As the accompanying photo above and later photos below show, there was considerable wastage to the timber framing of this vehicle and severe rusting and wastage to many of the iron fixings and fittings; it required major restoration work to see further use on the railway and prompt stabilisation work to ensure its survival intact. Unfortunately there was no economic argument for any substantial expenditure to be made on the vehicle by the Isle of Man Government / Isle of Man Transport, as there were and continue to be pressing needs for the overhaul of service locomotives and rebuilding of carriage stock with which to maintain future day-to-day passenger services. The Supporters’ Association therefore took a lead role in the restoration project by raising the necessary funds and its member volunteers contributing project planning and management, technical drawing, recording, finish preparation and painting services, in addition to sourcing required parts and materials and assisting with the dismantling and re-assembly activities. The Association contracted out the majority of the required joinery, metal fabrication and component machining to local Manx businesses and tradesmen where requisite skillsets and capacity were available.   

The Case For Restoration

Railways for the Isle of Man were promoted in the second half of the 19th Century equally for the conveyance of freight as for the carriage of passengers. The ability to move all manner of goods, livestock and materials by steam railway across the Island in a matter of an hour or so, firstly between Douglas and Peel (1873), then Castletown and Port Erin (1874), Ramsey (1879) and Foxdale (1884), directly contributed to the expansion of many towns and villages and an exponential growth in tourism, agriculture, fishing, mining and manufacturing on the Island. 

Goods Van G.1 was delivered to the Island in early 1873, before the Isle of Man Railway Company’s first line from Douglas to Peel opened on 1 July of that year. The ‘covered goods wagon’ (only later to be termed a 'van’) was used by contractors in the latter stages of construction of the line and is the only remaining example of its design type. It is the oldest surviving piece of railway rolling stock on the Isle of Man, pre-dating Locomotive No.1 ‘Sutherland’ and all other surviving Isle of Man railway vehicles. 

On these determinations, Goods Van G.1 merits conservation and recognition as an item of significant Manx and British railway heritage. The vehicle was suffering dry rot and much metalwork and timber wastage; therefore intervention to save this historic vehicle was time critical. 

The case for restoring Goods Van G.1: 

• • It preserves on and for the Isle of Man one of the most historic non-locomotive, non-passenger, railway vehicles anywhere in the World.

  • It attracts attention and interest from the international railway heritage community for the Isle of Man Steam Railway; participants in the restoration project; supporters of the restoration project; and custodianship of Manx railway heritage assets. 

  • It enhances the visitor appeal and experience of the railway by allowing Isle of Man Railways to operate historically more authentic Manx train formations (with goods vans and wagons being attached at the front or rear of carriage rakes) whilst meeting current health and safety regulations with regard to the positioning of braked and un-braked rolling stock. 

  • It provides additional mobility space for the conveyance of wheelchairs, pushchairs, bicycles and the like on more of the service trains, as presently only one braked carriage with any meaningful ‘luggage’ space is available for use by the Railway. In the peak season, three service trains are in concurrent operation. 

  • It furthers the education of the public with regard to 19th century design, development and use of covered railway goods wagons, both on the Isle of Man and wider afield, achieved through static display and interpretation in the Railway Museum at Port Erin, demonstration use on special event trains and more practical use on service trains.

Early Livery & Identification

The original livery of the Isle of Man Railway goods vans and other types of wagon was noted contemporarily as being a pale grey on delivery; as repaints took place in later years, each vehicle took on slightly different shade of grey, latterly becoming much darker. The metal fixtures and fittings on the bodywork and chassis were painted black. The arched roof, formed from longitudinal wood planking, was overlaid with heavy linen cloth, its weave filled with white paint which quickly turned to a dark charcoal grey colour in service. No evidence has been found to show the style or existence of stock identification numbers applied on the goods vans and other types of wagon supplied in 1873, although that was customary practice for railway companies at the time.