These articles have been taken directly from past issues of our journal and are the clearest way of demonstrating the hands-on involvement that the Supporters' Association had on the railway in the dark days after the 1968 closures.  They are reproduced verbatim and taken from news reports from the various issues as stated:-

FROM STEAM RAILWAY NEWS

ISSUE No. 11 - JUNE 1969

During the past couple of months much valuable work has been done by the Supporters'; since the annoucement of the railway's re-opening most of the coaches to be used this season have been washed down - this has been done by a couple of teams with long-handled scrubbers and mops.  Douglas Station was cleaned and tidied up; Port Erin has had its railings painted and a general clean up.  The railings at Port Erin were painted by some of our young members from Wallasey; they had hoped to repaint the railings at Douglas Station during Whitsun, but the weather didn't co-operate!  On the resumption of services several members over from England have helped; Ballasalla has been manned by volunteers, and one of our new lady members has been helping with the Exhibition of Dolls at Port Erin.  Help has been given to the station staff and train crews at Douglas, while our sales officer has had a busy Whit weekend in the shop at Douglas.  There have been many offers of help during the working season and all help is welcome, as will be any further volunteers [. . .] to all who have helped thanks a lot, but while writing I feel that I should thank the senior citizens from Castletown for their help at that station.  I have met a few of them and we must admire their enthusiasm in offering to run the station for the season.  Once again, at the conclusion of another successful Association weekend, we should say thanks to those whose hard work made it so.  Thank you, Richard, for your excellent organisation, also many thanks to Messrs. Craine, for their excellent slide show.  [Ed. - also during the first weeks of the year, the North-West Area Group visited the island and cleaned some thirty coaches prior to Easter and the working notes recorded that members also slept in these coaches overnight!]

FROM STEAM RAILWAY NEWS

ISSUE No. 12 - SEPTEMBER 1969

. . . help has been given in various ways, there have been members of the Supporters' Association acting as Relief Guards on trains, crossing keepers, station manning, the station shop, and of course helping to keep the coaching stock clean and various jobs of that nature.  Port St. Mary Station has been given a face-lift in that it has been repainted and looks very smart indeed, also the Porters' Room and garages adjoining [Ed. referring to Douglas Station] have been repainted.  Members have also assisted in putting out advertising material in the season in all the boarding houses.  This is, of course, a very important job and must be borne in mind for next season.  Not only here but also with our friends over the water.  One member of our Association spent his holiday working in the Fitters' Shop and Engine Shed.  Thanks also go to the volunteers who helped manning crossing places, stations and collecting tickets on the evening of the "Queen's Special" train.  As the season has drawn to a close volunteers are still required for helping in many important ways.  One of the most important jobs is the painting of carriages and members are asked to contact Bob Howard should they be able to assist with this vital job . . . [Ed. the winter project for the volunteers of the Supporters' Assocation was the repaint of saloon F.35 which was covered in a further edition, to be added to this site in the future].