“Pairs” Carriage F.74
Purchased as two four-wheel carriages in 1873 from the Metropolitan Carriage & Wagon Co., Ltd., of Saltley Works in Birmingham and later allocated fleet numbers A.11 & C.11, by 1882 these two carriages had become close coupled and were later mounted on a new steel underframe, again supplied by the Metropolitan Carriage & Wagon Co., Ltd., in 1921 to become F.74. It is one of very few “pairs” to retain a lookout window in one end bulkhead as illustrated in the photograph below, at the Douglas end.
It was one of several “pairs” to be repainted into the all-over maroon scheme following nationalisation. The carriage in this form survived in service until 1987 when it was withdrawn and moved into storage in the old carriage shed at Douglas Station. When this was demolished in 1999 to make way for the Banks Circus office complex and bus depot, it was stored at various locations including the goods yard at Port St. Mary, Homefield Bus Garage and is currently in a hangar at Jurby Airfield.
F.74 in July 1969 at Port Erin Station; following withdrawal in 1987 the carriage is now in storage at Jurby Airfield.
At Douglas Station while still in regular traffic in June 1963; the lookout window can just be discerned on the left hand side.
On the bay platform at Port Erin Station in the summer of 1969 in the standard post-war red and cream colour scheme.
F.74 in storage at Jurby Airfield showing the final livery carried in traffic, the nationalisation all-over maroon scheme.
Stored at Port Erin Station in 1972 still wearing the somewhat faded red and cream livery, with fleet number applied in transfers.
At Port Erin Station in 1938 in the purple lake livery, the non-smoking signs visible on the compartment windows.
Yellow stick-on plastic fleet lettering on F.74 in storage at Jurby Airfield showing detail of the panelling between A.11 and C.11.
The two-tone brown livery at Port Erin Station, note the C.11 fleet number still carried on the bottom right of the bulkhead.
Being removed from Port St. Mary Station for off-site storage at Jurby Airfield, also pictured is F.66 bound for the same destination.