Collection X

I was surprised to see these pictures uploaded to a local nostalgia site by the son of a former manager of the IMR railways. It seems the trust may have sent these images of F37 and F38 to the then manager of the IMR after they had purchased the coaches (and several others) from the IMR. So it seems that whilst it is night on impossible for the average enthusiast to gain access or information on the collections that there maybe some attempt by the trust (at least in early days) to keep the railways they have purchased stock from informed.

 

According to Wikipedia: -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isle_of_Man_Railway_rolling_stock

"These two vehicles were built for the Manx Northern Railway by Hurst Nelson in 1899 and numbered F.37 and F.38 upon the takeover of the MNR by the IMR in 1905. They were the first passenger vehicles on steel underframes to enter service on a Manx railway. Externally they are not terribly different from the other "Big Fs" and they and the Foxdale coach were allocated numbers in the "F" class upon take-over. Remaining stock inherited from the Manx Northern Railway was either given the "N" prefix, or, in the case of non-passenger stock, a small "r" was added to the title, as explained below. Both of these carriages were purchased off-island by a private collector in 1975 and remain out of the public gaze to this day."

There is no mention of any other Manx carriages in "Collection X", unless he purchased the remains of the Cleminson "N" carriages that were destroyed by fire in 1975?

 

If I remember correctly there are six IofM carriages in Peter Rampton's collection - the two pictured, one or two Cleminson and a few others. Think I've seen a shot of an IofM carriage in use behind Lilian - but it might be something different and my memory playing tricks!

 

Actually to correct you houghtonga, he has f37 & 38, f6, two of the cleminsons and also a pairs coach, which is as charobin says makes six. There are more reliable sources than Wikipedia and the views show three separate coaches. What Wikipedia didn't tell you is that f37 & 38 were the first railway coaches in the British isles to have electric lighting....

 

Thanks Allan,

Gareth

 

There is an interesting planning application currently awaiting approval by Waverley Borough Council...

 

Cryptic

 

Don't ask, that's what he wants...

 

Just looked at it and I don't see why people are getting so excited. Beside the locos and rolling stock which I will let others discuss, I would love to know more about the archives he has been able to collect, hopefully there is a lot about Bagnall's in there.

Like I have said before, just let him get on with it, as I am sure that when he is good and ready we will all find out what is in the collection.

 

Thanks for the heads up. I've found two interesting applications on the Council's website. One (awaiting decision) for a Certificate of Lawfulness under Section 191 for the operation of a railway track. The other (recently withdrawn for some reason) for a Certificate of Lawfulness under Section 191 for use of site for workshops.

These planning applications, in the public domain, include a statement from Peter Rampton saying that activities in the workshops and track include the restoration and testing of locomotives and coaches owned by the Vale of Rheidol Railway for display in a new museum at Aberystwyth. I wish him well in all of these ventures.

 

Very good news if granted, hopefully the collection will start to emerge, blinking, into the light of day! The need for a test track suggests that they won't just be cosmetically restored, either.

 

And Government confirmation (albeit with no details) that the Aberystwyth museum is one of 10 Welsh tourism projects which will benefit from EU funding.
http://www.carmarthenshiretourism.c...curing-major-funding-boost-for-welsh-tourism/

 

My understanding was that a certificate of lawfulness was granted when something had already been built but hadn't got permission before hand so there is no "new"development.

 

Yes, the applications say both the workshop and test track have been in use since the early 70s.

 

So in other words - not really very exciting or news then!
I think there is once again some confusion over the collection, which is now (has been for a while) in two halves:
1. the locos now owned by the VoR company (see Wikipedia for the list) which will presumably be restored static at Aber for the Aber museum (some may run, like Margaret).
2. the more mysterious part of the collection, privately owned, still in Surrey. The application appears to be just tidying up the planning status of something they've had for forty years. If so, the workshop has either done lost of restoration work very quietly and hidden the results somewhere, or hasn't done much. I would tens to assume the latter....

 

A few years ago there was an advert placed by Peter Rampton for a mechanical engineer/fitter based at Surrey to repair the collection it was in Old Glory Magazine as I recall, I am sure it mentioned something about ploughing engines as well. It may well be that the lucky person now lives in North Wales and works on the V of R.

 

The planning applications include supporting statements from Mr Rampton and his employees who say they have been working on the collection for many years. A rare public statement about these collections. Maybe not exciting news, but interesting nevertheless.

 

I would be delighted but astonished if any of the locos or coaches in the collection are restored. Why hide them if they were?

 

Because it is a personal and private collection.

I have several pieces of railway related memorabilia screwed to my downstairs bog wall. I have not have any intention of releasing details to the public at large. That is my choice, the same applies to collection X although I assume he does not keep his in the downstairs bog.