Independent Railway Awards

The Isle of Man Railway started 1998 on high note after being awarded a “Highly Acclaimed” status in the 1997 Independent Railway Of The Year Awards.  The award was recently presented to Isle of Man Railways at the Ian Allan National Heritage Awards ceremony held at the National Railway Museum in York and the plaque presented; initially on the booking hall wall, this plaque is now [2025] displayed in the station masters office at Castletown Station.

Diary Dates

The 1998 timetable started as usual on Good Friday 10th April when a daily service commenced; in addition on Mondays to Thursdays in July and August the “extra” train operated, while the special event weeks were staged throughout the summer;:-

* Enthusiasts’ Week 2nd - 9th May

* Gala Fortnight 27th June - 11th July 

* Summer Spectacular 15th - 23rd August

The season concluded on Sunday 4th  October but, as was the pattern at the time, trains operated between Saturday 24th and Sunday 1st November for schools’ half term.  See further details in the timetable section of this site.

Steam 125 Launch : Electric On Steam

This was officially launched on Wednesday 3rd December 1997 with a large number of the world’s railway press in attendance.  As the star attraction overhauled locomotive No.1 Sutherland was still far from complete, M.E.R. No.33 did the honours by running right the way through to Port Erin Station with the aid of the new electrical generator mounted on a four-wheeled flat wagon.  Minus its trolley pole, the pair had undertaken a test and clearance run south the previous day.  Both the test and special press runs were deemed a success; the sight of a tram working on the railway and sitting in Port Erin Station caused quite a stir with the locals, especially those in cars on the bypass road at Castletown!  Electric On Steam made regular trips between Douglas and Port Erin as part of the Steam 125 celebration, although the fares were at a premium rate and space was limited.

First Events Of Steam 125

The Steam 125 celebrations got off to an early start with a guided walk of the disused Peel Line on Friday 2nd January 1998. Approximately sixty people took advantage of the fine sunny weather, in between the hurricane force winds and rain which had pounded the Island and the rest of the U.K. over the Christmas holiday period. Guides for the walk were walker David Wilkinson, Cathie Antrobus from Isle of Man Railways and well-known local historian and author Stan Basnett. The walk left Douglas Station at 10.00am, with about 20 people completing the full distance, the remainder taking advantage of the courtesy bus at St. John’s Station back to the capital.  

Railcars Restoration…?

By far, the most exciting news since the last issue is that Isle of Man Railways are to restore the two diesel railcars to full working order.  Retaining their original numbers, railcars 19 and 20 have been in a rapidly deteriorating condition for sometime, this has been causing concern. They have long been unfit for passenger use and their duties on Permanent Way work and shunting around Douglas Station has been less frequent with the arrival of diesel locomotive No.17 Viking. The worst affected areas are on the body work of each unit, especially around the doors.  Restoration of these unique railcars has been split up into eight specific areas, which have been put out for separate tender.  These are new timber framework, glazing and internal fixtures, external aluminum cladding, electrical wiring and fittings, internal and external painting, upholstery, heating system and of course a complete overhaul of the Gardner 6-LW engine, gearbox and running gear.  Although no cost has been put out on the overhaul, it is expected to be in the region of £70,000+. The two trailer units of the articulated railcars are to be refurbished in the rear section of the running shed at Douglas, whilst the driving units, built in 1950 and 1951 respectfully, are going off-site on the Island to be serviced. Work is due to commence during the last week in January and it is hoped to have at least one of the railcars back in operation by the middle of the summer.  The restoration work on the two railcars, No.19 and No.20 has reached an advanced state, with No.19 slightly ahead having recent received its new outer metal panels.  The work on the pair inside the running shed is expected to be complete early next year with the two being re-inaugurated in one of the two special railway events mentioned earlier.

