Isle Of Man Steam Railway

Waggon 57/R2 was at Dinas on the 11th of Feb I believe 56 is still knocking around somewhere as well.

 

I'm well aware of the current programme but didn't think that it went as far back as 2014 - mind you time flies when you're enjoying yourself.
Cheers,
Ray.

 

I stand corrected. 56 was usually at Boston Lodge on some inappropriate wobbly bogies typically with a load of junk dumped on it. It was in a pretty poor state last time I saw it. I thought it had gone in the bin to be honest. Used to hate moving it as it always looked like it was going to fall over and the coupling heights were all wrong.

 

It was pure coincidence that I saw it to be honest, I was surprised too

 

Great to see this beauty in Port Erin for the first time this year. Ex MNR No4 Caledonia on a special working for a couple of coach groups visiting early season.
Thanks to Heather Easton for the pic

 

Very nice ... @Mike Buttell

I'm now day-dreaming about future trains !

 

Hopefully dreaming in purple lake and off white

 

Yup ! That can be done, it is "only" paint, after all ...

Any idea what the interior was like ? the only description I have is one paragraph long and somewhat vague. [I can make a few good guesses]

 

The two first class compartments would have had photo panels
I might have something, will have a look

 

I’ll pm you, don’t want to trample over anyone’s copyright

 

Thank you !

 

Been quiet for a while, but a quick update. The Railway itself has been busy, particularly over Easter, although no events other than shed tours were organised this year (probably due to the major events planned for July)
The tours were poorly supported unfortunately.
Several coach groups have got the tour party season off to a great start, it looks like being a bumper year for coach and cruise parties.
The dining train has restarted with new caterers in charge, I’ve yet to try it out under the new regime, they have a hard act to follow, but a couple of Pie and Mash runs are now under their belt and a few other Easter based services and lunches have been run.
Maitland and Caledonia have worked the most of the trains to date, with Loch in reserve and Kissack still under repair.

 

As Mike says above, sadly, the workshop tours were poorly supported but those who did attend were able to have an unhurried visit and take plenty of photos. The photos taken by our newest, and youngest, HRV member can be seen at https://www.facebook.com/hrviom In the workshops No.13 Kissack was having a bottom end overhaul, mainly bushes/bearings and tyre turning with the second pair of drivers still in our ancient belt driven wheel lathe. Several carriages have been/are being worked on with Small F's F26 just repainted and ready to go out and F10 in undercoat after a full body overhaul. Saloon F31 from the Dining set has had body framing and panelling replaced and will be turned out in purple lake/off white livery as built. F39 the Foxdale brake awaits lining out and the return of its rebuilt bogies from the VoR. Loco No.9 is in the steam shed and is being cosmetically restored by retired driver Jeffrey Kelly as an IoMSRSA project (see Latest News https://www.iomsrsa.org/home ) Once the inside of the frames are finish painted and the motion replaced the boiler and cab can go back on. Fortunately the trains have been very busy over Easter as one may have read, in the local press or elsewhere, that our Gov't have ordered a review into the future of the Heritage Railways and their cost/benefit to the Island's economy. The photo below shows the packed 11.50 departure from Douglas on Saturday which had to be strengthened to 5 carriages.
Ray.

 

The terms of reference of that review into the Heritage Railways could be worth investigating.

I don't know if I should be worried or not ?

When I was at the HRA Spring Conference, one of the speakers was Liz Saville-Roberts, who had some interesting and supportive comments on the considerable value to the local economy of the seven [?] heritage railways in her constituency [Gywnedd, North Wales].
From personal knowledge I can say that I have seen how at least three areas have benefited ...

 

Terms of reference, make of it what you will.
https://www.gov.im/media/1379202/20...way to the Island’s economy was also examined

 

I see a typical local government move taking place here, they link one department to the railways and then spell out that it might be overstaffed, then they look at the railway and see if they can sell it off or in current terminology outsource it.

I don't live on the IOM but if I was a betting man I would suggest that someone needs to look into setting up an IOMR Trust and a CIC operating Company very soon, I don't just don't know enough about how the railway works but I guess you might find the need to use more volunteers that you have in the past.

I might also be barking up the wrong tree but could this spell the end for the green cabbage?

 

thanks, I'll have a read ...

 

Probably just me being cynical, but I wonder if this is all "new broom" flailing about to see how to make an impression.
[ or maybe change at any cost just to prove that we're different from what went on before ; definitely cynical there ]

 

Can't imagine there are any heritage railways that have not reviewed their operations since 2018. To say the landscape has changed would be understatement. So it's not really a surprise that the Isle of Man government are doing it too.

 

Of course, there is also the need to show proper governance and so on.