Purchased for the opening of the Manx Northern Railway on 23rd September 1879 from the Swansea Carriage & Wagon Co., as one of a series of fourteen operating exclusively on the North Line in its earliest years.  Joined in 1887 by the Foxdale Coach and in 1899 by two Hurst-Nelson bogie carriages.

As with the similar No.5, the end compartments are a narrow 4’ 9” wide, and the carriage differed from the remainder of the series, being braked and arranged as Guard / 3rd 3rd / 3rd 3rd / 3rd, there being full-height partitions for a pair of compartments and between Guard and Third Class.

Whereas the similar No.5 was reconfigured a number of times over the years, this example remained as supplied.  As with other six-wheelers, its use dwindled following the amalgamation of 1905, the Railway Company preferring its own bogie stock; the last recorded use in passenger traffic came in 1940.

It was then stored in the carriage shed at Ramsey Station.  This was leased out in 1955 and the six-wheelers were moved to St. John’s Station where Harry Cubbon’s Wing was laid beside the carriage shed there to accommodate them.  Having Unusually this example was kept under cover unlike others.

This carriage was selected for preservation, bought in 1975 by Supporters’ Association member Julian Edwards, residing in a purpose-built shed in the north of the island while a long-term restoration was undertaken.  For the next four decades progress was made and by 2021 it was largely complete.

It returned to the railway for trails and fitting of through-piping for vacuum brakes and by the end of 2022 it had successfully travelled the entire length of the south line, possibly for the first time ever in its career, and took up residence in the Railway Museum in the summer of 2023.

Venturing out occasionally for special events when, for a premium, members of the public may travel in it.  The standard of restoration is exemplary and can be viewed at close quarters in the museum, as can the original rather sparse third class interiors retaining their original horsehair seats.

It is occasionally removed from exhibition during festival periods to offer the rare opportunity to travel in it, or for photographic charters.  The fleet lettering applied to it is based on existing original panels salvaged from a number of other carriages of the series in gold leaf with blue detail.