Purchased for the opening of the Manx Northern Railway on 23rd September 1879 from the Swansea Carriage & Wagon Co., this was a composite carriage arranged as 3rd/1st/1st/3rd, the original order for Second Class being amended to third class prior to delivery.

Interestingly, research carried out by the late Douglas Robinson revealed the remnants of the word “second” on the compartment door of N.42 so perhaps lettering had already been applied prior to this change?  See the images below showing the lettering.

There were forty-eight seats including twenty-eight First Class, and within a year of delivery brake gear fitted at the works costing £18 each, includmmodious First Class areas and two trifling Third”  A ducket and small lookout window were added one end.

The interior arrangement was described by historian James I.C. Boyd as “curious”, with “...two commodious First Class areas and two trifling Third” Owing to the small area provided for the guard it was said that luggage was scarcely encouraged therein!

As with other six-wheeler, by the 1930s use was nominal and by the next decade it was stored in the carriage shed at Ramsey Station until 1955 when this was leased out and it was relocated to  St. John’s Station residing on Harry Cubbon’s Wing.  

Whereas the others remained in open storage this example was moved into the carriage shed at some point; such was the benefit of this that it was deemed sound enough to be restored, albeit cosmetically, for entry into the new Railway Museum in 1976.

Having spent many years in the museum it was removed to allow refurbishment of the hall in 1998 and was not to return.  The carriage left the island in September 2012, it is now in open storage at Weetings Farm in Suffolk as part of a collection.

Some remedial work has been carried out, although one of the main solebars is broken which, without replacement, precludes the carriage from seeing further use. Talks have taken place for The Association to repatriate this carriage.