The CIE 501 Class locomotives were built in 1955 by Walker Brothers of Wigan for use on the narrow gauge (3 ft or 914 mm) lines on the West Clare section of the CIÉ.
Controlled from a central cab, the locomotives had two Gardner engines of 224 hp (167 kW), one under each end casing, driving through a fluid coupling and Wilson gear box the inner axle of the opposite bogie, through a spiral-bevel-reverse and reduction gear box.
Unusually the locomotives were driven from a seat mounted sideways to the direction of travel giving a clear field of vision both ways by a mere turn of the head.
They were withdrawn in 1961 when the West Clare lines were closed and stored at Inchicore Works for seven years.
The Walker 501 Class has been made as a 00n3 scale 12mm gauge brass kit by Worsley Works Models[1]