This article's factual accuracy may be compromised due to out-of-date information. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(June 2017)
The locomotives of the Isle of Man Railway were provided exclusively by Beyer, Peacock & Company of Manchester, England between 1873 and 1926; other locomotives that appear on this list were inherited as part of the take-over of the Manx Northern Railway and Foxdale Railway in 1905, when the railway also purchased two more locomotives from Beyer, Peacock. All the steam locomotives have or had the 2-4-0T wheel arrangement, apart from No. 15 Caledonia (built by Dübs & Co. of Glasgow) which is an 0-6-0T.
No.1 Sutherland during the Steam 125 celebrations at Laxey Station in 1998 marking the anniversary of the Peel Line; it operated passenger services between here and Fairy Cottage using two winter trailers on various occasions that summer.
Isle of Man Railway No.1 Sutherland arrived on the Island on 27 March 1873 and was used as a special to convey the Duke of Sutherland, a director of the railway company to Peel on 1 May 1873. No.1 Sutherland also hauled the first official train to Peel on 1 July 1873.[1] The locomotive is named after the Duke. It remained in service until 1964, albeit latterly as Douglas shunter. When the Marquess of Ailsa took over the railway in 1967, it was painted spring green and placed on static display at St John's. It was later transferred to Douglas when the railway closed at the end of the 1968 season. When the Isle of Man Railway Museum opened in 1975 it was moved there for display, but returned to Douglas in October 1997 for feasibility studies to examine a possible return to service for the Steam 125 celebrations the following year. Using the privately owned boiler from No. 8 Fenella it was the star turn in 1998, and travelled to the Manx Electric Railway on occasion steaming from Laxey to Fairy Cottage. It even made a brief return to Peel Station to commemorate the opening of the Peel line. It was later repainted, Indian red and withdrawn when the boiler was removed and replaced into the frames of No.8. No.1 was stored undercover at Douglas station until late 2018 when work on cosmetically restoring it for display commenced. The completed locomotive was returned to the railway museum in 2020, where it took the place of No.16 Mannin. To mark the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the locomotive hauling the first official train a replica Douglas & Peel United banner was supplied and fitted to the locomotive by the Isle of Man Steam Railway Supporters' Association who also provided professional interpretive signage.
Sister locomotive No.3 Pender in the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester
Second of the original batch of locomotives delivered to the railway, No. 2 was named after the Earl of Derby who owned the Isle of Man before it was sold to the British monarch, and is often seen in early photographs without it back cab sheet (No. 1 also appears in this form on a famous photograph of opening day). No. 2 Set the precedent for Steam On The Electric being used in construction by the Isle of Man Tramways & Electric Power Co. (there are two photographs illustrating this). No. 2 is the railway's only locomotive to have been scrapped, with just a pony truck surviving today; it is difficult to surmise if this was originally No. 2's as so many parts were interchanged on the locomotives. It was withdrawn in 1951 and dismantled at the time for use as spare parts for the other smaller-class locomotives. The frames were stored for many years before being scrapped in 1980 by "Pat the Rat" (a local scrapman) at the behest of the then manager Bill Jackson. The surviving pony truck was kept at the end of Birkenhead Siding at Port Erin with No. 4 Try These chalked on it. Later relocated to Douglas yard, this pony truck was re-built with new roller bearing axleboxes and entered regular service under another locomotive in 2020.
No. 3 Pender sectioned for display at the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester, the other side of the locomotive remains largely untouched.
The last of the original three was originally going to be named Viking, but the name was changed to honour the name of company director Sir John Pender, and it would not be until over a century later in 1993 that an Isle Of Man Railway locomotive would carry the name. The last purchase of 1873 from Beyer, Peacock, it was little modified over the years when compared with it classmates, and was withdrawn from service in the 1950s. In 1925, Pender was involved in an accident at Douglas station which resulted in the death of the fireman. The train failed to stop as it arrived at the station, crashing through the buffers and coming to rest embedded in the platform. The fireman was thrown from the footplate and suffered fatal injuries. Pender was re-boilered in 1888 and 1913. The third and current boiler was made in 1923 for No. 2 "Derby" and was fitted in 1951 after that locomotive was broken up. The side rods are from No. 4. Loch (they are stamped 1416). Pender was cannibalised for spare parts to keep the other locomotives in service. Many non-ferrous fittings are missing. Pender left the island in 1977 and now resides as a sectionalised exhibition display at the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester, a short distance from where it was built. Pender was sectioned at the museum: the boiler and firebox were life-expired and the right-hand cylinder was cracked. The right hand tank was removed and is in storage at the museum; many cab fittings were missing before arrival there. Pender was re-painted after sectioning in a BR Brunswick green approximation of Isle of Man Livery.
