View source for MGWR Classes F, Fa, and Fb

{{short description |Classes of Irish locomotives}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}
{{Use Irish English|date=March 2018}}
{{Infobox locomotive
| name             = Midland Great Western<br>Classes F, Fa, and Fb<ref name="JCMM-p205"/>
| powertype        = Steam
| image            = 
| alt              = 
| caption          = Class Fb 630 at Broadstone March 1959
| designer         = [[Walter H. Morton]]
| builder          = [[Armstrong Whitworth]] (5),<br>MGWR [[Broadstone railway works|Broadstone Works]], [[Broadstone, Dublin|Dublin]] (18)
| ordernumber      = 
| serialnumber     = AW 175–179
| buildmodel       = 
| builddate        = 1921–1924
| totalproduction  = 23
| rebuilder        = 
| rebuilddate      = 
| numberrebuilt    = 
| whytetype        = [[0-6-0]]
| uicclass         = C h2
| gauge            = {{track gauge|5ft3in|lk=on}}
| driverdiameter   = {{convert|5|ft|8|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}
| minimumcurve     = 
| wheelbase        = 
| length           = 
| width            = 
| height           = 
| axleload         = {{long ton|18|0}}<br>{{convert|18|LT|0|lcwt|t ST}}
| weightondrivers  = 
| locoweight       = {{long ton|49|4}}<br>{{convert|49|LT|4|lcwt|t ST}}
| tenderweight     = 
| locotenderweight = 
| tendertype       = 
| fueltype         = 
| fuelcap          = ''[[Coal]]:'' {{long ton|7|0}}<br>{{convert|7|LT|0|lcwt|t ST|1}}
| watercap         = 
| tendercap        = F,Fa: {{convert|2500|impgal}}<br/>Fb: {{convert|2800|impgal}}
| sandcap          = 
| boiler           = 
| boilerpressure   = {{convert|175|lbf/in2|kPa|2|abbr=on}}
| feedwaterheater  = 
| firearea         = {{convert|17.3|sqft|m2|abbr=on}}
| tubearea         = 
| fluearea         = 
| tubesandflues    = {{convert|821|sqft|m2|abbr=on}}
| fireboxarea      = {{convert|126|sqft|m2|abbr=on}}
| totalsurface     = 
| superheatertype  = 
| superheaterarea  = {{convert|210|sqft|m2|abbr=on}}
| cylindercount    = Two, inside
| cylindersize     = {{convert|19|x|26|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}
| valvegear        = 
| valvetype        = {{convert|8|in|mm|0|abbr=on}} [[piston valve (steam engine)|piston valves]]
| valvetravel      = 
| valvelap         = 
| valvelead        = 
| transmission     = 
| maxspeed         = 
| poweroutput      = 
| tractiveeffort   = {{convert|20530|lbf|kN|2|abbr=on}}
| factorofadhesion = 
| trainheating     = steam
| locobrakes       = 
| locobrakeforce   = 
| trainbrakes      = 
| safety           = 
| operator         = [[Midland Great Western Railway|MGWR]] → [[Great Southern Railways|GSR]] → [[Córas Iompair Éireann|CIÉ]]
| operatorclass    = MGWR F/Fa/Fb<br>GSR/CIÉ: 623 or J5
| powerclass       = 
| numinclass       = 
| fleetnumbers     = 
| officialname     = 
| nicknames        = Cattle Engines<ref name="ES-F-Class"/><ref name="CB-J5"/>
| axleloadclass    = 
| locale           = 
| deliverydate     = 
| firstrundate     = 
| lastrundate      = 
| retiredate       = 
| withdrawndate    = 
| preservedunits   = 
| restoredate      = 
| scrapdate        = 
| currentowner     = 
| disposition      = 
| notes            =
}}
The '''MGWR Classes F, Fa and Fb''' are a group of similar classes of [[0-6-0]] [[steam locomotive]]s of the [[Midland Great Western Railway]] of [[Ireland]] which were designed and built between 1921 and 1924. The locomotives could be used to handle goods and also for passenger traffic.

==History==
The Midland Great Western Railway was looking to modernise its motive power fleet, and turned to their Chief Mechanical Engineer, [[Walter H. Morton]], to design a locomotive which could be capable of handling goods, and if required, for local passenger traffic. The specific official need for the new class was to replace the poorly performing [[MGWR Class C]] [[4-4-0]] locomotives on passenger and limited mail services on the [[Mullingar]]—[[Dublin]] section of the line.  The resulting design from the [[Broadstone railway works|Broadstone Works]] (Dublin) Drawing Office was for a six-coupled ([[0-6-0]]) tender locomotive, and the first appearing from the works in 1921, the last in 1924.  There are some thoughts the design may have been influenced by the availability of cheap surplus parts following the [[First World War]].<ref name="JCMM-p205"/>