Return Of No.1 Sutherland

As the year began the race was on to get this star attraction completed in time for the start of the Steam 125 events.  Work was running somewhat behind schedule, and it missed out on being used as part of the official press launch of Steam 125 on Wednesday 3rd December 1997. The overhauled boiler, borrowed off younger sister engine No.8 Fenella (owned by the Isle of Man Railways & Tramway Preservation Society) was hydraulically tested on Friday 7th November 1997 at the workshops and was tested to over 250 p.s.i. with no major problems, normal operating pressure is a mere 160 p.s.i. By February the boiler was being fitted out with backhead equipment, insulation and cladding, and later that month it was lited into the frames.  At the start of the rebuild it was envisaged that her original side tanks could be retained as they appeared to be in a reasonable serviceable condition; however, further inspection has revealed that they are beyond practical repair, so a new set to the same pattern have been ordered from the Fort Street Services of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company. Delivery was taken in late March. As with other engines, full dummy rivet detail were added to these new (welded) tanks.  The original tanks were not scrapped, but placed in store until the new tanks and boiler are transferred to No.8 Fenella early next century. The livery for No.1 during Steam 125 was confirmed as being the 1967 Alisa “spring green”, as previously carried.  The first trip south with a train was unforeseen and came on Friday 12th June due to a couple of failures previously.  On Thursday 11th Cale broke a main spring on the last train of the day to Port Erin, so the following morning No.10 G.H. Wood was sent south light engine to take the first train of the day. With No.11 Maitland receiving maintenance in the workshops, diesel No.17 Viking hauled the 10.10am ex-Douglas, however on arrival at Port Erin she failed with gearbox trouble.  The scene was thus set for No.1’s first passenger train, she hauled the 2.10pm ex-Douglas loaded to three carriages, taking water at Ballasalla.  No.1’s next big event is in the July Fortnight, when was the star of Steam 125 day, Wednesday 1st July; she was also be back on the M.E.R. and on display at Peel Station later that week.  As the original Isle of Man Railway line to Peel was closed in September 1968 and later lifted, Isle of Man Railways thought it was fitting to return to Peel in 1998 for Steam 125. No.1 returned to Peel on Wednesday 8th July 1998, albeit on a low-loader.  Once unloaded onto temporary track laid in the car park, which was once part of Peel Station, No.1 chuffed up and down this short length of track all day, much to the delight of both the locals and visitors alike. The sight and sound of steam back in Peel after a thirty year absences has seriously reinforced interest in re-opening the Peel line again.  Another trip on the low-loader the following day saw the locomotive back in Laxey for more steam under the wires.  As in May’s Enthusiasts’ Week it was again operating back towards Douglas on the section between Laxey Station and Fairy Cottage, instead of the traditional route north to Dhoon Quarry.  

No.4 Loch

Although officially out-of-service pending a new boiler, No.4 Loch did nearly as many miles in recent months as the service fleet engines. Her first trip out was to the M.E.R. metals at Laxey on Wednesday 4th March 1998 for clearance tests on the re-laid and re-aligned section at Prince’s Motors road crossing. Unfortunately the engine, pushed by M.E.R. works tram No.27, was unable to negotiate the curve smoothly.  A second clearance test was conducted several weeks later back at Laxey on Wednesday 22nd April, this time it was the curve at South Cape, with a view to running No.1 on the M.E.R. from Laxey, back towards Douglas to Fairy Cottage during the May Enthusiasts’ Week. In between these tests, the locomotive was stored in the car sheds, later being brought back by road to take her place in the newly reopened Railway Museum by mid-July.

No.10 G.H. Wood

After spending all season in service, No.10 G.H. Wood easily passed her annual survey in late November 1997. Over the winter months the locomotive was re-lined in an attempt to brighten up the very dark holly green livery.  The new lining was to be white-red-white, this with addition of railway crests on the tank sides should hopefully produce a brighter, more photogenic, though in the event yellow lining was applied.  No.10 G.H.Wood successfully received its annual boiler survey on 12th December 1997, and had a major overhaul of her suspension over the winter months. This included replacing all the leaf springs and bushes.

No.5 Mona

There was no sign of long withdrawn No.5 Mona emerging out of the doomed carriage shed in time to go on display for the two remaining Steam 125 events. Although in a ruinous state after being stored down the back of the carriage shed for countless years, many enthusiasts would still like to see this privately owned engine lined-up with her sisters sometime during 1998.  

No.11 Maitland

After only four days of the 1998 season No.11 Maitland was taken out of traffic on Easter Monday with a suspected flaw in one of the tyres of the pony wheel set. To quickly return this engine back into traffic a couple of days later, it exchanged pony trucks with her sister engine No.12 Hutchinson, which was in the workshops undergoing a major overhaul. After a couple of weeks, No.12’s blue pony truck axle-box covers were repainted to match No.11’s current 1950s Indian red livery.  No.11 received her annual boiler survey in mid-September.