No.4 Loch at Castletown Station beside the water tower in 2012 with the Nationwide Express
Named after lieutenant governor Henry Brougham Loch and seen as a "favourite" engine on the railway, as originally built "Loch" was a small-boilered locomotive, but was rebuilt as a medium-boilered model in 1909, which gave it the same tractive effort as Nos. 10 and 11. No. 4 has the unusual distinction of having reentered service on the day the line closed. Having been earmarked for reboilering in 1967, by the 1968 season it was ready for service and steam tests were carried out accordingly. Conditions changed however, and at the end of September 1968 the Peel and Ramsey lines permanently shut down. The Port Erin line was retained and No. 4 was used there as the south based engine for many years, until it withdrawal from service after the railway's 1995 Christmas services. It was the only locomotive to carry a non functioning "bell-mouth" dome until the Salter safety valves were reinstated in 2021, and a non-standard livery of maroon was carried from 1979 to withdrawal. It currently wears the familiar Indian red, and until the 2021 overhaul was distinguished from it shed-mates by carrying a Legs Of Mann and "4" numeral on it buffer beam. It was used heavily in the marketing campaign for the 1993 Year Of Railways when it was the locomotive chosen to haul special services on the Manx Electric Railway. Following withdraw in 1995 the Un-Loch Your Cash appeal by the Isle of Man Steam Railway Supporters' Association in 1998–2000 funded a replacement boiler. Reboilered for the fifth time in its career in 2002, Loch returned as a regular fleet member once more. On 20 May 2008, it collided with a van and badly damaged its buffer beam, destroying the timber portion. The boiler certificate expired on 31 August 2015, and following that day's services the locomotive with withdrawn from traffic. The overhaul began in 2017. This involved major rebuilding all of the engine's moving parts; replacing the most worn out components, new side tanks, cab floor, coal bunker and all pipework. The boiler was overhauled by the Severn Valley Railway, replacing about half of it with new parts, including the entire inner firebox. It was given Salter safety valves, which had not been seen in service on the railway for over 60 years. In early 2021, No. 4 had several test runs and was returned to service when the season commenced in late May.
No. 5 Mona in storage prior to cosmetic restoration in the carriage shed at Douglas Station in 2007, still carrying the spring green livery applied in 1967 albeit very faded.
Arriving with No.4 in 1874 in readiness for the opening of the Port Erin line, the name "Mona" is named from the Latin name for the Isle of Man. It was rebuilt as a medium-boilered locomotive in 1911. Last reboilered in 1946, No. 5 was a regular on the Peel line later in its career and remained in service right until the 1970 season, when it was incapable of steaming and was subsequently mothballed. After storage it was privately purchased from the newly nationalised railway in 1978 but remained on site, being stored in the carriage shed at Douglas until it was demolished to make way for new bus garage and offices in 1999. Until 2020 it was placed in the back of the new carriage shed (having been relocated there in 1999 shortly after the original 1893 shed was demolished to make way for a new bus depot and administrative centre), and by then No. 5 was in very poor condition, still wearing its faded 1967 spring green livery. It is unknown if it will ever return to service, but it is unlikely to happen in the near future. It was one of two locomotives to carry a brass fleet numeral on the left-hand tank only (the other being No. 12). During 2020, No. 5 was dismantled to remove asbestos from it, and in January 2022 an appeal was launched by the Isle of Man Steam Railway Supporters' Association to cosmetically restore the locomotive in time for the 150th anniversary celebrations of the Peel Line in 2023; this was completed and the locomotive unveiled at the event.
A one-off purchase in 1875 from Beyer, Peacock & Co. (works number 1524) and of similar design to Nos. 4 and 5, Peveril (named after a character in Sir Walter Scott's novel Peveril Of The Peak) saw extensive use on Peel Line for many years. It was rebuilt as a medium-boiled locomotive in 1907, and last reboilered in 1932. It was withdrawn from service in August 1960 and stored out of use thereafter, having been station shunter at Douglas for a number of years. In 1967, it was selected as one of the static display locomotives during the Marquess of Ailsa years at St. John's station, and was relocated to Douglas Station for display purposes after closure of the Peel and Ramsey lines in 1968. Stored for several years together with No. 5 Mona in the original 1893 Douglas carriage shed, it was removed and cosmetically restored by members of the Isle of Man Steam Railway Supporters' Association in 1994 and is now resident in the railway museum at Port Erin, carrying the Indian red livery of the post-war years. While sometimes considered for restoration by the railway it is still on static display, but enthusiasts remain hopeful that it may return to service. In 2020, the locomotive was temporarily removed from the Museum before returning in June 2021. During this period it was partially dismantled to enable asbestos removal. No. 6 was returned to the museum during 2022 and given a new coat of paint, again in the Indian Red livery.
