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CIE No.CC1 was an experimental turf-burning locomotive built at the Inchicore works of Córas Iompair Éireann (Irish State Railways). Design was by Oliver Bulleid, assisted by John Click. CC1 had a box-shaped body bearing some resemblance to Bulleid's SR Leader Class but, inside, it was rather different. CC1 was, essentially, a double Fairlie 0-6-6-0 but with many novel features. Some explanation of the word "turf" is necessary. It does not mean grass but is a term commonly used in Ireland for dried peat sods. Although it was described as "the turf-burner", the locomotive was designed to be convertible between turf-burning and oil-burning.

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[edit] Historical background

Ireland does have some coal deposits but they are of a type unsuitable for steam locomotives so fuel for transport has always had to be imported. Experiments with both turf (peat) and oil as locomotive fuels began in the 19th century.

[edit] Turf fuel

The earliest known reference to the use of turf as a locomotive fuel in Ireland was on the Midland Great Western Railway in 1848 when the Locomotive Superintendent, John Dewrance, was authorised to obtain a boat load of black turf for "the new engine". This probably refers to one of the Fairbairn 2-2-2s built in 1848. Other recorded uses are:

It seems that these early experiments were not very successful because the use of turf fuel in locomotives did not become widespread.

[edit] Oil fuel

Oil fuel was used on the narrow gauge Tralee and Dingle Railway before 1900. Their number 5, a 2-6-2T was delivered by the Hunslet Engine Company in 1892 and was fitted from new with Holden oil-burning equipment. It was so successful that further oil-burners were ordered for fitting to the railway's existing 2-6-0Ts. There was then a change of policy. The oil-burners were not fitted and no.5 was converted to coal-firing in 1893. The reason is unknown but there may have been a change in the relative prices of coal and oil.

[edit] World War II

Ireland adopted a neutral stance during World War II and the war was referred to as The Emergency. Although not involved in the war, Ireland was affected by it and its railways were plagued by fuel shortages. This led to renewed efforts to introduce turf-burning by both the Great Southern Railways and the Great Northern Railway (Ireland). Again, these efforts did not meet with great success. Fuel consumption was high and it was difficult for one fireman to maintain the fire. There was also an increased risk of lineside fires from sparks.

[edit] Post-war developments

The Great Southern Railways were succeeded by Córas Iompair Éireann (CIE) in 1945. In 1949, Oliver Bulleid became chief mechanical engineer of CIE and, almost immediately, he started experiments on turf-burning. Initial trials were done with K3 class 2-6-0 number 356. This had been supplied new to the Great Southern and Western Railway in 1903 by the North British Locomotive Company (works number 15944). It was built as a 0-6-0 but was later converted to 2-6-0.

Modifications to number 356 were extensive, including:

Initial results were disappointing because the draft was inadequate. At the suggestion of Sean Heneghan (Bulleid's technical assistant) a Leyland bus engine was obtained and mounted on a wagon behind the tender. This drove a fan to increase the draft and significantly improved the steaming rate. How power was transmitted from the bus engine to the fan is not clear. Boiler feed was, initially, by hot-water injectors but these were not reliable and were replaced by a Weir feed-pump.

The results from this experiment were sufficiently encouraging to allow Bulleid to move on to building a new turf-burning locomotive.

[edit] See also


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