No.3BG "Guinness"

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ARTHUR GUINNESS, SON & CO.

ST. JAMES' GATE BREWERY

0-4-0ST No.3BG "GUINNESS"

No.3BG
Builder Hudswell Clarke & Co., Leeds, 1919, works number 1152
Withdrawn 1965
Companies Guinness, RPSI
Current Location Whitehead
Current Status In Traffic

 

 

 

 

Guinness 3BG was built for shunting Ireland's largest privately owned broad gauge industrial system. This locomotive became the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland's first preserved locomotive, being presented to the Society in 1965. The famous Dublin brewery operated an extensive 1'10" gauge system within the complex from 1874 to 1965 with broad gauge locos being used to transfer traffic from there to Kingsbridge (now Heuston) Station for onward transhipment. Originally the engine carried side sheets covering the motion, but these were removed by the RPSI for maintenance reasons.

No.3BG spent a number of years at the RPSI's Whitehead base before being leased to the Downpatrick & Ardglass Railway for the commencement of their steam operations in 1989. The locomotive was used at Downpatrick between then and 1996, when she was stopped for overhaul. She was returned to Whitehead on 28th December 2001 and she soon entered the works for overhaul to running order.

The Guinness engine, when in working order, is used for shunting, crew training and for "Summer Steam" train rides within the site. The locomotive's 90th birthday was celebrated with a cake on one of the "Summer Steam" open days in August 2009.

On 9th October 2016 the locomotive was steam tested and found to work very well indeed. This was the culmination of a three year restoration project and thanks are due to everyone who contributed finances or manpower to this project. Also of course the Northern Ireland Museums Council who kick-started the whole project with a generous grant.

The locomotive was 100 years old in 2019 and a celebratory day was held on 6th April 2019 - see the gallery in the Members section of the website.

See an interesting article on the Guinness Brewery Tramway.

https://youtu.be/psC2fGjw1go
A video of the history of our faithful shunting engine presented by Edward Friel.

In January 2024, the locomotive received a boiler retube.

Name and number plates.
Builder's plate on cab side.
4/9/1963: Guinness No.3 is seen here with sister locomotive No.2 in the brewery yard. (T. Dorrity)
4/9/1963: Guinness No.3 is seen here near the brewery gate. Kingsbridge station is in the background. (T. Dorrity)
February 1966 when the loco’s wheels were turned, at York Road, from tramway profile to railway profile - otherwise the deep flange would have cut every track circuit cable going. (J.A. Cassells)
The locomotive doing some work for NIR back in 1968 - pictured shunting a wagon of ash from the turntable at York Road. Note the brackets in place to receive the 'Guinness' nameplate. (J.A.Cassells)
Evening Press newspaper article from 1969.
No.3BG 'Guinness' outside the RPSI's Whitehead depot in the 1970s. Railtour Organiser Craig Robb on the left and Chairman Roy Grayson on the right. (J.Lockett)
The Steam Gala on 3rd July 1971 at Whitehead, with the first extension to the original locomotive shed under construction. (Courtesy D. Carse)
3BG shunting at Whitehead Railway Museum
No.3BG in the Whitehead workshop under overhaul on 6th January 2016. (C.P.Friel)
No.3BG's boiler gets its first steam test on 19th March 2016. (A.Davidson)
No.3BG being coaled and steamed at Whitehead, 9th October 2016. (M.Walsh)
Whitehead Primary School pupils infront of Guinness 3BG at the launch of the Whitehead Railway Museum
The locomotive fully lined out following kind donations by members, 11/4/2019. (M.Walsh)
8/12/2024: No.3BG on a typical duty - waiting to operate the last Santa train ride of the day as the light fades.

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