The remaining frames and bunker of No.7 Tynwald displayed on the former goods dock at Castletown Station in 1989
Built in 1880 (Beyer, Peacock works number 2038) and named after the Manx Parliament, this locomotive was the railway's first locomotive to have been withdrawn from service as early as 1947, which accounts for its lack of photographs. No. 7 was the first of the fleet to have sandboxes placed just ahead of the water tanks. As a result, the feedwater pipe was changed from the original C-shaped end to an "S" shape entering the boiler between the smokebox and first cladding ring, rather than between the first and second cladding rings. The locomotive was involved in a collision with No. 10 G.H. Wood in 1928 and the frames were badly damaged at this time; owing to the large amount of work required to repair it, No. 7 was not selected for any further attention when withdrawn in 1947 and was dismantled. The stripped down frames were stored on a siding at Douglas Station for many years, with the tanks and cab being stored separately and scrapped in 1974. Upon nationalisation, the remaining frames were purchased by what is now the Isle of Man Railway & Tramway Preservation Society and stored in the open air at Santon, later Castletown. Very little remains of them other than the main frame, coal bunker, and buffer beams, but they were kept over the course of three decades as an integral part of the railway's history. Stored off-site for many years, the frames were returned to public display on the goods platform at Castletown Station during November 2009. The frames have since been sent off Island and are now in storage in Weeting, Suffolk.[2]https://www.flickr.com/photos/45726467@N02/53542847762/in/datetaken/
No. 8 Fenella at Castletown Station in July 2008 showing her diminutive size compared with her shedmates and wearing a Manx National Week headboard
Built in 1894 and named after a character in a novel by Sir Walter Scott, this locomotive was for many years based on the railway's Ramsey Line of and remained in service until the Marquess of Ailsa's revival in 1967. It carries a unique 2 ft 11 in, 160 psi boiler, which gives it the same theoretical power output as the medium boiler locomotives, but in reality it was inclined to run short of steam on heavy trains. It was purchased by a preservationist group in 1978 with the goal of complete restoration, and in 1988 the boiler was lifted from the frames and sent to the Severn Valley Railway's workshops for re-construction. This was a long-term project and as relationships between the owners and management soured, the project did not reach fruition. However the owners offered the boiler (now complete) to donor locomotive No. 1 Sutherland so that it could return to service for the Steam 125 celebrations in 1998. After three years on No. 1 the boiler was placed into No. 8, which operated as a member of the active fleet until early summer 2008. Being the sole example of the smaller engines (No. 4 has been rebuilt to a medium configuration) it was often to be seen on lighter trains, specials and acting as station pilot. It operated in May 2010 on non-passenger duties as part of the annual Rush Hour event, and after much consideration the locomotive returned to railway ownership in April 2012 for use on the Rush Hour event. No. 8 made a return to the site of Peel Station for display to commemorate the Peel line's 140th anniversary on 1 July 2013, being placed on a short length of display track next to the station's former water tower. Following the close of the shortened 2020 season, the boiler certificate expired and the locomotive was withdrawn. In May 2022, the locomotive travelled off-island to attend the Beyer Bash at the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway.
No.9 Douglas in storage at Douglas Station in the running shed in 2006 prior to decontamination of asbestos and cosmetic work commencing
A further increase in traffic led the railway company to order another locomotive in 1896, with No. 9 being the last locomotive from Gorton Foundry that year (Beyer, Peacock works number 3815). Reboilered only twice and most recently in 1912, Douglas is one of the most original fleet members, having been little altered since delivery. The only major modifications were the fitting of vacuum brake equipment for train braking combined with a steam brake on the loco (the most obvious detail of this is the exhaust pipe from the cab front to the smokebox on the right hand side of the boiler). This also included conversion from wood to iron brake blocks. Along with No. 14, the loco was only ever fitted with Salter safety valves and never received a more modern boiler. Withdrawn in 1953 after being reduced to light duties, it was stored and cosmetically restored for the 1969 season but was ultimately sold in 1978, though it has never left the railway. It was partially repainted in the 1980s into a non-standard brown livery (one which is thought to have been carried by some locomotives based on early colour photos) with black and orange lining. It was later fully painted, again in a non-standard black and red livery (the colour previously being used on the station building at Port Erin), which is still retained today. Its smokebox door went missing at some point and was given a wooden replacement. In 2020 No. 9 was dismantled, had asbestos removed and the boiler, tanks and cab all sand blasted and coated in red primer. The boiler is currently stored at Douglas, while the chassis and superstructure are currently stored in the running shed. In January 2023, the Isle of Man Steam Railway Supporters' Association unveiled plans to cosmetically restore the locomotive in order for it to take part in the 150th anniversary celebrations later that year, following a similar project with No. 5 Mona.