No.12 Hutchinson

No.12 Hutchinson’s boiler was removed and despatched to Booth Kelly’s at Ramsey Shipyard on Wednesday 3rd December 1997 for stay work, similar to that carried out on No.11 Maitland two winters ago.  The chassis was stored in the carriage shed at Douglas. It was hoped to have the boiler back by the end of March and the locomotive back in service by mid-1998, complete with new side tanks and possibly a new cab of a more traditional shape.  However it was also envisaged that No.12 will retain her controversial blue livery which ultimately was not the case.  After re-staying work to both the throat plate and the backhead, No.12’s boiler returned from Booth Kelly’s of Ramsey Shipyard on 25th March 1998, the same day that her frames were craned back across from the now isolated carriage shed in Douglas. The boiler is due to be hydraulically tested in the 1st week of June and work is expect to continue in earnest to return this engine to traffic by mid-summer.  The tanks were replaced and the decision made to scrap the square cab and replace it with a traditional Beyer-shaped one.  It was reported at the time that the distinctive blue livery is to be retained but this later proved not to be the case.

No.14 Thornhill

Various rumours of an appearance of that privately owned No.14 Thornhill on the I.M.R. during Steam 125 seem to be totally unfounded.  It appears to be just a bit of wishful thinking by a number of individuals.

M.N.Ry. No.4 Caledonia

After several attempts last year to tame the beast, the infamous Caledonia has finally settled down enough to operate her in regular service. In fact, she has probably been on fare paying passenger service more times during the first six weeks of the 1998 season than she has since her M.N.R. days!  Based down at Port Erin, under the care of driver Jeff Kelly, Caledonia has proved that she can be reliable and keep to time.  Now who would give their right hand to have the chance to photograph her hauling a service train in a blizzard?  A totally impossible scenario you might say, well on the morning of Tuesday 14th April two things happened. First, No.11 was withdrawn from traffic with a suspected flaw in one of the tyres of the pony wheel set, leaving only Caledonia to operate the service.  Second, unbelievably it actually started snowing on the Isle of Man and heavily too. The stories of Caledonia and heavy snow on the Island have become legendary in railway history, however on this day she wasn’t carrying the “big plough”.  Both No.10 and Cale operated the day’s services through the snow without a hitch.  

No.16 Mannin

In preparation for her return to the refurbished Railway Museum No.16 Mannin, was turned around on Tuesday 26th May 1998 to face chimney first into Douglas.  The engine was then in the process of being rubbed down and re-painted, this time into a full lined out version of the 1950s Indian Red livery.  Interestingly, while being rubbed down it was discovered that lower outer section of the coal bunker is in fact made of plywood!  Obviously it was a quick and cheap replacement used to tart the engine up when it originally went on display in the museum back in 1975.  

 No.17 Viking  & Diesels

As ever, diesel locomotive No.17 Viking has been going quietly about its rather mundane shunting and permanent way tasks, apart from a quick trip into the workshops to have its left-hand side exhaust replaced.  Both diesel railcars, No.19 and No.20 are in an advanced state of refurbishment work after being stripped down into various sections during the winter months at the rear of Douglas engine shed. No.19 is further advanced than its sister unit, but both still have a long way to go yet.  The tractor units and rear bogies are at the Steam Packet’s Fort Street Services to be overhauled, whilst the wheel sets out of these are currently being re-profiled back at the railway. The Simplex shunter (the blue one with no cab) is now back in action in Douglas after being out of service for sometime whilst spare parts were obtained. Simplex shunter “No.25” -The Yellow Peril as it is known, has headed south with a Bagnall four-wheeled flat wagon and the bogie ballast hopper to be used by the southern permanent way gang.

Stored Locomotives

Also stored in carriage shed, which has had its rail connection temporary severed whilst track realignment is being completed, are locomotives No.6 Peveril and No.9 Douglas, along with the chassis’ of No.8 Fenella and No.13 Kissack.     

