|
After many years in store in Port Erin engine shed, together with sister No. 8 Fenella, during the summer of 1993 No. Douglas was dragged outside the railway museum for public display each day. Coupled to the royal saloon F.36 the two provided an item of interest to waiting passengers and passers by. No. 9 had previously been repainted by then station master Mike Buttell into a non-prototypical brown livery with orange-black-orange lining in the 1980s and prior to her display as part of the Year Of Railways had again been painted into the same shade of green used on the station building, this time with red-black-red lining in places.
Although not a professional paintjob and the lining was never properly completed, the locomotive made a fine sight in the station yard that summer and the following. Having lain in the locomotive shed for a number of years, the brass work on No. 9 was in a disgraceful state and, whilst on summer holidays, the younger members of the Supporters' Association spent their days smartening the locomotive and cleaning the brass work.
On some days, parts of cut-up tyre were placed in the engine's smokebox to give the effect that she was in steam, although this had an unfortunate effect on the smokebox doors, which, it was quickly discovered, was made of plywood! Since this time No. 9 (which is owned by the Isle of Man Railways & Tramways Preservation Society) has been moved to Douglas Station where she remains in store in the workshops in an appalling condition, her future uncertain . . . Our thanks g to Jon Wornham of www.island-images.com for allowing the reproduction of his photographs of the locomotive in 1993 to be reproduced here.
|
.
