No.7 Tynwald

Fleet No.:

Name:

Year:

Wheel Arr.:

Manufacturers:

Works Number:

Last Operated:

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No.7 

Tynwald

1880

2-4-0T

Beyer, Peacock

B.P.2028

September 1947

1,377,403

Manx Parliament

11 x 18

3 9

Built in 1880 concurrently with M.N.Ry. No.3 Thornhill and just one works number apart, this locomotive has the dubious honour of being the first locomotive to have been withdrawn from service, as early as 1947 which accounts for the lack of photographs of her.  


Notably, it was the first to have the sandboxes positioned ahead of the water tanks in their now familiar spot; therefore as a result, the shape of the feedwater pipe was changed from the original end to an “S” shape entering the boiler between the smokebox and first cladding ring, rather than between the first and second cladding rings.  The locomotive was involved in a collision with No.10 G.H. Wood in 1928 and the frames were badly buckled at this time; owing to the large amount of work required to repair this, it was not selected for any further attention when withdrawn in 1947 and dismantled. 


The frames were stored on a siding at Douglas Station for many years, with the tanks and cab being stored separately and scrapped in 1974.  When the railway was nationalised in 1978, the remaining frames were purchased by what is now the now-defunct Isle of Man Railway Society and stored in the open air at Santon, Ballasalla and later Castletown where they remained for several years before being taken off-site and later returning to the goods platform at Port St. Mary Station.   


The remains include the main frame, coal bunker, and rear buffer beam, cylinders and cladding but the have deteriorated over years of open storage.  In store off-site for a number of years, the frames were returned to public display on the goods platform at Castletown Station during November 2009.   Following the repatriation of other assets owned by the group, notably No.8 Fenella, frames were removed from the island in September 2012 and are now in storage at Weetings Farm in Suffolk, placed on uneven ground which will ensure further buckling of the frames in the mid to long term.  A sad end to a piece of history.

c.1900 at Douglas Station with No.9 Douglas showing the variety in liveries and particularly lining out detail on the earlier colour schemes. The much broader lining detail is evident.

July 1978 and the frames are stored on a bogie runner at Douglas Station, all that remains of the locomotive which had recently been purchased by the now-defunct Isle of Man Railway Society.

c.1940 at Peel Road Station; it is possible to discern this as No.7 and the vantage point is an unusual one for photographs, the carriages appear to be in mixed liveries.

July 1933 and No.7 is still in regular traffic on the railway, seen here between duties at Douglas Station; it is relatively rare to see images of her in use, so here you go.

By September 2008 the frames had been dumped with assorted ironwork at Port St. Mary Station on the former loading platform outside the goods shed where deterioration was inevitable.

July 2011 and the then-familiar sight on the loading dock at Castletown Station of No.7's frames and motion, the following September they were removed from the island.

By June 1981 a coat of paint had been applied and the runner carrying the frames moved out of the way to Santon Station where they remained for quite some time.

October 1929 in service at Peel Station; note the burnished handrails typical of that time; the apperance of No.7 altered little during her relatively short service career.

May 1981 and the remaining the frames are now out of the way to Santon Station where they remained for quite some time, with "No.4 Try These" on (No.2's) pony trucks.

A fine study c.1910 again at Peel Station with crew posed; the earlier lining detail is clearl shown and Salter safety valves.  Later one Ross "pop" valve would be added, with another atop the dome.