Well Wagon No.1
The railway’s original well wagon was of four-wheel construction and latterly carried the erroneous legend W.W.2 on its solebar and was painted in red oxide giving rise to the rumour that another vehicle had preceded it. It was in fact constructed for transporting the tractor in connection with the gravel pit at St. John's and survived in occasional use until the railway events of 1998's Steam 125 after which it was withdrawn and later scrapped, the wheelsets and some parts being used to form the basis of the second well wagon in 2006. Reference in James Boyd’s works to a second one being constructed with “with bogies” appear to have compounded this myth over time.
Details:
February 2023
The Replacement, Castletown Station
August 2019
The Replacement, Douglas Station
November 2013
The Replacement, Ballasalla Station