|
Tralee and Dingle Light Railway 5 is a 2-6-2T locomotive manufactured by the Hunslet Engine Company in 1892 for the Tralee and Dingle Light Railway. It is difficult to understand why the Tralee and Dingle acquired this particular locomotive. Perhaps they were looking for a locomotive more suited to passenger work, the pony truck should give a better ride for the crews over lightly laid track, perhaps the extra truck was needed to keep the axle-weight down as No. 5 was some 9 tons heavier than the other, earlier Hunslets or, as it was fitted for oil-burning from new it could be that Hunslets, in looking for a narrow gauge railway on which to demonstrate their product, gave a good deal on the price, and railways were always looking for a good deal to help their finances. Regardless of which No. 5 arrived in 1892 and on the 1925 amalgamation became the sole representative of GSR Class 5T or Class PN2. == History == Tralee and Dingle locomotive No. 5 () was delivered from its builders, The Hunslet Engine Company, of Leeds as their works number 555 in 1892, ready fitted for oil-burning. It is believed that this was a prototype and Hunslet were looking for a railway to demonstrate its product, one of the first for narrow gauge. The T&D also purchased two oil-burning units for fitting to its other locomotives but they were never used. No.5 was converted to burn coal after only a short career as an oil-burner. Like the earlier Hunslet products No. 5 was delivered ready for “tramway” operation, fitted with “skirts” to cover the motion, a boiler mounted bell and headlights. As with the other locomotives the “skirts” had a short life and were removed to facilitate easy access to the motion oiling points etc. A new boiler was fitted in 1906 and, being a favourite of the engine crews, it saw many miles under its belt before being stopped in 1948 and taken to Inchicore Works. It was outshopped in 1949 and, with no work on its home line, sent to the Cavan and Leitrim Railway where it served until final withdrawal from service in 1959. It was always said that this locomotive covered the most miles of all the T&D fleet it was so well liked by the crews, however this was put beyond doubt when it crossed the Atlantic in 1959 to return in 1988 to run again on its home metals. A detailed article about building a model of 5T can be read /downloaded from here (). This gives some detailed measurements and visible differences in the locos appearance over time. Pictures of the loco (and other TDLR Hunslets can be seen on Chester Model Railway Club's model of parts of the line here () 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「TDLR 5」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|