No. 10 G.H.Wood at Douglas Station in 2010 showing the spring green livery applied in 2007 to commemorate the fortieth anniversary of reopening
The first of two 1905 purchases and the first "medium boiler" locomotive, No. 10 is named after the railway's one-time company secretary and director George Henry Wood. As the first of the larger locomotive clas on the line, it was extensively used and rarely out of service, operating mostly on the south line. It worked through the Marquess of Ailsa years to nationalisation, but was withdrawn in 1977 with defective boiler. At this time it was stored in Douglas works and it was not until No. 13 was withdrawn in 1992 that it was reconditioned, returning to service on Easter 1993 as part of the Year of Railways. During this time it bore a darker green livery and black and red lining, which was an approximation to it original livery. The locomotive wears the Spring Green livery applied in 2007 to mark the fortieth anniversary of Lord Ailsa's takeover of the railway. Together with No. 12 they are the only service locos to not carry chimney numerals. The boiler certificate expired on 1 August 2017, its last appearance being Douglas station's 50th anniversary celebrations on 29 July 2017. The overhaul began shortly afterwards, with the boiler being sent away for repair in April 2018 and the frames to Alan Keef Ltd in October 2020.
Long-time of the fleet and rarely out of service, the second of the 1905-built locomotives was named after another company director and is the longest-serving member of the railway. Having been re-boilered in 1959, it was used up until final years of company operation through the Marquess of Ailsa years and into nationalisation. Another boiler was fitted in 1981 (the first under government ownership) when it was re-painted into the current Indian Red, having previously sported a variation of the spring green livery. The tubes for this new boiler were funded by the Isle of Man Steam Railway Supporters' Association, a local preservation group. In 1989 it was chosen to take part in The Ginger Tree, a television dramatisation being filmed on the railway and was painted into an unlined matte black livery, which it retained for the rest of that season before being repainted into the Indian Red livery. It also featured in the movie Five Children & It. The locomotive sports a brass safety valve bonnet mounted on the boiler (the others being painted) that was originally carried by No. 13 Kissack until 1971. The locomotive last worked in 2007 and was given a new boiler from the Severn Valley Railway. The frames were moved off site for restoration by Alan Keef in 2017. The loco was moved to the Statfold Barn Railway for reassembly and painting in 2020 and returned to the railway on 6 January 2022 for trials before re-entering service in time for the railway's season.
No. 12 Hutchinson paused at Castletown Station in 2006 carrying the post-war red livery
The twelfth locomotive was a one-off order, similar in design to it two classmates purchased in 1905. Built in 1908 (Beyer Peacock works number 5126) and named after company director W. A. Hutchinson, it was delivered to the railway with Salter safety valves and a deeper-toned whistle than had previously been employed. Still in service today, it has always been one of the most active members of the fleet, possibly only surpassed by No. 11 Maitland and has had many different liveries in its career. Today it is largely in 1950s condition carrying the Indian Red livery of the period, but its previous guise was much more distinct. When the newly nationalised railway was in need of infrastructure refurbishment, No. 12 was the second loco to be fitted with a new Hunslet boiler. At this time it was given larger water tanks and a square "house" or cab supposedly similar to that carried by No. 16 Mannin. These features, together with a non-prototypical blue livery gave the loco a unique appearance when compared with it shed-mates, and the look was not very popular. Due to the higher side tanks it was inclined to roll more at speed than the other locomotives in its rebuilt form. It did however remain in this guise until withdrawn from service for rebuild, and re-entered traffic in 2001 in traditional form. It was one of only two engines (the other being No. 5) to carry a brass fleet number above the name plate on tank. This was lost prior to the 1981 rebuild and was reinstated for the 2009 season. It returned to service in April 2017 following a winter overhaul and was withdrawn following expiration of boiler certificate on 31 August 2019. Work on an overhaul commenced in May 2021.
No. 13 Kissack at Douglas Station in 2008 prior to the application of original livery
Another one-off order from 1910 (Beyer, Peacock works number 5382) and named after a company director, No. 13 (latterly referred to as 12a by some of the railway's staff) was one of the railway's most used members, having seldom been out of service until withdrawn with defective boiler at Christmas 1992. The boiler was refurbished and placed in the frames of No. 10 G.H.Wood, which re-entered service as part of the Year of Railways in 1993. No. 13 was left in dismantled form and stored. In 2001, it was announced that it would be given a new boiler, and by the 2006 season it was returned to steam. Painted in the now standard Indian Red livery, it previous had been a deep Brunswick green, not thought to have been an historic livery of the railway but more a "nice colour" at the time. It carries the deeper whistle that was given in the 1980s, but the original brass safety valve bonnet was for a time carried by No. 11, being returned to No. 13 for a Winter Photography event in February 2013. No. 13 is in regular service on the railway and a part of the active fleet since returning to service in 2006 with a new boiler. When performing steam trials prior to this, the locomotive appeared with "12a" chalked on the back cab sheet, supposedly by a superstitious workshop staff member. No. 13 was withdrawn from service in 2013 for boiler repairs. These were completed in March 2015 and the locomotive is now back in service, spending April of that year running to Douglas for the first time in many years. The locomotive emerged in the holly green livery in March 2016.