M.78 Progress

The final phase of the construction of drop-side “M” wagons was completed by a group of Association members during the weekend of 8th and 9th November 1997 in the workshops at Douglas in readiness for Steam 125; this special project by the group was the result of a fundraising effort to provide the railway with some replica wagons to allow the railway to run the classic mixed trains again for enthusiasts. The next special project will be a replica of a four-wheeled, three planked, side door “H” wagons, which has been extinct from the railways for many years. The cost of this second wagon at approximately £5,000 will hopefully be met by donations and various other fund raising schemes.  

Rolling Stock Notes

The usual winter carriage repairs with saloon F.30 undergoing a major rebuild, including the addition of corridor connections to allow it to be used as part of the “Bar Set”.  F.35 was in the paint shop being spruced up in the purple lake scheme, while the reconstructed F.54 actually moved a few feet down to the paint shop and now awaits painting. Plans were still going ahead to re-paint several of the carriages in the popular red and cream livery for 1998.  A decision has yet to been made as to which carriages are to be painted in this historical livery.  The most likely candidates are the “Douglas Set” i.e. the large Fs F.46, F.47, F.48 and F.49, as they normally stay together in a set for most of the season [in the event it would not be until 1999 that a policy change saw all stock repainted in thiss ceme].  Meanwhile, later in the year replica F.54 moved ever closer to the paint shop door in its bid for freedom - will it make it into service during 1998? [it didn’t!]  Whilst saloon F.32 was re-panelled with MDF board instead of plywood and F.45 received work on the springs and bushes on the south-end bogie. 

New Rolling Stock...?

1998 saw the construction of the first new item of rolling stock for decades. To replace the original tired four-wheeled well wagon, built also by the railway at its workshops around about 1936, a new one to the same pattern has been constructed by the railway staff.  Built again partly in H-section and partly in timber, this new well wagon utilises the running gear of the original, though vacuum brake piping has also been fitted in line with other rolling stock currently in traffic.  Although not officially numbered, the first well wagon is sometimes referred to as W.W.1.  It was first used to carry a mechanical excavator to the gravel pits at St. John’s and the spoils at Foxdale tips.  In 1967 it was lengthened to carry the short lived container traffic between Douglas and Castletown harbour.  In recent years it was used to carry the railway’s hedge-trimming tractor to various locations and used to store boilers during overhauls. This new well wagon W.W.2 is expected to fulfill a similar role on the railway.  In addition to the new well wagon, a group of Manx preservationists have restored one of the original containers used in 1967 for this short lived and unusual freight traffic for a narrow gauge railway. Isle of Man Ferry Express container No.4 was then on display at Castletown Station.

Permanent Way 

With work now complete on the Ballakelly Curve, the northern Gang have moved to work on relaying the curve by the former Pig Farm between Ellenbrook and the Oakhill Bridge, whilst the southern Gang have been repacking and re-sleepering a section of line between Colby Station and Kentraugh Crossing. In conjunction with hedge trimming operations, diesel No.17 Viking was slowly working its way back up from Port Erin hauling well wagon R.1 [sic.], which was used to carry the hedge-trimming tractor in pre-season works.  In July over 3,000 new sleepers were delivered during the last couple of months for use on all three systems, along with a consignment of 50lb., rail. Also to improve the trackwork, more railway staff have been doing permanent way work than previous summers and additional engineering staff have been taken on to work in Douglas workshops. 

The Railway Museum

The refurbished railway museum at Port Erin Station was initially set to re-open in time for the first events week of the Steam 125 celebrations in May.  A new footpath was constructed from the platform to the entrance of the new spacious railway shop in the former goods shed, which leads into the museum itself.  Stock and other display material returned from Douglas over the first months of the season, however what was actually going on display in the museum was kept a secret until its official re-opening. Transport Director Mr. Robert Smith said that “…we now have a clean sheet to work on and various ideas and concepts will be incorporated show the best of the Isle of Man Railway’s history to its into the display to maximum…”.  The museum was opened to the public for the first time in July, although the shop was complete, the exhibition hall was still in the final stages of being fitted out, with only a couple of items of rolling stock on display including No.16 Mannin.  The museum was completed over the following couple of weeks.  The race was on to get the re-furbished Railway Museum re-opened by 1st July.  With the main building work complete, the new larger shop and main exhibition hall were fitted out in June.  No.4 Loch and No.16 Mannin were joined by Royal Saloon F.36 and the Ducal Saloon F.75 as the main exhibits for the opening and remainder of the season.

