FROM MANX STEAM RAILWAY NEWS

ISSUE No. 110 - WINTER 1994

Following on from last years' successful Supporters' Association special train to Castletown, it was decided to hire another train for th 27th August this year.  The difference being that for the first time in many years it was decided not to hold the Annual General Meeting in the Manx Automobile Club, but on the train prior to departure.  The other main difference was that due to a prior family commitment there would be no "Tone" (Mr. Beard) could we cope . . . !

First things first, however.  As earlier on in the day Dave, James, Grant and myself had put the finishing touches (save for lining out) to No. 6 Peveril's cosmetic restoration, so as to enable the loco to go on display at the front of our train later that day.  As an aside, this project has certainly turned out to be a lot more "projected" that it should have been.

I arrived at Douglas Railway Station at 6.00pm and what a pleasant sight it was to see No. 6 at the head of a train again after a gap of some 34 years!  Sporting a new headboard made bty Alan Frodsham of St. Helens (who incidentally also made the new wooden boards for behind the nameplates) Peveril certainly looked the part.  However, a new boiler and a few ancillary  bits will be required before she goe anywhere . . .

Next the A.G.M. took place, its surprising how quickly these meeting can be completed when there's a lack of the "frothy stuff", in this case it took not much more than 45 minutes.  Shortly after this No. 6 was removed from the head of the train by the railcars and replaced by No. 11 Maitland.

At 7.30pm it was all aboard as we departed for Castletown.  For effect I how clipped the passengers tickets, unaware that a dastardly deed had been hatched to detain me in the toilet.  However, due to a case of mistaken identity the perpetrator of this deem accidentally detained someone else in the toilet.

It was intended that we make a photostop at Santon Station, but on arrival it was raining rather hard and the light was poor.  In any case, there seemed to be a marked preference to "click" cans rather than cameras, so it was onwards to Castletown.  On arrival the passengers dispersed to their various destinations.  I myself joined a group of "Booths" for a tour of some of the old capital's hostelries, arriving back at 11.00pm (ish!), in time for the return departure to Douglas.  Spirits by this time were rather high, which no doubt led to the impromptu formation of the Supporters' Association folk singing club!  A fair number of Manx folk songs were sung (?), though one suspects that had the Lady Isabella been able to hear the rendition of the song about her, she would have shuddered to a griding stop!

So we arrived back at Douglas Station and made our way home, the story over, well, almost!  It was just left to me to explain to a rather bemused police officer, that the headboard in Dave Booth's possession was his, his rather lubricated explanation apparantly not convincing the officer!

Robert Taylor