At 2.00pm on the afternoon of Monday 16th March 2009 a very special train departed Douglas Station hauled by No. 13 Kissack with carriages F.26, F.10 and brake F.49; the latter carriage carried the coffin of the late Tony Beard, secretary and long-standing member of the Supporters' Association.  The train was organised with the grateful assistance of the railway management and travelled as far as Santon Station where, after a brief stop, it returned to the terminus.  It is a testament to the high regard in in which Tony was held by the railway fraternity, with a great number of people travelling, prior to the funeral service the following day.  To our knowledge this was a "first" for the railway, and a fitting tribute to the man who did so much to ensure the railway's existance for future generations.

Pallbearers for the sad occasion were provided by members of the Supporters' Association committee and Groudle Glen Railway volunteers and the locomotive was immaculately turned out by driver James Maddrell and fireman Jack Dibnah, and fitted with a wreath of flowers and carried a polished oil lamp for the event; it seemed strangely suitable that No. 13 headed the train, its mournful sounding deeper whistle was somehow apt for the occasion.  Upon the arrival of the train back in the capital, its passengers retired to the nearby Railway Hotel where a buffet had kindly been provided and arranged by Tony's wife Lynda.

Thanks must go first and foremost to her for allowing such an event to take place and arranging matters at this difficult time, as well as the management and staff of the railway who were more than happy to co-operate and make sure the event passed without fault, as well as to all those who attended to pay their last respects in this unique way and the members of the Supporters' Association who were in attendance.  The funeral service took place at Douglas Borough Crematorium the following day.