FROM MANX STEAM RAILWAY NEWS

ISSUE No. 141 - WINTER / SPRING 2006

Locomotives

At the time of going to press, No. 4 “Loch” is in the paint shop receiving a coat of Indian red paint; she has not steamed since the boiler returned to the Island last year. A new steam pipe “T” piece has been fabricated by the Steam Packet Company in their workshops but still needs to be fitted before steam tests can take place. No. 8 “Fenella” has recently passed its annual cold boiler exam with no problems and is available for traffic this summer, the steam test is expected to take place sometime in March.

No.10 “G.H.Wood” of 1905 has had one complete new piston fitted and new rings fitted to both pistons, the valves have also been checked and a loose crosshead slipper has been white metalled and refitted. Sister loco No. 11 “Maitland” has been used frequently throughout the winter owing to a motive power shortage in Douglas and was also used on the Santa trains; this was owing to No. 13 “Kissack” failing with a regulator problem.

This is the last year for No. 11’s boiler ticket and a heavy overhaul will probably be carried out on this popular workhorse. No. 12 “Hutchinson” of 1908 is currently with No. 4 in the paint shop (see photo) undergoing a repaint and will hopefully be ready for the start of the season. No.13 “Kissack” has had its boiler removed from the frames for remedial work and is not expected to be out of traffic for long. Minor work is also being carried out on the frames whilst the boiler is removed.

No. 15 “Caledonia” has passed her annual boiler survey successfully. She had a very quiet 2005 only venturing to Port Erin once on a special as mentioned elsewhere on the 2^nd November. She also played her customary role in the Thomas & Friends weekend in September and at the Santa trains in December. No. 17 “Viking” has been used as permanent way locomotive on the south side of the Crogga relay. No. 18 “Ailsa” has seen use shunting around the yard at Douglas but has been limited to the yard limits until staff have been trained to drive the locomotive by Hunslet.

This was necessary due to the complex nature and 30t weight of the locomotive and different braking methods used to control it on decent of the banks at Douglas and Ballasalla; training was expected to take place sometime in February. CCTV cameras have been fitted to the locomotive to try and overcome the difference in width between the Hunslet and the I.M.R loading gauge with some success. Sanding gear has yet to be refitted to the locomotive as it was robbed of its sanding gear whilst in store. The yellow Simplex has spent all winter working on the M.E.R for the contractors and the railway, and has provided great amusement for the M.E.R staff starting it by hand each day! The blue Simplex has had a new head gasket fitted and is in use by the railway wherever it is needed. The Wickham has been south-based in Castletown goods shed and has been in use with the permanent way and has proved very reliable.

Stations & Buildings

Port Erin station is having a new roof fitted to the ladies toilet and new internal fittings; there is also a chance the external part of the station will be painted. This will make it look considerably better and hopefully protect this most attractive building from further decay. It has to be said this is the last building on the railway, which has not been mutilated beyond all recognition and needs to be entered in the protected buildings register.

Although it is understood that finding money in the ludicrous way the Manx Government operates is hard work. Hopefully money can be found to keep Castletown station smart and give Douglas station some much needed tender loving care. The former stores area in Douglas steam workshops has been gutted and converted into a machine shop with the hope of a mezzanine floor some time in the future. The area occupied by the stores office has had new mess facilities built for the workshop staff. This area will be out of bounds for workshop visits but will allow the removal of the more modern machines from the workshop area. This will mean that the older machines in the workshop can be seen and will allow their eventual re- belting back to the line shafting for demonstration purposes. That will allow staff to safely carry on using the modern machines uninterrupted if a workshop visit is planned.

Permanent Way

The Crogga relay has been continued right through to the south end of Port Soderick Station, and has eradicated the roughest part of the permanent way. Work still needs to be done on the points at Port Soderick and at Rifle Range, but these may have to wait until next winter. Work has also been done to realign the crib bridge at Ballalona and this should improve the riding at this point. The result means that the I.M.R. has its best permanent way since before the Second World War, and with routine maintenance should be a great burden off the railways’ shoulders for many years to come.

Other News

Caledonia and Fs 26, 46 and 49 were on a special train on the 3rd November to start the “Shoe Box” appeal in which local schools fill shoeboxes full of items for underprivileged children in countries such as Romania. As this was mainly a goods train, there was no need for a timetable between stations as passengers were not carried. “Caledonia” was perfectly suited to the task and was dressed as Thomas for the local school children waiting at the stations with their shoeboxes. F49 also came into its’ own for carrying the shoeboxes; Elsewhere, F.65 (the ballast hopper) is currently on the M.E.R. on the section between Garwick Glen and Ballabeg, in use by R.M.S. Locotec who are the contractors for the extensive relays that are in progress.

Santa Trains

The usual three-coach format of F’s 29, 35 and 31 for the Santa trains was run over the weekend of 3^rd and 4^th of December was as popular as usual. Locomotives 13 and 15 were in service with No. 11 as a standby engine, which soon had to deputise for No. 13 as it had regulator problems on the Saturday and had to be failed.

A hole appeared between the tracks at Castletown Station on 9^th December and was discovered by a member of staff and was due to a crack in the main “I.R.I.S.” ductile iron pipe. The pump stations at Castletown and Port Erin had to be shut down as a result but repair works were carried out the same day and owing to the railway being closed there was no need to immediately replace the pointwork, this being carried out the following week. This event proves that minor repairs can be made to the pipe/track in a short period of time but the fracture occurred in a very accessible section of line, out of season. It remains to be seen whether such repairs can be made in the more rural sections of the line, and in peak season, without disrupting the service on the railway. The Supporters’ Association were given an assurance before work commenced on the I.R.I.S. scheme that all repairs could be made overnight with no disruption to the services.

Miscellaneous

Not quite railway news, the Station Hotel in Port Erin, opposite the station, has recently been reopened after extensive refurbishment by Isle of Man Breweries; the building now looks very smart and will compliment the station building once work has been completed on the latter. The traditional pub sign to the rear of the hotel now features and Isle of Man Railway Company Crest.

Again not railway news its connection to the railways makes it worth noting that the Thornycroft bus is back on the road after a long period in store at Port St. Mary and latterly Homefield garage, this bus is quiet a rare survivor. It has had a new radiator core fitted, this being its weakness before it went into store as it was prone to overheating. A partial repaint from the Kildare Bus Company livery is underway; this being a legacy of the last film it used was in, “The Brylcreem Boys”.

Meanwhile, the Manx Electric Railway remains closed owing to the demolition of Summerland which is now all but complete; it is not known whether the railway will re-open at Easter as at present the overhead lines are absent and the trackbed still barricaded as part of the demolition process. There is currently no rail access to the workshops at Derby Castle but an extensive amount of the permanent way is being replaced, most notably north of Dhoon Glen and the roadside section beyond Garwick Glen.

2006 Timetable

This season’s timetable was published on 13^th February - the delay in its release (apparently it had been ready since November!) was due waiting approval from the Sea Terminal offices of the department). The timetable follows the same pattern as last year with trains departing both Douglas and Port Erin at 10.15am, 12.15pm, 2.15pm & 4.15pm with the usual 57-minute journey time. The season commences on 3^rd April and continues daily until 5^th November, the late conclusion of the season being an ideal opportunity to operate special late trains for Halloween…