Grain wagons next for IRM's "Project Bulleid"

Under the tenure of Oliver Bulleid as the company’s Chief Mechanical Engineer, Corás Iompair Éireann (CIÉ) embarked on a programme of rolling stock renewal beginning in the early 1950s, centred around Bulleid’s patented triangulated underframe construction.

Goods vehicles of several types were based on a standard two-axle chassis with a 10ft wheelbase and an intensive production programme commenced at Inchicore Works, with up to 12 wagons being outshopped every week.

Among the more distinctive wagon types to appear was a series of bulk grain hoppers developed from the H Van design, which was also being constructed during this time. These vehicles had a 12 ton capacity and augmented a fleet of earlier hopper wagons which had been constructed by the Great Southern Railways (GSR) in the 1930s and could be spotted in mixed goods trains throughout the country in the course of conveying grain from collection points such as Ardee, Ballina, Ferns, Monaghan and Wicklow to mills which included Polloxfens at Ballysodare, and the Ranks plants at Clara and Limerick.

Distinguished from standard H Vans by the presence of walkways and manholes on the roof, along with bodyside access ladders and an unloading chute on the underside, 56 of these wagons were produced by Inchicore in 1955. However, the level of traffic called for several standard H Vans to be converted to bulk grain wagons over the coming years, with 29 being reconstructed in 1961 and a further 20 following in 1964.

These vehicles remained in service for two decades, eventually being withdrawn when grain traffic ceased in the mid-1970s, with a number of the wagons being observed awaiting disposal at Drogheda towards the end of the decade. Some wagon bodies were then offered for sale, mostly to farmers who used them for storage and animal housing.

This is a model that IRM have been working on for some time as part of their "Project Bulleid" range, with the engineering sample wagon in hand for many months now. Following on from the opens, flats and tankers, this is the fourth of many wagons that sit on this chassis.

IRM are offering three different triple packs over two liveries for these wagons. Delivery will be in Q4 of 2024.

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