Isle Of Man Steam Railway

The thing which struck me was we're looking at a fully functioning dedicated steam loco boiler shop, in full flow in 2022!

Interesting ..... I thought it was Mannin's firebox which was terminally clapped out.

 

I won’t believe it till I see it back running tbh.
There is a IOM government review into the Heritage Railways looming, and whilst personally I don’t believe that they have much to fear, it’s always worrying when politicians start taking an interest. Especially in the present economic climate

 

On a brighter note, some pictures from earlier today 27/11/22
Once again MNR 4 Caledonia is in charge of the service. This is the last weekend of this experiment, the Christmas Trains start next week

 

Ballastrang is the last remaining manual level crossing. As the N timetable operated with one train running and bare minimum staff this crossing is operated by the train crew outward and return
Thanks to Geoff Wilson for all the pics from today

 

AFAIK it was and a new one is being made.
Ray.

 

Indeed, stories of the final runs of 16 due to the state it was in are legendary

 

Couldn't tell in the clip if I was looking at an entirely new barrel, or the front section. TBH, can't see a 100% new barrel being a whole lot more expensive than attempting repairs on a 96 year old boiler which hasn't been steamed in (what is it now?) 58 years.

Must say, even Dunrobin's boiler barrel is cute!

 

There was a barrel clearly labelled as "Caledonia" in the clip as well - is 15 getting a new kettle too?

John

 

Wrong Caledonia. It's the ex Dinorwic one.

 

S'pose we ought to be thankful Welsh quarry owners and LNER directors evidently owned (or backed?) different gee-gees. Could you image the confusion perusing loco names?

 

Sorry to wander off topic again, but I find the history of slipping fascinating.

I think it's unlikely that any slipping operations involved the signalman changing the points between the train and the slipped carriage(s) to send them on different routes in the same way as fly shunting. Apart from the obvious danger, not all slips were successful and if one wasn't made because of say adverse weather or equipment failure, then the slip guard would signal the train driver to stop the entire train so the slip coach could be detached manually. There wouldn't be any way to notify that change of plan to the signalman in time to re-route the train into the platform if that happened.

However the answer to your question as asked is 'no', because not all slips were made with the intention of the slipped carriage(s) coming to rest on a platform line. CEJ Fryer's book gives a couple of examples of such slips. In the first, an GWR Up train from Windsor to the city via Bishop's Road, Paddington would slip a coach at Westbourne Bridge which, after coming to a halt, would be drawn into the main terminus by another engine. In the other, for a few years a GNR Peterborough to Ely service would slip a portion for Norwich at Ely North Junction rather than the coaches being detached at Ely station itself in the normal manner.

Back to the IOM...

 

I think they're in too deep to stop now - I think most of the bits for the boiler are either made or on order.

 

One might have said the same thing about the railcars .........
Ray.

 

Why? Have they been painted bright cabbage green?

 

Quite

 

A Commuter Club service ran this morning 2/12/22 fairly well patronised and in the charge of No11 Maitland. The return service is at 17:45 hrs. Festive trains run through December and until January 4th

 

Gets light quick round those parts! Particularly loving "the shot in the dark" there Mike. That's quite made my morning.

 

Happy to have been of service. A couple more. I’m not sure if these trains will run next year, the 2023 timetables are yet to appear and the catering business changes hands in the New Year. It’s been superb, a very hard act to follow. But here’s hoping

 

There was steam of a different kind at Port Erin station today in the form of the IoM Gov's preserved steamroller, built by John Fowlers in 1921, and crewed by members of the IMR workshop staff. This was in connection with a Christmas 'do' complete with music and dancing on the platform. However, with the fairground organ playing loudly close to the roller there were mutterings of "lighting up wood...." Having had our steam 'fix' for the day George and I returned to Port St. Mary goods shed to continue our labours on No.5. We are hoping to return the boiler to the frames before the Christmas shut-down.
Ray.

 

The secret is out....... ! Revealed in the new issue of the IoMSRSA journal something which has been going on 'behind the scenes' for some time - Isle of Man Railways have re-acquired the pair of ex Manx Northern bogie carriages F37 & F38 from the Rampton Trust. These magnificent vehicles were built by Hurst Nelson in 1899 as the MNR's through carriages and originally numbered MNR 15 & 16, the former being a brake compo. Both were withdrawn by the 'old' IMR Co. in 1972 and 1969 respectively and stored in the old carriage shed at St.Johns until Peter Rampton purchased them in 1975. They became part of "Collection X" along with 'small F' F6, 'pairs' F68 and Cleminsons N40 & N51.
F37 is currently in store in the UK awaiting a professional restoration and F38 is in store 'on Island'.
Ray.