.