No.14 Thornhill seen behind No.3 Penderon display at Douglas Station in the summer of 1973
Built for the Manx Northern Railway in 1880, this locomotive was originally numbered 3, becoming 14 upon the merger with the Isle of Man Railway in 1905 but not receiving its number and chimney numeral immediately (the numerals were lost in 1956 when a replacement chimney was fitted). It was the only locomotive purchased by the Manx Northern to be built by Beyer Peacock & Co. in their Gorton Foundry in Manchester (works number 2028), and was similar in design to No. 7 Tynwald. Notable for still being in almost "original" form, it retained it distinctive Salter safety valves until withdrawal from service in 1963, and after storage it was repainted into an approximation of its original colour scheme and placed on display at St John's station for the 1967 and 1968 seasons. It was later on display at Douglas station. In 1978 it was sold for private preservation on the island and remained there for some time, unavailable for public viewing. In July 2021, it was photographed in the workshops of John Fowler Ltd. in Ulverston.[3]
This unique one-off 0-6-0T locomotive dates from 1885 and is the only engine on the line to have been built by Dübs & Co of Glasgow. Purchased to tackle the steep gradients of the Foxdale Railway it was ideally suited to the job, being heavier and more powerful than any other steam locomotive on the island. After the merger in 1905 it was numbered 15 in the Isle of Man Railway fleet (having previously been Manx Northern's No. 4) and only saw sporadic use, most notably on Ramsey Cattle Mart specials and for snow clearing trains and emergencies. It was reboilered in 1923, receiving the first boiler on the IMR to carry "Ross" pop safety valves. When the Marquess of Ailsa took over operations in 1967 it was repainted into a spring green livery and saw service once again acting as Douglas station pilot, operating on the south line until 1968. It proved attractive to railway enthusiasts when restored to service by Lord Ailsa. By 1975 it had been painted into Manx Northern colours and placed in the new museum at Port Erin, where it remained until 1993. That year was returned to Douglas by road for steam feasibility tests. By 1995 it was widely promoted, operating on the 1 in 12 gradients of the Snaefell Mountain Railway as part of the centenary celebrations. This had historical precedent as Caledonia had been leased for construction purposes in 1895. It has since been one of the serviceable locomotives, having been painted into a non-prototypical dark blue livery in 1999, later reverted to the intricate original paint scheme in 2007. The locomotive was the subject of a major rebuild from 2009 and returned to service in January 2013. It was prematurely withdrawn from service in 2014 with boiler problems. The overhauled boiler was returned from the Severn Valley Railway in April 2018 and the locomotive was returned to steam in September 2018.
No.16 Mannin plinthed whilst on display in the Railway Museum at Port Erin Station in 2018
The last locomotive to be supplied to the railway and built in 1926 (again by Beyer, Peacock & Co. (works number 6296)), No. 16 was the most powerful 2-4-0T locomotive on the line. It was purchased to haul the heavy Port Erin boat train, a job which had previously taken two locomotives either double-headed or banked. Larger than its older classmates, it has a larger boiler diameter (3 ft 6 in), larger side tanks (520 gallon), higher boiler pressure (180 psi) and larger cylinders (12 in bore). It was also the only locomotive to be fitted with a vacuum ejector and steam sanders from new. It was a rarely used away from the Port Erin line during its active career and would be stored in the locomotive shed there when not required, as outside the holiday season the service was much reduced (partially because there was no boat train). It spent its last few years used as a Douglas-based engine on the Peel line, when the maximum boiler pressure was reduced due to poor condition, which would have dramatically reduced performance. It likely never travelled north of Kirk Michael on the Ramsey line, with no photographic evidence to support this. It remained in service until 1964 and was later repainted into spring green and placed on static display at St John's (and later Douglas) stations until entering the railway museum in 1975 with Caledonia and Sutherland. Briefly considered for restoration in 1967 but rejected on account of it non-standard design, it has only ventured out of the museum once for rebuilding in 1998/1999, and at that time it was treated to "lining out" of paintwork, the previous coat having never been lined. There were two locomotives bearing this name, the other being a mock-up used in the annual Douglas Carnival parade; the fate of that loco is unknown. In early 2019, it was announced that Mannin would be removed from the museum for restoration to working order, its place being taken by No. 1 Sutherland once cosmetic work is finished. . The locomotive was removed from the museum in early 2020, and the boiler has been sent to the Severn Valley Railway for assessment.
