Isle of Wight Steam Railway Carriage and Wagon updates

Yes we could take them if offered, no idea about the LT museums requirements.

 

Quite a few still have original luggage racks, and they all have ship lap cladding on the outside. Several had the ship lap patched up a few years ago after one of the winter storms.

 

A better idea what they look like http://www.roxeymouldings.co.uk/category/22/4mm-scale-metropolitan-railway/ http://www.roxeymouldings.co.uk/product/103/4c120-metropolitan-railway-8-compartment-third/ Yes they will be best on new underframes as this will tell their history better as well as the supply of underframes for coaches like this will be hard to find. Good luck with it all.

 

Wow ! they do look good. Obviously we are interested in them but the final decision is not ours.

 

I remember quite some years ago now when they were clad. All the original doors were replaced at the same time as i recall. I always kind of hoped the doors had been saved, or given to the Iowsr as many still had the original door furniture.

 

At least One carriage if you look forms part of the cafe now

 

I think two carriages were used in the building of Bay Watch.

 

They’re probably not all saveable. Would be good if the IOWSR could get at least a couple running one day though, with spare parts from any no hopers.

Definitely a worthy project for any new series of the Great Rail Restoration!

 

Did these coaches ever run on the Isle of Wight as coaches or were the bodies just brought to the island after being scrapped ? Would a rigid 8 wheel chassis be able to be used on the IWSR today ?

 

Yes all were purchased second hand and used by the IWR.

 

As long as your SMS and new vehicle approvals allow it I can see no particular reason why not.

 

There was some sideways movement for the wheelsets built into the design, and I suspect that the Met/Circle had some rather tight corners - certainly seems to be the case today!

Steve B

 

They certainly ran, though photos aren't very common.

This is W23 at Shanklin, ca. 1925, showing that you could just about run the 8 wheeled Metropolitan stock with an Adams O2, provided you undid the MacCleod modifications to the latter (hint hint... ) I don't think the carriages lasted much longer in traffic.

Incidentally, the photo hasn't scanned very clearly, but the original shows the train is made of six carriages, plus what looks like one or two unidentified vans at the rear with a different roof line. Photo from Allen & McCleod, "Rails in the Isle of Wight".



Tom

 

Calbourne ran with the small bunker for quite a while in the 1990s...

I think (Gary might be able to correct me) that none of the Island Mets were brake coaches, so at least one of the vans would be a passenger brake van.

 

I have just checked with my copy of the Maycock and Reed and it confirms that none of the Met 8-wheelers were brakes. Two Golden Valley coaches and various others were used as passenger brake vans. If we are successful in acquiring any of the surviving Mets we might have to recreate one of the Golden Valley brakes.

 

The Golden Valley coaches were extensively rebuilt when converted into brakes weren't they? I've not seen a photo of them after rebuild (I think there's one in Maycock & Reed of them in original condition at Bembridge)

 

Incidentally Mike Reed still occasionally volunteers with us despite being in his late 80s, they have also written a similar volume that covers isle of Wight goods vehicles. Having read a draft copy I do hope that it gets published.

 

Certainly in my photo the leading van (seventh vehicle in the train) appears to have (centrally mounted??) side duckets, which would suggest a brake vehicle, but beyond that it isn't very distinct.

Tom

 

As someone who models the Island Railways, such a book would be really useful, I too hope it gets published!

 

Perhaps they might also be of interest to Quainton or Epping - Ongar? Not that I can comment for either organisation, mind...

Sent from my SM-A320FL using Tapatalk