CIE 611 Class

The Córas Iompair Éireann 611 class locomotives were delivered from the manufacturers, Motorenfabrik Deutz at Cologne, Germany between December 1961 and February 1962, entering revenue earning service in the following August after receiving the new tan / black paint job at Inchicore. Nos. 611 to 617 were a larger development of the earlier 601 class locomotives. They were fitted with a Deutz F/A8L 714 engine of 120 kilowatts (160 hp), with Voith hydraulic transmission, weighed 22 tonnes (22 long tons; 24 short tons) and had a maximum speed of 42 kilometres per hour (26 mph). They went into traffic in various parts of the country, as shunting engines at smaller depots such as Dublin's North City Mills siding, and branch line duties such as between Attymon and Loughrea. They briefly appeared on the Limerick - Foynes mixed train service for a few months until that line was closed in 1963. Unlike the earlier 601 class, these locomotives were fitted with brake connections enabling them to work passenger trains. Apart from their journeys on the Foynes and Loughrea lines, they never hauled passengers anywhere else until preservation in Downpatrick, where all three preserved have served on public passenger trains.

With their original lightweight branch line haunts all closed, and therefore little to do, they were withdrawn from service between 1967 and 1977. Nos. 611, 613, 615, 616 & 617 were sold to Cómhlucht Siúicre Éireann (Irish Sugar Co.) in 1977. Four of these locomotives have been preserved, with the remaining three scrapped.

Key:	Scrapped	Preserved

Number	Status	Notes
G611	Preserved	Owned by ITG at DCDR
G612	Scrapped
G613	Preserved	Based at DCDR
G614	Scrapped
G615	Scrapped
G616	Preserved	Owned by ITG at Carrick-on-Suir
G617	Preserved	Owned by ITG at DCDR

Model

The 611 Class has been made as a 00 gauge brass kit by Worsley Works Models [1].
Steve Johnson's site also has details on kitbashing a model [2].

External links

• Downpatrick & County Down Railway Preserved G611 Class
• Irish Traction Group webpage for preserved G611
• Irish Traction Group webpage for preserved G616
• Irish Traction Group webpage for preserved G617*