The 2700 and 2750 Classes (nicknamed "Sparrows" panish Arrows were two related types of

diesel multiple unit A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple-unit train powered by on-board diesel engines. A DMU requires no separate locomotive, as the engines are incorporated into one or more of the carriages. Diesel-powered single-unit railcars are also ...

operated by

Iarnród Éireann Iarnród Éireann () or Irish Rail, is the operator of the national railway network of Ireland. Established on 2 February 1987, it is a subsidiary of Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ). It operates all internal InterCity, Commuter, DART and fr ...

. The 2700 Class units were 2-car sets; 25 cars were built by

GEC Alsthom GEC or Gec may refer to: Education * Gedo Education Committee, in Somalia * Glen Eira College, in Caulfield East, Victoria, Australia * Goa Engineering College, India * Government Engineering College (disambiguation) * Guild for Exceptional ...

in 1997 and 1998, and began entering service in December 1998. Each car weighed and was fitted with a underfloor Cummins engine with a maximum service speed of .

History

From July 2004 to April 2005 they were used in six-piece sets on the Dublin-Rosslare InterCity services, before being replaced by newer units. The entire class was then based in Limerick, with one set outbased in Ballina to operate the Ballina - Manulla Junction shuttle, while it also operated an

Athlone Athlone (; ) is a town on the border of County Roscommon and County Westmeath, Ireland. It is located on the River Shannon near the southern shore of Lough Ree. It is the second most populous town in the Midlands Region with a population of ...

- Galway service on Fridays. A further set operated morning and evening Athenry - Galway commuter services during its layover from Limerick - Galway services. Otherwise the class operated all services from Limerick (save direct Limerick- Heuston trains) and services from Limerick Junction to Waterford. They were capable of operation in consists of up to 10 cars. In addition to the 2-car units, two single car units were constructed. These units were classed as 2750 Class, and had a cab at each end so that they could operate either singly or as part of a set. Even numbered cars had 62 seats while odd numbered cars contained 55 seats and a toilet. There were some exceptions however; the two 2750 Class units had 53 seats each, due to having cabs at both ends, while 2719 and 2721 had 50 seats each and included a bicycle storage area. The original black and orange ''Arrow'' livery was replaced by the newly introduced Commuter livery in 2004, upon the start of the sectorisation of Iarnród Éireann's operations. In 2010, Iarnród Éireann began major overhauls of the 2700 and 2750 Classes, the most prominent feature of which was the removal of the end gangways, which had been unused for some time. This coincided with the addition of a new livery based on the

22000 Class The 22000 Class "InterCity Railcar" is a diesel multiple unit in service with Iarnród Éireann in Ireland. They are the first IÉ DMUs built specifically for InterCity routes, although they can also work on some commuter routes. They are design ...

colour scheme. 2716 suffered collision damage on 3 June 2000. Following repairs, it was coupled with 2609, part of the 2600 class. In July 2012, the majority of the class was withdrawn and put into storage; by September 2012 the entire fleet had been withdrawn and was put up for sale. As of 2018, the entire 2700 fleet remains decommissioned at Inchicore Works in Dublin and in the sheds at Cork Kent. In October 2017, Irish Rail put out to tender the reactivation and refurbishment of 10 2700 sets, which were due to re-enter service in early 2019 in order to free up ICR sets for busier Dublin area services. However, this plan was cancelled in 2018.

Fleet details

Models

Bachmann produce a model of 2715/2716 in Commuter livery.

References

External links

Irish Rail Fleet Information page
{{Ireland Multiple Units Iarnród Éireann multiple units Alstom multiple units Train-related introductions in 1997