1st / 3rd Composite F.9
The first of a batch of four delivered from Brown, Marshalls & Co., Ltd., in 1881, this carriage as an unbraked mixed composite in common with others in the batch and was in regular traffic into nationalisation, last used in 1984 and withdrawn being in poor condition.
It was removed from the railway in 1978 to be converted into a tourist office on the promenade at Douglas opposite the Sea Terminal with all internal bulkheads removed to make it into a walk-in space; at this time is was painted in the then-standard red and off-white livery, later being repainted in blue and off-white. It was returned to the railway in 1987 for major rebuilding which was completed in 1991, emerging in the original purple lake scheme.
The carriage has been in regular traffic since this time and currently carries the red and cream post-war livery which was applied in 2000, with two handsomely appointed central first class compartments. Despite being the lowest numbered carriage in the fleet, it has largely been rebuilt, the timber underframe being mostly original.
Fleet No.:
Year:
Builders.:
Length:
Width:
Height:
Capacity:
Status:
F.9
1881
Brown, Marshall
35’ 0”
7’ 0”
9’ 4”
48
In Traffic
F.9 in use as a Promenade Information Office in July 1979 in its first incarnation wearing a non-standard blue and off-white livery.
The then-standard purple lake and off-white livery following rebuild, July 1992, drop shadow is blue as opposed to original scarlet.
During shunting with No.18 Ailsa in the yard at Douglas Station in August 2021 showing the “slab” sides of the earlier bogie stock.
F.9 in use as an Information Office in June 1983 in its second incarnation wearing a variation of the standard red and white.
F.9 outside the workshops at Douglas Station following an external repaint in May 2019 prior to lettering and crests being reapplied.
One of the restored third class interiors showing the standard of workmanship, 2019; two compartments are first class.