The Vale of Rheidol Railway is pleased to announce the successful sale and transfer of historic Isle of Man Railway Coach F.6 to the Isle of Man Steam Railway Supporters’ Association (I.o.M.S.R.S.A.), marking a major milestone in the preservation of the Island’s rich railway heritage.

Coach  F.6, built in 1876 by Brown, Marshalls of Birmingham, is the oldest surviving coach from the railway’s original 1876 bogie carriage order—making it a rare and precious survivor from the early days of Manx rail travel, it is the sole survivor of this original batch.  Withdrawn in the 1970s, F.6 was saved from scrapping in November 1974 by railway enthusiast and preservationist Peter Rampton. He and fellow enthusiast Nigel Bowman travelled to St John’s to negotiate with Millen Metals, the Belfast firm dismantling the Island’s rail infrastructure. A deal was struck on a handshake with scrap dealer Albert Millen, and several historic coaches were rescued—including two Cleminsons, F.68, and  F.6.

Shipping the carriages to the mainland was no small feat. After declining a costly quote from the Isle of Man Steam Packet, the pair secured alternative shipping via Ronagency from Douglas to Glasson Dock, with onward road transport to Surrey. The carriages arrived in early 1975, where they were kept in covered storage as part of Rampton’s now-famous “Collection X”.

Coach F.6 remained in Surrey and was never part of the operational fleet at the Vale of Rheidol Railway, but the railway has acted as custodian of the Rampton Collection since his passing. Sister coach F.68 was fully restored and is now on public display in the Vale of Rheidol Railway’s museum at Aberystwyth. The coach follows two others which have previously been sold to the Isle of Man Railways in 2022, F.37 and F.38.  The return of Coach  F.6 to the Isle of Man earlier this month marks the end of a long absence and the beginning of a new chapter in its life. It is now in the care of the Isle of Man Steam Railway Supporters’ Association, who will be assessing the vehicle with a view to its eventual restoration.

Llyr ap Iolo, Managing Director of the Vale of Rheidol Railway, said: “We are delighted to see Coach F.6 return home. Though it was never operated by the Vale of Rheidol, we recognised its value and were proud to support its preservation. Its significance as the oldest surviving bogie coach from the original 1876 order makes this a very special vehicle, and we’re excited to see what the future holds for it back on Manx soil.”

Grant Taylor, Secretary of the Isle of Man Steam Railway Supporters’ Association added: “Coach  F.6 represents a unique and tangible link to the early days of the Isle of Man Railway.  We are extremely grateful to the Vale of Rheidol Railway for their support in making this return possible, and look forward to the opportunity to bring this important vehicle back to life.”

UPDATES ON F.6’s PROGRESS & OTHER HERITAGE PROJECTS WILL BE AVAILABLE HERE

Additional images of the carriage leaving Surrey, and arrival in it’s new home on the Isle of Man are HERE: