Repaint Of Display Locomotives
This was repeated in 1968, with the notable addition of M.N.Ry. No.4 Caledonia which had hauled an Association special train at the start of that season before being withdrawn owing to its poor condition. With the closure of the Peel and Ramsey lines in September of that year the display locomotives were removed back into Douglas Station where they were similarly displayed in the former goods yard which became something of an open air museum; in 1969 the line up was extended to include No.3 Pender in the post-war red scheme (though in reality this was a brighter red than the original) and No.3 Pender similarly treated. The display then became a regular feature and was part of the centenary celebrations for both the Peel and south lines before short line working saw Douglas Station closed. Notably No.5 Mona was at this time displayed in the open at the end of the bay platform at Port Erin, returning to Douglas Station at the end of that season for storage where it remained until that structure was demolished in 1999.
When Lord Ailsa took over operation of the railway in 1967 a line up of withdrawn locomotives was a feature at St. John's Station and these were painted by the Supporters' Association, with No.1 Sutherland being the first to be so treated, out-shopped in the then-new Spring Green colour scheme; this was followed by No.6 Peveril and No.16 Mannin both of which also carried this colour scheme for the first time; when it came to No.14 Thornhill the decision was taken to paint this in what was described as Tuscan Red, at the time believed to be close to the original Manx Northern Railway colour scheme. Each morning the locomotives would be drawn out of the carriage shed by the locomotive from the first arriving train, and Association volunteers also regularly kept these locomotives clean before they were shunted back into the shed by the locomotive from the days' final train.
