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.   

Original Specifications

The original specifications for a covered goods wagon, shown on a drawing submitted by the Metropolitan Carriage & Wagon Co., Ltd., to the Isle of Man Railway Company for approval in 1872, states that it would be a "Covered Goods Wagon capable of being used as Third Class Carriage", but the order was amended for the supply of four ‘goods-only’ vehicles. The proposed small side windows, wheel operated brake gear, bench seats and side steps were omitted.

The early covered goods wagons (more generally referred to as ‘goods vans’) supplied to the Isle of Man Railway were built to carry a load of up to six tons with a tare (un-laden weight) in the region of three tons. The first nine goods vans were all of similar design, 14' 6" in length, 6' 6" in width, 8’ 11” in height and with a wheelbase of 8' 0". The vehicles had rudimentary hand brakes with a side operating lever pressing an oak block against a single wheel.  Suspension on the first four goods vans was by way of rubber blocks mounted above the axleboxes, a somewhat basic (cheap) design which was also used with the original 4-wheeled passenger carriages delivered to the railway in 1873. The rubber block suspension was found to be entirely unsatisfactory and was quickly replaced with coil spring suspension. This ‘improved’ design fared little better and was itself replaced by proper leaf spring suspension from 1876 onwards. Vans and wagons supplied to the railway after 1876 had leaf spring suspension fitted from new.

Use Of Goods Vans On The Isle Of Man Railway

Covered goods wagons (goods vans) were purchased for the conveyance of perishable and spoilable items on the railway which were unsuited for transport in open-top wagons. The Railway Company records indicate a wide range of products carried, including fish, meat and dairy products, grain, royal mail and parcels, drinks and, in some instances, even prize livestock as owners refused carriage by (at the time) open-top cattle wagons. 

There were nineteen goods vans in total used on the Isle of Man Railway, falling into three main types: 

• The first nine vans (G.1-G.9) were to a smaller design and built between 1873-1899. 

• Five additional vans (Gr.10-Gr.14) were inherited from the Manx Northern Railway on amalgamation of the two companies in 1905, built to a slightly larger design and with slatted top vents on the sides. 

• The final five vans (G.15-G.19) were noticeably larger, built by the Railway Company itself between 1915 and 1921, using redundant chassis from the original 1873 four-wheeled carriages. 

One example of each type remains extant on the Isle of Man Railway:- 

* G.1, the oldest van, an original type, but in very poor unstable condition; 

* Gr.12, a Manx Northern Railway type, fully restored to running order in 1999; 

* G.19, the youngest van, of the later type, on display in the Railway Museum, Port Erin, but in poor condition. 

G.1 remained in regular use for the carriage of freight on the steam railway up until the short-lived Mantainor scheme in 1968, operated under Lord Ailsa’s tenure of the steam railway.   Fortunately, having been kept in relatively good condition throughout its working life, G.1 was earmarked to be retained by the Railway Company, whilst virtually all of the other surviving non-passenger rolling stock was disposed of in what later become known as the ‘Ballasalla Bonfire’ of 1974. G.1 was to see use as a permanent way department mobile store and mess room until 1989, when it was deemed unsafe to use out on the line. Having been stored in the open for long periods when used by the permanent way department, the condition of the timber deteriorated considerably in more recent times after several years in the siding at Ballasalla Station.