Metropolitan Railway Rigid-8 wheeled coaches - Isle of Wight

Hello,

Is there any interest, from any group, in securing any of the Metropolitan Railway rigid-8 wheeler coach bodies which are supposed to survive on the Isle of Wight? The Railway Heritage Register database has a photo of one located at Gurnard, in a derelict condition, and also some in use as beach huts at St. Helens (which may be rigid-8's). At least one should be saved for preservation, I feel, as rigid-8's form a link between 4-6 wheel coaches and bogie coaches, and would make an unusual sight running on a heritage line............

Chris

 

The IOWSR would like to acquire 2 of the St Helens beach huts when and if they become available, we do keep a watching brief on all of the grounded bodies on the Island. It is beyond our needs and capabilities to acquire everything that becomes available. Indeed not all are in a condition that is worth saving other than as a pattern for a new build. There are a small number that we will acquire as and when the time comes.

We are not too sure if a rigid 8 wheel coach would be acceptable as a running vehicle, that is still to be fully investigated. I fully agree that they would be an interesting sight on a heritage railway.

 

Dare I suggest that this ought to be a project for one of the Museums - NRM or LT Museum. I know it's unfashionable to think in terms of filling technical gaps but fashions may change and opportunities may not be around by then!

 

Thus speaks the man who, with his team, actually does get on and do the work. What a refreshing contrast to "wouldn't it be nice"! If only this were more general.

PH

 

Well I was speaking as someone who gets on and does things as well! I believe that if we see opportunities to plug historical gaps (I don't think there is a rigid 8-wheeler on a chassis anywhere) then we should at least try to preserve the opportunity to rectify that at some point in the future. It doesn't necessarily mean that we should restoring them immediately though. Do you advocate stopping work on all new restorations of vintage coaches (because we don't necessarily need them) and focusing all our efforts on ensuring that the pool of mk 1s that form the backbone of our heritage railway's fleets don't deteriorate any further? We'd very quickly have a very sterile series of railways if we all took that attitude.

For my own part, I put my efforts into reducing the line of stored pre nationalisation coaches awaiting restoration at the NYMR, and that railway has gone from having just one operable LNER Coach in the mid 90s to being on the brink of having nine now, with grant funding generated for the next two after that - so with that track record we are not afraid of taking on extra vehicles if they fit our collection, but we are careful

 

Glad to hear it but you are still making suggestions that will involve others in work. These need to be thought about very carefully.

PH

 

I think it would be lovely to see a Met 8-wheeler at Quainton, since the Brill branch train was for many years formed of one such vehicle.

I know Quainton probably doesn't have the money or manpower to achieve this in the foreseeable future, but hey, comment is free