No.17 Viking whilst on departmental duties at Santon Station in 2008 showing the spring green livery
This engine was built by Schöma of Germany in 1958 and purchased by the railway in 1992, replacing the time-expired railcars (see below) which after many years of neglect were reaching the end of their useful lives (without receiving serious attention). As part of the Year of Railways celebrations in 1993 and following competition in the local press, the locomotive was named Viking, the name originally to have been allocated to No. 3 Pender back in 1873, and was outshopped in a dark green livery similar to that carried by No. 10 G.H.Wood at the time. Upon delivery it had been in unlined green livery with the fleet number 208 on it cab sheet, a legacy of its first owner "Braunschweigische Kohlenbergwerke (BKB)", Helmstedt, Germany, where it had run on 900 mm (2 ft 11+7⁄16 in) gauge in an opencast coalmine. Facing problems through lack of maintenance in later years, No. 17 is now painted in the spring green livery following comments made by local preservationists that a loco (preferably steam) should appear in this colour scheme. Whilst usually restricted to non-passenger services, No. 17 saw some use in traffic during the 2010 season owing to steam locomotive failure; it is usually in operation as part of the annual railway-based events Rush Hour in April and May each year and the Manx Heritage Transport Festival each July. The locomotive is currently stored and unserviceable, its future uncertain. The Department of Community Culture and Leisure announced in 2012 that they were seeking £750,000 of Government funding for a new build locomotive to replace Viking. In October 2012, it was announced that a replacement diesel engine had been sourced to replace Viking with delivery expected in Spring 2013.[4]
No.18 Ailsa on departmental work at Santon Station in 2009 in its plain white colour scheme
No. 18 was built for the Jubilee line extension of the London Underground in 1994 and used by the contractors who re-laid approximately two-thirds of the Port Erin line in conjunction with the IRIS project (a sewerage scheme which saw a main pipeline being laid beneath the railway in 2000–2002, resulting in shuttle services being operated). The locomotive was bought from the contractors upon completion of the work and named "Ailsa" in honour of Archibald Kennedy, 7th Marquess of Ailsa, who had greatly contributed to the railway in the late 1960s. It was stated at the time that the loco would receive a spring green livery (known as "Ailsa Green" as it was standard livery during his time ownership), but it remained in plain white livery until the removal of some of its ballast weights resulted in a rust-red lower half with a white top. The locomotive was originally built to work on the construction railway in the Channel Tunnel which accounts for the somewhat squat appearance, although the cab was extended upwards before its arrival on island. This also results in limited visibility for the driver which has seen it fitted with closed circuit television cameras to aid vision. However this disability, as well as the absence of a continuous vacuum brake system and a mechanically governed top speed of 25 km/h (16 mph) ensures that the locomotive is mostly used on shunting and permanent way duties, being unsuitable for passenger workings.
Diesel railcars Nos.19 and 20 in the yard at Douglas Station in 1993 at which point they were relegated to shunting duties.
When the County Donegal Railways Joint Committee was selling surplus assets in the early 1960s, the Isle of Man Railway was looking for a cheap alternative to their ageing steam locomotive fleet and purchased these two railcars. They had already been allocated fleet numbers (which were retained by the new owners) but it was only when the ex-contractors' engine No. 18 Ailsa was officially numbered in 2005 that the fleet was in correct sequence. These railcars were the subject of much controversy in the late 1990s when their over-budget rebuild was halted by incoming management, and since this time no work has been done on them. The Isle of Man Steam Railway Supporters' Association have campaigned for their completion, especially in conjunction with a potential commuter train services between Port Erin, Castletown and Douglas, which would extend the service that is laid on annually by the railway in connection with the T.T.. The TT Commuter service is currently run using a steam locomotive and hauled stock, which leads to high operating costs. A shift in management attitude could see their return to service in the future, but for the time being they remain in store at Douglas station awaiting completion and return to service.
No.21 in service with a mixed train at Port Erin Station in July 2014 as part of the annual transport festival
Built as a replacement for No. 17 Viking, it is the first new locomotive to join the fleet since No. 18 Ailsa. The locomotive's underframe, bodywork, engine, generator and controls are brand new. The bogies are modified from a GE industrial locomotive. It is the first locomotive on the Isle of Man Railway to feature a cab at each end, arriving on the Isle of Man in December 2013.[6] Early tests revealed a problem with overheating, and a new prime mover was supplied by the manufacturers under warranty. Further testing saw the locomotive perform several passenger duties, notably at the head of the railway's dining train. It has however seen very limited service since. It finally entered regular service in August 2019.[7] This, however, only lasted a few weeks before a "power problem" caused it to become stranded in sidings at Castletown.[8] This was its most recent spell in revenue service. Technical issues included slipped tyres on the wheels, software problems, oil leaks, transmission seizures and traction motor flashovers.