No.4 & Thrust S.C.C.

No.4 Loch also met up with the current holder of the world land speed record, the Thrust S.S.C. car on Monday 10th March. The impromptu publicity shot of these two vehicles together took place in the Steam Packet’s car park, before Thrust S.S.C. was loaded back onto the boat after a weekend on display in Douglas. Isle of Man Railway’s Rolling Stock Superintendent and “Chief Test Pilot”, Mr. Colin Goldsmith said “Although Loch externally has the streamlining and drag coefficient of a house brick, we are confident that Loch can snatch the world land speed from Thrust S.S.C..” He added “...with a new boiler, some decent coal and a good head of steam, Loch can reach the necessary 763mph+ in about 125 years!” Just as a comparison, Thrust S.S.C. could do the fifteen-mile trip between Douglas and Port Erin in a little over 60 seconds.  Her next move will be down to the newly refurbished Railway Museum, where she will be joining younger sister No.16 Mannin as one of the main exhibits.

Stations & Lineside 

The new tank for the rebuilt Port Erin Station water tower is now ready and is due to be installed in June.  Whilst a new signal post has been completed to replace the one on the Douglas side of Colby Station.  The project to build platforms at Castletown Station, one of the busiest stations on the line, is all but complete with just the new station lamps to be fitted out.  Douglas Station has also received a full re-paint back in the red and cream livery - and very smart it looks too.  In addition, a culvert near Crogga has been rebuilt after being damaged by a fallen tree brought down during the severe winter storms.  If Tynwald gives the go ahead, work is due to start late summer on both new carriage sheds at Douglas and Port Erin. The site of the new carriage shed on a section of land reclaimed back from the coal yard has been cleared and the main line re-aligned in preparation for work.  Tenders are due to go out soon to relocate the historical signal box nearer to the railway.

The Steam 125  Season

Despite the poor weather we all suffered this summer, the mega event Steam 125 was deemed a major success.  Healthy traffic figures for the Island’s railways reflect this, with the Isle of Man Railway itself up a massive 23% on last year’s numbers.  Similarly down the other end of the promenade, the Manx Electric Railway was up 9% and the Snaefell Mountain Railway rose a further 5%.  As the Isle of Man Railway opened its first route between Douglas, the Island’s capital and Peel on Tuesday 1st July 1873, it seemed fitting to have a Gala Fortnight to celebrate 125 years of the Isle of Man Railway centred around this date.  

Steam Fair & Vintage Rally

The celebrations actually kicked off, not on the railway itself, but with a huge steam fair and vintage rally at Nobles Park over the first weekend. Organised by the railway, a whole host of traction engines, commercial vehicles, buses and coaches and a traditional style fun fair were brought to the Island from all around the U.K.  This third and final steam fair an vintage rally event organised by Isle of Man Railways was again well attended.

Old Hands’ Day

Back on the Manx railway systems, special events started in earnest on the Monday morning, 29th June with works trains, old hands reunion and the book launch of David Lloyd-Jones’s loco profile Manx Peacocks.  

Anniversary Day, 1st July

Tuesday was earmarked for Snaefell Mountain Railway photography day, but as ever low mist shrouded the whole mountain all day, as with other S.M.R. photography days of previous years. The main event of this Steam 125 year, the I.M.R. 125th anniversary day on Wednesday 1st July 1998, started off with the official handing over of the recently built replica “M” wagon M.78 by members of the Supporters’ Association to Isle of Man Railways.   To mark the 125th anniversary of the I.M.R., a special plaque was unveiled at Douglas Station by His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor Sir Timothy Daunt K.C.M.G., who during his speech confessed to being actively interested in the I.M.R. and a member of the Association.  Further speeches by the Hon. David Cretney M.H.K. - Minister of Tourism & Leisure and Mr. Robert Smith B.A. F.C.I.T. - Director of Public Transport confirmed the future of the railway well into the next century with further extra financial investments in the system, including a much needed major improvement to the whole trackwork between Douglas and Port Erin.  To complete the occasion, a special anniversary double-headed train piloted by the star of Steam 125, the recently restored No.1 Sutherland of 1873, departed Douglas for Port Erin at 11.45am with Sir Timothy Daunt riding on No.1’s footplate for the first couple of miles as far as Port Soderick Station.  At Port Erin, she was used for numerous footplate rides up and down the station.  

