FROM MANX STEAM RAILWAY NEWS

ISSUE No. 111 - SPRING 1995

Early on Tuesday the 6th December 1994, I.M.R. No. 15 Caledonia was loaded onto the trailer inreadiness to be taken to the Bungalow on Snaefell; hauled by Stephen Carter's new machine, a Foden 100-ton ballast tractor, the engine travelled via the promenades, up Broadway, St. Ninian's, Glencrutchery Road, Govern'rs Bridge, Signpost Corder and the mountain road.  The total weight of the tractor, trailer and loco amounted to 52 tons!  No. 15 was railed just below the sheep grid onto the dual gauge track, which by this time had been laid from the Bungalow right up to the summit.  The loco was hauled off the trailer ramp, over the grid and up to the Fell Rail by Snaefell Mounain Railway car No. 3.  The ammeters in Laxey Sub-Station would have been worth seeing!

After filling the boiler and tanks, a fire was lit and steam raised.  Caledonia steams quite readily and so by mid-afternoon after being hauled further up the line by S.M.R. 3 and run downhill to test the hydraulic fell brake, she was ready for action.  Driven by Paul Ogden and fired by Brian Hayes she set off steadily up the hill, occasionally losing her feet on the grade due to the cold damp rails, but proving to be the master of the job.  In fading light the ascent was abandoned at the tying off pole and the loco returned to the Bungalow.  The sight of her coming back down in the December gloom, with pyrotechnics from the fell brake on the oxidised fell rail was well worth freezing for.

Wednesday the 7th dawned bright clear and cold.  Arriving at the Bungalow around 9.15am I found Caledonia (which had spent the night guarded by Securicor) with around 80lb. already on the clock and cleaning in progress.  She was soon ready to go, and with the Railway Press wanting to see her on the summit, driver Ogden set off for a longer trial this time with Colin Goldsmith firing.  Brian Hayes apparantly suffers from vertigo!  She reached the summit with ease, but with the Fell Rail finishing just short of the summit it was decided to send S.M.R. No. 3 wrong road to couple to Cale's uphill end, and assist with the descent as far back as the fell.

The press pack arrived from Laxey Station in S.M.R. No. 6 and after various pleasantries set off upwards from the Bungalow in No. 6 running parallel with the Cale.  I had walked up to the North Shoulder to listen and watch her in action on the 1 in 12.  Then with the adrenalin coursing through us, your fearless chairman Bill Cubbon and I wheezed to the summit on foot!  What a sight, it was like Crewe!  Cale, S.M.R. No. 2 on hire to builders working at the summit, No. 3, No. 6 and the C.A.A. Wickham.  Notice that the press car was full, I asked permission to ride in Cale's downhill chaperone, S.M.R. No. 3, duly granted it was an experience.  Luch was served by I.o.M. Railways in a caravan at the Bungalow, vegetable soup (by M.E.R. chef George Lawson) and rolls, surrounded by a snow storm and lightning.

After lunch, the inspector of railways, Mr. Jow Taylor wanted to preview the working practices proposed on the hill.  Climbing aboard No. 3, were were propelled by Cale, for some distance uphill.  The weight and rolling resistance of the tram (all motors turning, etc.) was a little difficult to start, given that her cylinder drains also discharge onto the rails, but once she was in her stride there was no problem.  Satisfied with this part, Mr. Taylor went onto the locomotive for the descent to witness the braking.  As the conclusion it seems the hydraulic Fell Brake will become a backup located behind the front buffer beam.  A mechanical hand wheel-operated version is currently being manufactured as I write and this will be fitted below the bunker.

Caledonia spent another freezing night  at the Bungalow, being returned to Douglas by road on Thursday the 8th December.  On Saturday the 10th Cale was on duty banking the Santa Trains as far as Port Soderick; driver Ogden kindly agreed to a passenger on the loco and we set off with the late running 2.00pm, wich consisted of No. 10 G.H. Wood and five big Fs.  In drizzle and heavy mist No. 15 kept the couplings tight all the way up, with just a hint of slip in the Nunnery Cutting.  She requires a different firing technique, none of the Beyers' "fill 'em up at Douglas and leave it".  The grate is so shallow that No. 15 requires little-and-often firing.  The original Dübs injectors, so long the cause of adverse comments, are little use.  She now has one off a Beyer on the right hand tank, this gives no trouble at all.

The locomotive is smooth-riding, appearing to display none of the bad habits that were attributed to her in the past; it also seems that she will be quite fast enough to maintain today's service speeds.

Richard Booth