PotentIal ‘Mogul’ PRoJeCt tenDeR MoVeD to SaFety
Another piece of the jigsaw is in place for the possible construction of an LMS‑NCC Class ‘W’ ‘Mogul’ (SR463), with the arrival of a 2,500‑gallon tender at Whitehead. The former Great Northern Railway (Ireland) Type E tender, No. 43, had been in storage at Mullingar, which has been a sub‑base for the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland since the 1970s ‑ but with the society’s tenure at the site drawing to a close, the tender was transported to Whitehead on May 11. Peter Scott of the RPSI locomotive department said: “The tender was a cause for concern because of the deteriorated track and rumours of redevelopment at Mullingar. “It was decided to move it to Whitehead before that became impossible, or very expensive.” Mr Scott said that the first job will be to protect the tender from further deterioration, adding: “Whether it ends up running with one of the GNR(I) locomotives or forms part of an NCC ‘Mogul’ is a question for the future.” Its wheelbase and overall dimensions are similar to the tenders which ran with the NCC ‘Moguls’, none of which survive. So far, the RPSI board has made no commitment towards the ‘Mogul’ project beyond approving the construction of a new boiler, which could also act as a spare for 2‑6‑4T No. 4. Work has started on the firebox. Now known to date from 1956 (not 1948 as previously thought) the tender survived the end of steam in the 1960s because it was used with three other tenders as part of a sound barrier between local residents and Inchicore works in Dublin.