Un-Loch Your Cash Announcement

This was swiftly followed up by a special announcement that the Isle of Man Railways was to lease perhaps the Island’s most famous locomotive, No.4 Loch of 1874 to the Supporters’ Association for a period of 21 years.  The Association aim to raise £30,000 by donations to return this famous Manx locomotive back to working order.

The Summer Spectacular!

With the dust only just settled after the Gala Fortnight, the railway launched itself into its third and final event, the Summer Spectacular from 15th to 23rd August.  This week was more or less a repeat of the previous event weeks, apart from the two visiting 2ft gauge locomotives to the Groudle Glen Railway.  While at the Model Engineer exhibition at the Wildlife Park, they challenged Isle of Man Railways that the Wildlife Park Railway could carry more passengers in one day - no mean feat, but they managed it - just!  In addition, the Manx model exhibition made a welcome return, as ever Brian Caton’s live steam I.M.R. layout, the Isle of Man Model Group’s Castletown layout and David Haynes huge M.E.R. layout drew in large crowds.  

Douglas Station Development

As the Island’s season officially finished on Sunday 27th September, work started in earnest the next morning on several major schemes to improve the railway. These included the new two road carriage shed to hold sixteen carriages at Douglas and the removal of the platform next to road one in order to put in a new siding. The roofing in of the open space between the running shed and paint shop to create a new two-road carriage maintenance and repair shop was also begun.  The old signal box at Douglas, now segregated from the station when the railway was rationalised in the 1980s, is also to be moved back closer to the railway.  After an initial survey of this historical building, constructed by Dutton & Co., in 1892, the contractors hope to lift and roll the signal box to its new site approximate 100 ft away. A certain amount of track re-alignment will also be needed at the throat to the station and extra pointwork fitted in conjunction with the building of the new carriage shed.

Port Erin Station Development

In addition to the new carriage shed at Douglas, a ten-carriage capacity shed is also being constructed at Port Erin to house the South Train rolling stock at night.  Work on all the above schemes has to be complete by the end of 1998.  

End Of Season Locomotive Notes

Obviously 1998 has been a busy time for the railway’s locomotive fleet.  As ever, with all credit to their crews, the engines have been beautifully turned out all season. After years in quiet retirement, poor old No.1 Sutherland must be dizzy with all her trips to Laxey and Peel, and back to the railway again.  After a few minor teething troubles, she has become a great ambassador for the railway.  The regular summer service was operated by No.10 G.H. Wood and No.11 Maitland, with Cale and No.1 filling in where necessary.   Manx Electric Railway tramcar No.33 and power generator have made several very successful trips to Port Erin under their own ‘steam’ during the special event weeks. At the time of writing, the pair are still stored in the running shed.  Although her absence was noticeable from this year’s Steam 125 events, work on re-assembling the famous blue engine, No.12 has started in earnest after her boiler received a major overhaul last winter.  She is expected to be back in traffic in time for the start of the 1999 season at Easter, and yes, she will still be sporting that famous blue livery.

Lezayre Station

The long since derelict station building at Lezayre on the old Manx Northern Railway Line between St. John’s and Ramsey is to be renovated and incorporated into a private dwelling.  This roofless shell of the stone station halt has long been in a ruinous state since the line closed in September 1968. The last stop before Ramsey, it was only really a minor halt and was for many years not included in the timetable, being used mainly by school trains.

Santa Train  Reprieve

Due to the extensive construction work at Douglas Station and major trackwork re-alignment over the coming winter months, it was initially thought that the running of the now traditional Santa Trains to Santon Station would have to be sadly cancelled.  However, a timely intervention by good old Santa Claus himself and his little helpers has put the trains back on the right track.  Hauled by No.10 G.H.Wood, M.N.Ry. No.4 Caledonia and No.11 Maitland, the packed Santa Trains only ran on Saturday and Sunday 5th and 6th December to minimise the disruption of work at the terminus. Each engine took turns at banking these heavy trains as far as Port Soderick, before dropping off and returning light. As ever, trains became delayed as Santa struggled to cope with the large volume of traffic.

Compiled From Contemporary Notes Extracted

From Manx Steam Railway News  (Issues 119 - 122)