Isle of Wight Steam Railway 1960s Weekend.

Other noticeable differences between the Ivatt 2 tanks and the 84xxx is that the latter had an external regulator rod on the LHS of the boiler and a prominent steam manifold on top of the firebox in front of the cab. On the Ivatts the regulator rod was inside the boiler and the manifold was also on top of the firbox but inside the cab. Additionally all the 84xxx had LMS type push - pull apparatus (visible alongside the smokebox) but only some of the Ivatts were so fitted. As early as March 1960 3 84xxx were earmarked for the IoW but only 1 actually made it to Eastleigh for modification before the plan was put on hold. Later, in 1965, the idea must have been revived as another batch of 84xxx, mainly from Bolton and Stockport, were selected for conversion to replace the O2's. They were recorded as transferred to Eastleigh and then returned to their home sheds for withdrawal a month later. As such I suspect these were only 'paper' transfers. According to the RCTS volume the required modifications for IoW service were:
Fitting a new chimney 6 1/2" shorter
Reducing the height of the dome casing by 2 1/16"
Lowering the cab roof by 1 "
Removing the cab side windscreens.
Ray.

 

My understanding of the abortive 84xxx scheme has always been the lack of any suitable stock for transfer kyboshed it. The kit on the IoW was distinctly tired by the end of steam operations.

 

I understand that the plan was to fit the 84xxx with Westinghouse brakes to work with the existing stock. I'm told that the drawings were used for the addition of Westinghouse brake equipment onto the IWSR Ivatts.

 

Never having heard of any replacement stock being identified, the existing stock would have been the only alternative ..... and it was all to pre-grouping designs. The habit of 'tin plating' panelled stock might've made it look marginally less antiquated (at a quick glance), but it was all 40 or more years old by the mid sixties had all endured years of being exposed to the vagaries of Ryde Pier at high tide (ask any IWSR C&W types what that translates as!) Another point, which I've not seen mentioned, is that the 1966 closures meant the end of the island's C&W facility at Newport.

 

This a point in the story of the 84xxx being transferred I've never put much thought into. If you have to replace stock that old, why would you bother fitting airbrakes? And what stock would/ could have replaced the non corridor stock? It would have to be high capacity to maintain the service previously given so Southern non-corridor stock, MK1 suburbans seem to fit the bill unless I'm way off.

 

Due to the restricted loading gauge, the last mentioned I'm afraid. To give some context, even the batch of O2s built with higher cabs were out of gauge. Curvature also severely limited the length of stock permitted. Basically, nothing built to post-grouping designs was any use, never mind BR MK1s.

Pre-grouping, several ex-LBSC and LSW 4w designs needed to have lookout duckets removed ..... after the first such unscheduled surgery, this was done intentionally and fairly rapidly!

This is why I'm so fond of the IWCR (compared with which, the IWR was positively prosperous). There are photos of IWC trains from the 1900s, still including truly ancient 'stagecoach' four wheelers (bought 2nd hand, ex-LNW or LSW - records are sketchy - during the 1870s!).

Welcome to the weird and wonderful world of IoW railways. Be warned, they remain dangerously addictive to this day.

 

Well, I'm certainly addicted.

 

As well as the 1960s steam trains, there were some 1960s cars and 1960s music. I videoed one of the groups, The Hillmans from Ventnor, but I wasn't sure whether it would be in this forum because it doesn't feature any trains. So I put it in the General Chat Forum:

https://national-preservation.com/threads/1960s-music-at-the-iowsr-1960s-weekend.1420291/

TTFN,

Ron.

 

Here's the next instalment, and it does feature the railway:



TTFN,

Ron.

 

The next instalment of my Isle of Wight Steam Railway visit is a short video shot leaving Wootton and arriving back in Haven Street:



TTFN,

Ron.

 

The final video from the Saturday of the Isle of Wight Steam Railway 1960s Weekend is now on YouTube:



The video from the Sunday will be published in due course...

TTFN,

Ron.

 

And here it is - the video from the Sunday:



And, until I go there again, that's yer lot from the Isle of Wight!

TTFN,

Ron.