No.23 at Laxey giving rides as part of the Year of Railways in 1993.
There are also two Wickham-built four-wheel railcars used by the permanent way gangs, and these are often transferred between the Manx Electric Railway and the line as required. One of these (nominally carrying No. 23) was rebuilt in 2013 with a petrol engine and plywood sides, the other was restored to original condition in 2014 with internal bench seating and canvas side curtains. A third railcar was formerly used on the Queen's Pier Tramway in Ramsey and was brought to the railway in 1975 for use when the Peel and Ramsey lines were lifted, having since been scrapped although some smaller parts and the main frames remain in storage at Douglas Station. No.22 carries its fleet number above both end windows and No. 23 has vinyl decals in one window. No.22 is used frequently for weed-spraying trains, fire-fighting trains and line inspections after inclement weather, with No.23 generally stored out of use in the workshops complex.
No.25 in the workshops at Douglas Station showing its cab unit, which does not feature on No.24
There are two small Simplex locomotives on the railway, one of which is based at Port Erin Station for daily shunting purposes in season; the other can be found occasionally on the Manx Electric Railway and has a driver's cab and Railway Company crests applied to its cab sides; No. 24 was repainted in September 2018 and received a fleet number and painted-on name for the first time, while No. 25 carries fleet details on its bonnet in yellow with crests on the cab sides, the name appearing only in vinyl on the landward side. It was fitted with a replacement cab in 2022 with the same appearance as the original but remains with a hand-cranked starter whereas No.24 is fitted with an electric starter. In the past both units have seen periodic use on the electric railway, with No.24 being used as part of a number of cavalcades in and around Laxey Station. No.25 spent a period in an all-over yellow livery with red chevrons and is still colloquially referred to by members of staff as "the yellow one" despite having been repainted green.
The Manx Northern Railway's first two engines were provided by Sharp, Stewart and Company for the line's opening in 1879 and were 2-4-0 side tank locomotives bearing the names Ramsey and Northern. J.I.C. Boyd in his "Isle of Man Railway (Oakwood Press 1967) points out that the Sharpies were dimensionally similar to the Beyer Peacock locomotives built for the IMR. However in their use of a leading radial axle (rather than a Bissell truck) and other features, they were more conventional examples of mid-Victorian locomotive design than the Isle of Man Railway's Beyers. Boyd mentions that they were tested at speed before their entry into service and officially restricted to 45 mph. There have been some suggestions that their shorter wheelbase (11 ft 6 in as opposed to 13 ft 9 in for the Beyer Peacock locomotives) made their ride less than steady at higher speeds. However this does not seem to have limited their usefulness, as both were reboilered in 1892/3, and McNabb ("Isle of Man Railway," 1945) reports that they were both "worn out" by 1905.
Ramsey was hired to IOMTEPCo by the MNR for construction work in the 19th century. Whilst there are very few photographs in existence, it is known that they survived the takeover by the Isle of Man Railway in 1905 but were never re-numbered as the other two Manx Northern locomotives were. They saw very little use on the line after takeover (the railway having only just purchased Nos. 10 and 11 at this time) and were scrapped in 1923 and 1912 respectively. Ramsey is reported to have been used to haul Permanent Way trains (Boyd, op. cit.) in the years before 1914. Their fate other than these dates is not known and they have become part of the railway network's folklore. It seems likely, however, that as non-standard locomotives they were scrapped as soon as the traffic department regarded them as surplus to future requirements. This likely occurred after the delivery of No. 13 Kissack in 1910. There is some evidence (Boyd, op. cit.) that the railway attempted to sell "Ramsey" in 1919, and again in 1920 as a contractors' locomotive.
Boiler variants
All of the Isle of Man Railway locomotives and Manx Northern No. 3 Thornhill were built to an adaptation of a very successful 1866 design Beyer Peacock had supplied for the 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge lines of Norwegian State Railways (NSB). Apart from being constructed for 3 ft (914 mm) gauge, the major dimensions are identical to the NSB Class IV"Trygve". The Manx locomotives came in three principle variants; the ten "Small Boiler" locomotives consisting of Nos. 1 to 9, and Manx Northern No. 3 (later Isle of Man Railway No. 14) as built. These had 2 ft 10.75 in boilers pressed at 120 psi. The cylinders were 11 in diameter by 18 in stroke, and the driving wheels 45 inches. They were delivered in three slightly differing batches. Locomotives 1 to 3 had 320 gallon water tanks, round cab spectacle plates, and "C" shape feed pipes; 4 to 6 were built with 385 gallon tanks, square cab spectacle plates, and "C" shape feed pipes; and 7 and 14 with 385 gallon tanks, square spectacle plates, and "S" shape feed pipes. 8 and 9 were supplied with 160 psi boilers, but were otherwise largely identical to 7 and 14.
