Multiple units of Ireland
A wide variety of diesel and electric multiple units have been used on Ireland's railways. This page lists all those that have been used. Except with the NIR Class 3000 the numbers given by each class in the lists below are those allocated to the coaches that make up the units in that class, otherwise unit numbers are not used in Ireland.
Ireland
Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ), which controlled the Republic's railways between 1945 and 1987, mainly used locomotives and hauled stock for its passenger trains. What diesel multiple unit cars it did have were numbered in the 26xx series. Since 1987, Iarnród Éireann (IÉ) has been increasing the use of this type of train, to replace older locomotives and carriages. The only electrified railway network in Ireland is the Dublin Area Rapid Transit (DART) system, in addition to the Luas which runs on a separate network. Its fleet of electric multiple units are numbered in the 8xxx series.
Diesel Multiple Units
Class | Manufacturer | In service | Withdrawn | Image |
---|---|---|---|---|
2600 Class (I) | AEC | 1952–1987 | 1987 | , |
80 Class | BREL | 1987–1990 Hired from NIR | 1990 | |
2600 Class (II) | Tokyu Car Corporation | 1993–present | ||
2700 Class | GEC Alsthom | 1998–2012 | 2012 | |
2750 Class | GEC Alsthom | 1998–2012 | 2012 | |
2800 Class | Tokyu Car Corporation | 2000–present | ||
29000 Class | CAF | 2002–present | ||
22000 Class | Hyundai Rotem | 2007–present |
Electric Multiple Units
Class | Manufacturer | In service | Withdrawn | Image |
---|---|---|---|---|
8100 Class | Linke-Hofmann-Busch | 1984–present | ||
8200 Class | GEC Alsthom | 2000–2008 | 2008 | |
8500 Class | Tokyu Car Corporation | 2000–present | ||
8510 Class | Tokyu Car Corporation | 2001–present | ||
8520 Class | Tokyu Car Corporation | 2004–present |
Northern Ireland
The majority of passenger services in Northern Ireland have been operated by diesel multiple units since the mid-1950s (the major exception being the locomotive-hauled Enterprise service between Belfast and Dublin), under the tenure of both the Ulster Transport Authority (1948–1966) and Northern Ireland Railways (since 1967). From 2001, all items of rolling stock in use on NIR had 8000 added to their number so as to be part of the Translink number series, which incorporates their road vehicles. The 3000 Class stock are the first multiple units to be numbered from new in the Translink series. NIR purchased an additional 20 Class 4000 DMUs which entered service in 2011 and 2012.
Class | Manufacturer | Number Built | In Service | Withdrawn | Image |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
AEC Class | UTA Works | 1951-1972 | 1972 | ||
MED Class | UTA Works | 14 x 3-car sets | 1952-1978 | 1978 | |
MPD Class | UTA Works | 2 x 5-car sets 10 × 3 car sets | 1958-1981 | 1981 | |
70 Class | UTA Works | 8 x 3-car sets | 1966-1986 | 1986 | |
Class 80 | BREL | 22 x 2/3-car sets | 1974-2012 | 2012 | |
RB3 | BREL/Leyland | 1 x single car | 1983-1989 | 1989 | |
Class 450 | BREL | 9 x 3-car sets | 1985-2012 | 2012 | |
Class 3000 | CAF | 23 x 3-car sets | 2005-present | ||
Class 4000 | CAF | 20 x 3/4-car sets | 2011-present |
Great Northern Railway (Ireland)
The Great Northern Railway (Ireland) straddled the border between the Republic and Northern Ireland, and so was not incorporated in either the CIE or UTA. However, mounting losses saw the network purchased jointly by the Irish and British governments on 1 September 1953. It was run as a joint board, independent of the CIE and UTA, until 30 September 1958 when it was dissolved and the remaining stock split equally between the two railways.
- AEC Class
- BUT Class
See also
- Steam locomotives of Ireland
- Diesel locomotives of Ireland
- Coaching stock of Ireland
- Rail freight stock of Ireland
External links
- Irish Rail DART Fleet Information webpage
- Irish Rail Commuter Fleet Information webpage
- Japan Transport Engineering Company webpage