The Drumm Battery Train was an Irishbattery electric multiple unit developed in the 1930s which ran successfully in service on the Dublin to Bray route. The train's batteries were charged via an overhead pickup at the turnaround station.
Dr James J. Drumm developed the traction battery in the late 1920s and was supported by the Irish Government as a means of using the excess electricity generated by the Shannon hydroelectric scheme.[1]
Prototypeedit
A prototype was developed by converting petrol railcar 386 to Drumm traction Battery operation. [1]
The units had a maximum operating range of 40 miles (64 km) as demonstrated by a test run to Portarlington in 1932.[2] The recharge time was about 1 minute for each mile to be covered, that is about 15 minutes for Dublin to Bray which could be covered in about 20 minutes nonstop. The geared maximum design speed of units C and D were 47 miles per hour (76 km/h) though 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) was touched on an inaugural run and even 72 miles per hour (116 km/h) has been claimed in service.[1]
Trialsedit
Several inaugural runs were held in late 1931 including a trip with President Cosgrave on 2 December 1931.[3][1]
Serviceedit
Units A and B were in service from 1932 to 1949, being joined by units C and D in 1939, though the later units were not as successful as hoped. The Drumm Battery Trains were especially useful in the coal shortages of the early 1940s however were restricted by electricity supply shortages of 1949.[1]
Withdrawaledit
The units were withdrawn in 1949 due to the batteries becoming life expired and cheaper alternatives available.[1][4] The batteries and electrical equipment were removed continuing in service as diesel hauled carriages until 1955. They were stored on a siding at Foxrock until being scrapped.[citation needed]
Incidentsedit
At about 22:00 on 25 June 1935 the Drumm Battery "A" train collided about 250 yards (230 m) south of Dún Laoghaire with a collapsed wall resulting from a burst storm sewer during a storm and associated heavy rain. There were two fires in the battery chambers with arcing and considerable heat generated but only charring to the coach body.[5]
Modelsedit
A handbuilt model of the Drumm Train is in the Fry Model Railway collection. The model correctly depicts the unit articulated bogie however the front end cab modelling would seem to be proposal for the C and D units but not the actual design used. This is reasonable as Cyril Fry the creator was a draughtsman at Inchicore Works where the units were designed and constructed and would have had access to such drawings.[1]
Further readingedit
Scannell, James (2002). "The Drumm Battery Railcars, 1932-1949". Dublin Historical Record. 55 (2). Old Dublin Society: 181–195. JSTOR 30101349.
Referencesedit
^ abcdefghiClements, Jeremy; McMahon, Michael (2008). "Battery electric powered units - Drumm Electric Multiple Units". Locomotives of the GSR. Colourpoint Books. pp. 308–317. ISBN9781906578268.
^Desmond, Kevin (30 June 2016). Innovators in Battery Technology: Profiles of 95 Influential Electrochemists. McFarland & Co. pp. 62–64. ISBN978-0786499335.
^Pathé, British. "A Revolution Of Transport". Retrieved 10 December 2016.
^Oram, Hugh (1 February 2010). "An Irishman's Diary". The Irish Times. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
^"Report on Accident to Drumm Batter Train" (PDF) (pdf). Department of Industry and Commerce, Irish Free State.
