103 'Merlin' NIR Blue, with Red Chevrons - DCC SoundHaving undertaken a programme of station refurbishment, improved its ticketing arrangements and introduced new on track plant and shunting locomotives, in 1969 the still embryonic Northern Ireland Railways set out to improve the Dublin Belfast Enterprise service, by replacing the existing diesel railcar sets with a locomotive hauled service. Intended to reduce the time for the 180 km journey to just two hours, the NIR Class 101 (DL) locomotives were

the former Eastern Regional machine quickly readjusted to its return to South Wales

Gearing arranged so locomotive can achieve a scale top speed of 120 mph (193 km/h)

Since then it has been one of the most reliable members of the fleet

Number : D9000

Heavy Die Cast Chassis for ideal weight and running

modified CP7 bogies regeared for a top speed of 80 mph and Brush BA1005A alternators to replace the original generators

it was retired and sold to Harry Needle in August 2015

and retained this appearance until the first months of 1991 when Metals sub sector branding was applied

this group did not universally receive names

HDA and CDA versions* Multiple bufferbeam brake pipe configurations* Three different wheel variants: bolted disc brake

steps fitted to all corners

Brierley Hill