F.28 is the second of two identical bogie luggage vans purchased in 1897 and dubbed Empress Vans owing to it being the jubilee year of Queen Victoria; similar in dimensions to the half-luggage carriages F.19 and F.20 but with no passenger accommodation, it was used in connection with the Luggage In Advance service on the south line for the heavy boat trains.  Latterly the carriage was used as an ambulance train during road closures on the T.T. Course which was close-by to much of the north line route.  It survived the closures and was also later used to accommodate campers, fitted out with bunk beds (as was sister F.27 at the same time) and painted into all-over maroon/burgundy.

Spending its latter years in the yard at Douglas Station in open storage, it was last repainted into the purple lake colour scheme it retains today in 1991 (being through-piped for vacuum at this time) and this is when it was used in service to transport bicycles during Cycle Week  that year on the island, the last usage was in 1993.  Today is is stored in the rear of the carriage shed at Douglas Station in a poor state of repair but unlikely to be restored as it would not be of any use to the railway as a luggage carrying vehicle in this day and age.  It is used as a portable store and is used to carry several small carriage components, notably including some of the vacuum equipment for the diesel railcars.

Empress Van F.27 (i)

Empress Van F.27 (ii)