Isle Of Man Steam Railway

Down at Port St.Mary the cosmetic restoration of IMR No.5 Mona, built for the opening of the Port Erin line in 1874, is in its final stages.... It has to be as she's due to appear with her 'sisters' at Port Erin just 2 weeks tomorrow for the opening event of IMR 150. The painter has now finished the lining out and varnishing so today George and I refitted the coupling and connecting rods along with the front handrail. The long handrails and the injector pipework have still to go on and lots of paint touch-ups to do. Funny how, once it's out in the daylight, you see all the bits you missed! Today we were running to timetable S with 3 locos (IMR 4 & 11 & MNR 4) out and mostly well- filled 6 coach trains. No.13 is back in the workshops for attention to a leaky regulator valve. The Cleminson coach is also in the works for an axlebox check-up after running hot and the bogies for the Foxdale brake (F39) returned from overhaul at the VoR. Both of these are due out on the 26th for an evening photo special.
Ray.

 

If you have a passing interest and 25mins to spare, I’ve recently been pleased to write and present a series of 4 documentaries for Manx Radio on the Steam Railway.
Episode 1 is now available as a podcast by following the link below, 2,3&4 will come along each Tuesday evening and I’ll update the links
https://www.manxradio.com/podcasts/isle-of-man-heritage-railways-a-celebration/episode/railpart1/

 

Want to like that more than once @Mike Buttell

Well Done !

 

Thanks
Part two is on Tuesday 18th at 6pm and available to listen again shortly afterwards, I’ll post up the link

 

Paying my first visit to the IOM for the Transport Festival, does anyone know if there is a loco roster for over the event, and if locos such as Sutherland, Mona etc will be at the Steam Extravaganza at Douglas on the final night?
Many thanks

 

Sutherland won’t be there, it’s being left in the museum at port erin but all being well Loch, Mona, Peveril, Fenella, Maitland , Kissack, Caledonia and the diesel Viking will be on display. The frames and tanks of No9 Douglas may be there too.
On the opening day Caledonia and Fenella are out on tour to Knockaloe and Peel, that evening in Port Erin it’s hoped to have Loch, Mona, Peveril and Fenella outside in the station
The four locos in steam over the week will be Loch, Maitland, Kissack and Caledonia

 

Thank you Mike, much appreciated!

 

Hope you have a good visit. Say hello if you see me, our volunteers are attending most of the events to assist

 

Thank you, I shall! We actually met last year at Welshpool. In fact, it was you telling me about the event that persuaded me to visit!

 

episode 2 of the Isle of Man Railway radio series
This week a nostalgic look at the Douglas to Peel line
https://www.manxradio.com/podcasts/isle-of-man-heritage-railways-a-celebration/episode/steam02/

 

In preparation for the start of our 8 day festival loco No.6 Peveril has been moved out of Port Erin Museum and has joined No.5 Mona in Port Erin carriage shed for a fitness to run exam before they appear with sisters 4 & 8 at Port Erin station on Sunday evening.

On a less happy note:
https://gef.im/news/politics/capita...diW0cyynnO4DCWpfi3bhRyrLyXFdSOe49tEONnFCzHp14

As mentioned in an earlier post there is currently a review looking into the future of the Island's Heritage Railways with a public consultation document (poorly constructed IMO) here : https://consult.gov.im/infrastructu...lN5nAvlGtYo3Idik1nATGNXgM_SXQfIhFy4KPSuuDI2jQ It only takes a short time to complete the on-line document so please make your views felt.
Ray.

 

I catch my flight tomorrow to spend a week on the Island I very much looking forward to it

 

Hope you have a great time. On Sunday loco MNR4 Caledonia returns to the former ww1 internment camp at Knockaloe as a static exhibit for the first time in over 100 years. I first put forward this idea in 2015 but circumstances have not allowed it up until now. Really looking forward to seeing this happen

 

A few changes and additions to the event
https://www.iombusandrail.im/media/2837/year-of-the-railways-2023-extra-information.pdf

And the timetable for the Isle of Man Steam Railway on Sunday 30th July
https://www.iombusandrail.im/media/2838/imr-30th-july.jpg

 

Hopefully on Monday I see it I'm going on the disused lines bus tour

 

.... say "hello" as I'll be driving the engine at the Orchid Line later in your tour. Let's hope the weather is kind to us.
Cheers,
Ray.

 

The wife and I will be on the ferry on Monday for a week on the island.
(Was counting this as our summer holiday, but summer seems to have deserted us )

 

At least there be no lineside fires this week...

 

As part of our Year of Railways celebration MNR No.15 has returned to the site of the extensive WW1 Internment Camp at Knockaloe. The steeply graded line, built in 1915 to serve the camp, branched off the Douglas - Peel near Glenfaba mill and was always worked with Caledonia at the downhill end of the train. When the camp closed in 1920 the line was taken up and little evidence of it remains today. 'Caley' will be on display alongside the main drive until Monday afternoon.
Monday's Closed Lines Bus Tour will visit the loco and the nearby Knockaloe visitors' centre.
Ray.

 

HISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS SpiTT
with particular reference to the capital projects piece - in my opinion, Surely track renewals and rolling stock rebuilds are actually maintenance, as apposed to a new station, a new branch line or a replica / new build vehicle ...

I wish that politicians would let the heritage railways management actually manage their systems in peace ...

e2a - found this as well

DoI ‘Needs Overhaul’ – Gef – Isle of Man