Third Class Saloon F.30

Second of the 1905 saloons,  delivered from the Metropolitan Carriage & Wagon Co., Ltd., of Saltley Works in Birmingham in 1905, this saloon was laid out as two separate third class vestibules and remained in this format until 1972 complete with its tramway style flip-over seating; at this time it had these replaced with uncomforable raked fixed seating, bus-style windows and an all-over red livery.  It ran like this for many years, the maroon and cream scheme being applied in 1981 at the same time as F.29.  Provisional plans were to include it as part of The Bar Set with F.32, F.32 and F.35 but these plans never reached fruition and it remained unaltered.  The purple lake livery was applied in 1992 but owing to the bus windows being retained this made for a rather unusual external appearance compared with other rolling stock.  The last saloon to retain the bus windows, it was withdrawn in 1999 and stored for some time before a refit was undertaken, seeing it revert to the post-war livery.  It became part of the dining train in 2012 and dining seating and corridor connections were fitted at both ends; commonly it is at the rear of the train next to Empress Van F.27 (ii).

Fleet No.:

Year:

Builders.:

Length:

Width:

Height:

Status:

F.30

1905

Metropolitan

36' 11"

7' 0"

10' 3"

In Traffic

Above: proof positive that some colour schemes simply do not work, the last incarnation of F.30 from 1992 saw it the last saloon to retain the bus-style windows, but recieve the purple lake livery which was standard at the time; it survived in service like this until 1999 when withdrawn; it was later rebuilt to its original external appearance but with dining seating, forming the rearmost portion of the train, next to Empress Van F.27 (ii) at the northern end of the rake.

(Photo: I.o.M.S.R.S.A.)

Port Erin Station

June 1989

Major Refit

November 2010

Ellenbrook (Inside Track Special)

April 1996

Major Refit

March 2011

Castletown Station

July 1988

Major Refit

March 2011

Douglas Station

April 1950

Douglas Station

May 1993