Multiple units of Ireland
trains used in Ireland
A wide variety of diesel and electric multiple units have been used on Ireland's railways. This page lists all those that have been used. Except with the NIR Class 3000, the numbers given by each class in the lists below are those allocated to the coaches that make up the units in that class, otherwise, unit numbers are not used in Ireland.
Republic of Ireland
Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ), which controlled the Republic's railways between 1945 and 1987, mainly used locomotives and hauled stock for its passenger trains. What diesel multiple unit cars it did have were numbered in the 26xx series. Since 1987, Iarnród Éireann (IÉ) has been increasing the use of this type of train, to replace older locomotives and carriages. The only electrified railway network in Ireland is the Dublin Area Rapid Transit (DART) system, in addition to the Luas which runs on a separate network. Its fleet of electric multiple units are numbered in the 8xxx series.
Despite appearing to be a DMU (especially the Driving Van-Trailer end), the Dublin Cork service Mark 4 is an 8-car Push–pull train.
Diesel multiple units
Electric multiple units
Northern Ireland
The majority of passenger services in Northern Ireland have been operated by diesel multiple units since the mid-1950s (the major exception being the locomotive-hauled Enterprise service between Belfast and Dublin), under the tenure of both the Ulster Transport Authority (1948–1966) and Northern Ireland Railways (since 1967).
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Multiple units of Ireland” as trains used in Ireland. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
Why this record matters
The subject matters to the general reference register because the source frames it as trains used in Ireland. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
Vocabulary and entity names are the principal evidence signals here, because they determine the precision of every later search. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jun 3, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q6934970. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1945, 1987, 1948 and 1966.
Overview language is designed for orientation and should not be treated as a substitute for the evidence cited beneath it. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Multiple units of Ireland”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Multiple units of Ireland primary sources, Multiple units of Ireland archive and Multiple research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Multiple units of Ireland”?
- What terminology or title could unlock a more precise catalogue search?
- Which cited source is closest to the event, object or claim?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Multiple units of Ireland” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.