"F" The Large "F"s

The Large “F” Series : Bogie Carriages

Manufactured by the Metropolitan Carriage & Wagon Co., Ltd., of Saltley in Birmingham, these carriages provide the backbone of the core fleet to this day; the first two delivered were F.33 and F.34 in 1905 around the same time as the saloons, these being the first of the large luggage vans, the anomaly in the sequential numbering of the saloons being explained by their arrival. They were followed in 1907 by three similar vehicles F.40-F.42 in 1908.

A further two, F.43-F.44, were delivered the following year. In 1913 two brake composites followed, F.45-F.46 with a batch of two all thirds F.47-F.48 ten years later. The final member of the series was another luggage van F.49 which arrived in 1926 which remains in regular traffic today together with all bar one of the surviving members, F.43 which is withdrawn and in storage at Port Erin Station.