Isle Of Man Steam Railway

Duplicate post.

 

Well, OK... why not at the front, though?

 

Chimney numerals were fitted to the original 'built up' and capped Beyer chimneys - No.4 currently carries one. When new boilers were supplied these came with plain cast iron chimneys. Some, but not all, of these were later fitted with numerals such as carried by No.5 today. Some, like No.12, had numerals on the tanks above he nameplates.
Ray.

 

..... except for Caledonia, which is so completely unlike anything else on the IMR that it's dead easy to spot and therefore carries both it's numbers ..... of course!

 

Not now it doesn’t

 

As seen here at Port St.Mary last month. Caley's identity crisis was cured some time ago.
Ray.

 

Additional to Ray’s reply, both No 11 and No 12 were given chimney numbers during the 1980’s after rebuilds. To be honest the double numbers on the shorter chimneys just looked daft, so at subsequent rebuilds they were taken off. Number 12 had numbers on both side tanks (which disappeared when the numbers were put on the chimney and reappeared when the chimney numbers came off) Number 5 was given chimney numbers and a side tank number, on one side only for some bizarre reason

 

We used to tell people that Caledonia was No4 and the number on the chimney was it’s speed limit

 

Missed that .... how long ago did the '15' go? I always thought that if someone decided to fund a Sharpie, it'd have to be Northern to save confusion ..... but now I'm leaning towards two numbers 1 to go with the two numbers 4.

The Cavan & Leitrim managed with two locos numbered 3, plus two numbered 4 .... and that only due to 'native' Nos. 5 and 6 having succumbed before transfers, post-1939, of ex-T&D locos

 

Over 10 years ago at least

 

That explains it. The least 10 years went in two ... and that'd have been shorter, but for the lockdowns.

 

You've all done very well explaining what happened, but not why.
Oh well. I'm almost sorry I asked!

 

The chimney numerals on the short chimneys on 11 and 12 were fitted on the whim of the Railways Chief Exec at the time, the one on 5 at the whim of the Railways manager at the time. Happy with that

 

So you are saying that normal policy is to have the locos completely unidentifiable, except by the name, except when running bunker first?

 

Personally I always identify them by the rivet patterns on the side tanks.
There is no normal policy
They were all supplied new with chimney numerals, until the 30’s approx those were the only numerals then they started adding numbers on the rear of the bunkers. The chimneys on 5, 10, 11, 12 and 13 (13 for a short time only, it now sports a tall chimney with a number) were subsequently replaced with numberless short cast chimneys over the years but kept the rear numbers. No 14 has a copper cap chimney but no number. No15 (MNR4) briefly carried its IMR number on the side tanks, then on the chimney and bunker, it now has only its MNR number on the side tanks. For all (hopefully) further, refer to the info already given

 

All the currently operating fleet are painted different colours which helps.......
Ray.

 

Should No 14 have a cabside number bearing in mind it is Copper Capped?

 

Greeba Castle?