This was the last complete class of locomotives designed and built at Broadstone before closure and transfer of work to [[Inchicore Works]]. The only other locomotives to follow from Broadstone were the first of the "kit-built" [[SECR N class|Woolwich Moguls]] ([[GSR Classes 372 and 393|GSR Class 372]]) before this was also transferred to Inchicore.<ref name="JCMM-p205"/>

There was a total of 23 members of the class, the first three were Class F, the next ten (including the five [[Armstrong Whitworth]] built locomotives) were Class Fa, and the last ten with raised running plates were Class Fb. All were classified by the [[Great Southern Railways]] (GSR) as Class 623, or Class J5. All passed to the [[Córas Iompair Éireann]] (CIÉ) on its formation in 1945. Examples of the class survived until 1963, almost to the end of steam on the CIÉ.<ref name="JCMM-p205"/>

==Oil firing==
In the severe winter of 1946/47 coal was in short supply and, with services disrupted, the CIÉ. took the decision to convert 97 locomotives to [[oil burner (engine)|oil-burning]], the main classes chosen for this being the various [[2-6-0]]s and the 623s, although this was extended to some [[4-6-0]]s.  Locomotives which were converted to oil-burning had a white circle painted on the smokebox and tender sides.  A supply of coal from America arrived in March 1947 but it took a further three months to build up stocks before normal services could be resumed.<ref name="NoCoal"/>

==Service==
Although initially fitted with steam heat for passenger and limited mail services, and noted for ability to perform [[GSR Classes 372 and 393|GSR Class 372]] mogul [[2-6-0]] services when required, it was also observed they had a high level of wear and attrition when used on such work.  In practice they were predominantly employed on freight work, proving to be able to successfully work heavy livestock trains at moderately high speeds, albeit with a somewhat high maintenance requirement.<ref name="JCMM-p205"/>

==Livery==
Since 1913 the MGWR had been painting all locomotives black with red linings so they being built from 1921 they would not have carried the bright  emerald green of other MGWR locomotives.<ref name="Black"/>  Unlike most MGWR engines they were not named and they carried painted rather than cast iron cabside number plates.  On their first visit to the [[workshop]]s following the 1925 [[Consolidation (business)|amalgamation]] to form the GSR the class were repainted into the standard "dark battleship grey" colours of the new company.<ref name="Black"/> [[Buffer beams]] were [[vermilion]].{{cn|date=March 2018}}  Following the absorption of the GSR into CIÉ in 1945, and CIÉs nationalisation in 1950, the only changes which took place were the addition of the light green CIÉ "flying snail" logo to the tender sides. The grey livery, like on most CIÉ locomotives, remained until withdrawal in the early 1960s.{{cn|date=March 2018}}

== References ==
* Modelling Irish Steam by Drew Donaldson. "Model Railways" magazine, 1978
* Irish Railway Modelling.Yuku.com  (Response to a "Request for information" on liveries)
{{reflist|2|refs=

<ref name="JCMM-p205">{{cite book|title=Locomotives of the GSR|pages=205–206|isbn=9781906578268|last1=Clements|first1=Jeremy|last2=McMahon|first2=Michael|date=2008|publisher=Colourpoint Books}}</ref>

<ref name="ES-F-Class">{{cite book|title=The Midland Great Western Railway of Ireland - An illustrated History|last=Shepherd|first=Ernie|publisher=Midland Publishing Limited|publication-date=1994|ISBN=1-85780-008-7|pages=89,131}}</ref>

<ref name="Black">{{cite book|title=Rails to Achill|last=Beaumont|first=Jonathan|date=2002|isbn=978-0853615880|page=91,93}}</ref>

<ref name="NoCoal">{{cite web|url=http://www.irrs.ie/Common%20Files/CIE.htm|title=Irish Railways: 1946 - 1996|id=Córas Iompair Éireann|website=Irish Railway Record Society|date=6 November 2015|access-date=10 March 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171207163548/http://www.irrs.ie/Common%20Files/CIE.htm|archive-date=7 December 2017}}</ref>

<ref name="CB-J5">{{cite book|title="Locomotive Compendium Ireland"|first=Colin|last=Boocock|isbn=9780711033603|publisher=Ian Allan
  |edition=1st|date=1 October 2009|page=32|section=Class 2}}</ref>

}}

{{Ireland Steam Locomotives}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:MGWR Class F}}
[[Category:Armstrong Whitworth locomotives]]
[[Category:0-6-0 locomotives]]
[[Category:C h2 locomotives]]
[[Category:Railway locomotives introduced in 1921]]
[[Category:5 ft 3 in gauge locomotives]]
[[Category:Midland Great Western Railway locomotives|F]]
[[Category:Steam locomotives of Ireland]]