N.47 (M.N.Ry. 8)

M.N.Ry. No.8 (N.47)

Another of the carriages to have its partitions altered over the years, initially being all Third Class spread across three double compartments, altered in 1881 so that all six compartments were individual, similar to the bogie stock on the Isle of Man Railway.

As with the other members of the series, use had dwindled by the 1930s so that it only saw use on peak occasions such as Tynwald Day, with usage dropping off completely by the following decade and by 1955 it was stored at St. John’s Station.

Two of the dividers were later removed so the ultimate layout became two double compartments at either end and two separate ones in the middle. It survived in storage at Douglas Station away from the others which remained at St. John’s Station.

Succumbing to a controlled fire having been deemed beyond economic repair and surplus to requirements, the remains were fed into the firebox of No.10 G.H. Wood to raise steam one winters’ morning in 1972, the image below captures tha moment.

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M.N.Ry. No.8

I.M.R. N.47

1879

6’ 9”

Swansea

30’ 0”

2’ 3”

24’ 0”

Above: the final scheme applied to the six-wheel carriages was an all-over red/brown still evident on some examples though much faded at the time of their disposal; the fleet numbering had been applied in a straw shade with no drop shadow or lettering as was common in the immediate post-war period; this example was moved into Douglas Station where it was destroyed by controlled fire in 1972, beyond any economic repair and surplus to any traffic requirements for a considerable number of years. The image below is comparable and dates from 1955.