When the decision was made to return the ex-Manx Northern Railway locomotive Caledonia to Douglas Station, removing her from the museum at Port Erin for a feasibility study in 1993, it was a given that she would need major attention before returning to steam.  Having last steamed (somewhat unsuccessfully!) in 1968 coincidentally on a Supporters' Association special train, there was much work to be done if she was to re-enter traffic as the centrepiece of the planned International Railway Festival to take place in 1995 for the centenary of the Snaefell Mountain Railway.

Historical precedence abound, that the powerful locomotive had been hired by the builders of the mountain line back in 1895 and the plan was to return her to steam - and altitude - within an 18 month period.  Having carefully rubbed down the tank-mounted toolbox to reveal what was believed to be her original livery the railway staff began studying the original works photographs to return her to the original ornate livery she received when built.

It was known when she was still in the railway museum that her water tanks had seen better days, indeed these had been leaking back in 1968 (!) so the Supporters' Association provided the funds for her new tanks to be purchased, complete with dummy rivet heads (colloquially known by the staff as "chocolate buttons") to finish the job off.  As many will know, she re-entered service in March 1995 with some spectacular test runs on the 1 in 12 grades of the mountain line, and was officially re-inaugurated at the start of the season, hauling a special train to Port Erin on the big day (ably assisted at the rear by No. 10 G.H. Wood from Kewaigue Bridge onwards) and remains in limited service today.

Inside the cab, between the two rear spectacle plates the locomotive bears a diamond-shaped plaque akin to the works plate carried on the bunker from her manufacturers, denoting the Supporters' Association and their involvement with her return to service.  Today the locomotive remains as part of the service fleet, though she only tends to appear as part of enthusiasts’ based events or on special trains.  It has become practice at such events to use her to haul a “Manx Northern Train” together with F.39 and van Gr.12, both being originally used on the northern and Foxdale lines.