External linksedit
External images
Drumm Battery Train
Drumm Battery train unit A. The later C and D units had a very different cab design Retrieved 19 February 2019
Tramcar conversion used to test and develop the Drumm battery
Revolutionary Electrical Invention (1930) on YouTube
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The Drumm Battery Train was an Irish battery electric multiple unit developed in the 1930s which ran successfully in service on the Dublin to Bray route The train s batteries were charged via an overhead pickup at the turnaround station Drumm Battery Train 1 Drumm train D at BrayIn service1932 1949Built atInchicoreReplacedSteam locomotives and carriagesConstructed1931 and 1938Entered serviceA and B 1932C and D 1939ScrappedA and B 1956 7C and D 1964Number built4Number scrapped4Formation2 car articulatedFleet numbersA B C DCapacity140 passengers setOperatorsGreat Southern RailwaysCIE Railways DivisionLines servedDublin Amiens Street BrayDublin Harcourt Street BraySpecificationsMaximum speed60 miles per hour 97 km h Weight85 tons setTraction motors2Power output600hpPower supply272 Ni Zn cells series connected 460 V Drumm batteryCurrent collector s Pantograph for battery charging supplied by DUTCMultiple workingUp to 2 units with intermediate unpowered trailerTrack gauge1 600 mm 5 ft 3 in See Rail gauge in Ireland The train was a successful implementation of the battery developed by Dr James J Drumm Contents 1 Background 2 Prototype 3 Construction 4 Performance 5 Trials 6 Service 7 Withdrawal 8 Incidents 9 Models 10 Further reading 11 References 12 External linksBackground editDr James J Drumm developed the traction battery in the late 1920s and was supported by the Irish Government as a means of using the excess electricity generated by the Shannon hydroelectric scheme 1 Prototype editA prototype was developed by converting petrol railcar 386 to Drumm traction Battery operation 1 Construction editUnit A was constructed at Inchicore railway works in 1931 shortly followed by unit B 1 Units C and D were constructed in 1938 Performance editThe units had a maximum operating range of 40 miles 64 km as demonstrated by a test run to Portarlington in 1932 2 The recharge time was about 1 minute for each mile to be covered that is about 15 minutes for Dublin to Bray which could be covered in about 20 minutes nonstop The geared maximum design speed of units C and D were 47 miles per hour 76 km h though 60 miles per hour 97 km h was touched on an inaugural run and even 72 miles per hour 116 km h has been claimed in service 1 Trials editSeveral inaugural runs were held in late 1931 including a trip with President Cosgrave on 2 December 1931 3 1 Service editUnits A and B were in service from 1932 to 1949 being joined by units C and D in 1939 though the later units were not as successful as hoped The Drumm Battery Trains were especially useful in the coal shortages of the early 1940s however were restricted by electricity supply shortages of 1949 1 Withdrawal editThe units were withdrawn in 1949 due to the batteries becoming life expired and cheaper alternatives available 1 4 The batteries and electrical equipment were removed continuing in service as diesel hauled carriages until 1955 They were stored on a siding at Foxrock until being scrapped citation needed Incidents editAt about 22 00 on 25 June 1935 the Drumm Battery A train collided about 250 yards 230 m south of Dun Laoghaire with a collapsed wall resulting from a burst storm sewer during a storm and associated heavy rain There were two fires in the battery chambers with arcing and considerable heat generated but only charring to the coach body 5 Models editA handbuilt model of the Drumm Train is in the Fry Model Railway collection The model correctly depicts the unit articulated bogie however the front end cab modelling would seem to be proposal for the C and D units but not the actual design used This is reasonable as Cyril Fry the creator was a draughtsman at Inchicore Works where the units were designed and constructed and would have had access to such drawings 1 Further reading editScannell James 2002 The Drumm Battery Railcars 1932 1949 Dublin Historical Record 55 2 Old Dublin Society 181 195 JSTOR 30101349 References edit a b c d e f g h i Clements Jeremy McMahon Michael 2008 Battery electric powered units Drumm Electric Multiple Units Locomotives of the GSR Colourpoint Books pp 308 317 ISBN 9781906578268 Desmond Kevin 30 June 2016 Innovators in Battery Technology Profiles of 95 Influential Electrochemists McFarland amp Co pp 62 64 ISBN 978 0786499335 Pathe British A Revolution Of Transport Retrieved 10 December 2016 Oram Hugh 1 February 2010 An Irishman s Diary The Irish Times Retrieved 20 October 2017 Report on Accident to Drumm Batter Train PDF pdf Department of Industry and Commerce Irish Free State External links editExternal imagesDrumm Battery Train nbsp Drumm Battery train unit A The later C and D units had a very different cab design Retrieved 19 February 2019 nbsp Tramcar conversion used to test and develop the Drumm battery Revolutionary Electrical Invention 1930 on YouTube A Revolution Of Transport 1931 on YouTube Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Drumm Battery Train amp oldid 1182453052, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
