During 2009 extensive interior work was carried out in the Douglas Workshops on saloon coach F.29 of 1905 with some re-panelling and interior redecoration.  It had been the intention of the railway to replace the seat covers, installed during the 1989 refit, with modern looking bus moquette as this was still held in stock and required using up.  It will be recalled that during the David Howard (1999-2005) administration much of the coaching stock was fitted with the then-corporate seating which featured a bright blue background, with bright green island logo and yellow Legs of Mann motif.  Whilst this suited the modern fleet of buses, it did nothing for the vintage rolling stock on the railway and its application to the majority of frontline service stock was condemned by the Supporters' Association and the travelling public alike as not what should be expected when travelling on such an historic railway.

Much of the modern 'bus moquette remains in place today in the serviceable stock although it is ultimately the intention to replace it, starting with rebuilt saloons F.30 and F.32 which returned to traffic in September 2011 as part of the railway's involvement in the closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Youth Games when every piece of rolling stock was in use.  Although the intended new coverings were not of the previous modern type, it was still a more modern looking pattern than would befit a 1905-vintage coach, and so the Supporters’ Association decided, upon invitation of the management, to intervene and provide the moquette themselves.  At a cost of £750 and being provided by local upholsterer David Glover of Port St. Mary, the newly covered seats arrived on the railway in October 2009, ready for fitting and the coach returned to traffic briefly for the Santa Trains, re-entering the fleet "proper" in 2010.  We are hopeful that it will prove to be robust and hardwearing enough over the course of the ensuing season.  It should also be noted that although the moquette (pictured above) will not carry through the rest of the fleet, a more pleasing and historically suitable version will continue to be installed as and when coachs enter the workshops.

If successful we hope to provide moquette for any future coaches that are so treated, and eventually replace the bus type coverings mentioned above.  This, in a small way, will ensure that all travellers are given more of a “stepping back in time” flavour of the railway.  The new moquette is a predominantly blue design with maroon and cream patterning and is featured in a colour photograph above to give visitors a better idea of the final look.