The four locomotives that constitute the "medium" series are Nos. 10 to 13; the boilers were enlarged to 3 ft 3 in diameter and pressed to 160 psi. Whilst this did not increase the theoretical tractive effort, it was found that they were considerably less prone to running short of steam on the long climbs out of Douglas on the way to Port Erin and on the Ramsey line out of St. John's. These locomotives were built with 480 gallon water tanks. The cylinders and driving wheel dimensions were unchanged. Three small boiler locomotives - 4, 5, and 6 - were rebuilt to the medium-boiler variant complete with 480 gallon water tanks in 1907–14. No. 16, with its 3 ft 6in diameter boiler pressed at 180 psi, and 12 in by 18 in cylinders, is the solitary example of the "Large Boiler" variant. It also carries 520 gallon water tanks.
Liveries
For the official works photograph, engines were painted in works grey upon completion. The original company livery is thought to have been a deep green colour with black lining and either white or vermilion outer lining. This remained the standard livery of the line with slight variations until the end of World War II. The original white lining gave way to orange and red at some point (likely around 1905), and there was a gradual reduction in the amount of detail applied to the lining over time. A 1949 colour photograph of Mannin shows it in unlined green (perhaps as a result of a repaint early in World War II), whilst Fenella is seen in a work worn late 1930s version of the livery applied when it was reboilered in 1936/7.
It was not until 1944 that the railway changed the standard livery to Indian Red, a rusty orange colour akin to red iron oxide or red lead. The "Indian Red" paint was produced in the railway's workshop and tended to oxidise over time. Recently repainted locomotives would be a deep red colour with a bit of orange; those that had not visited the paint shop in some time would be a reddish brown. This was lined out white-black-white, and remained standard until the 1967 re-opening, when Lord Ailsa had service locomotives repainted into a fresh "spring" green livery. This was very similar to London and North Eastern Railwayapple green. The reason given is that the Rev. Teddy Boston, a friend of the Marquess had a 4 mm scale model of an Isle of Man locomotive that he had painted in LNER colours. This was shown to Ailsa in the spring of 1967, who liked it and had 5, 8, 10, 11, 12 and 15 quickly repainted to match.
Spring green became standard livery until nationalisation, when the new Isle of Man Railways management decided to repaint the locomotives in a variety of colours to dispel the notion that there were only two engines on the line. The first refinished was No. 4 Loch which appeared in a non-standard Midland Red livery for the 1979 season. Two years later No. 11 Maitland appeared in a variation on the Indian Red scheme, though it briefly ran in a dull black livery after being used for the BBC production of 'The Ginger Tree' in the late 1980s. The most unconventional paint job was a royal blue No. 12 Hutchinson complete with alleged "Mannin-Style" square cab. This was never popular with rail enthusiasts, and when the locomotive was reboilered in 2001 it reverted to traditional Beyer, Peacock "house" with its wrapped over front and rear plates. No. 13 Kissack appeared in Brunswick green around 1980, and remained in that livery until withdrawn in 1992. When G.H. Wood re-entered service in 1993 it took over from Kissack as the dark green locomotive, whilst Sunderland was out-shopped in spring green for the 1998 season.
This variety of liveries continued in use until 1999, when upon the arrival of new management, all locos were immediately painted into Indian Red, a callback to the immediate post war years. The only exception was Caledonia, which was painted dark blue to run as Thomas the Tank Engine for the annual 'Thomas and Friends' event. Locomotive No. 10 G.H. Wood was out-shopped in spring green in 2007 marking the 40th anniversary of the takeover by Lord Ailsa, and Caledonia reverted to it original Manx Northern livery shortly afterwards. Presently 4, 8, 12 and 13 carry the post war Indian Red livery, No. 10 carries the Ailsa era Green, and Caledonia is running in the earlier, more elaborate version of the MNR's Claret livery.
The railcars from the County Donegal Railway were in a red and cream colour scheme when they arrived on the island in 1961, and when repainted by the railway company into a version of the then standard dark red and cream IMR carriage livery. This differed from the carriage livery in that cream was retained only for the waist stripe, whilst the window surrounds were painted deep red. They remained in this livery until 1981/82 when they visited the paintshops, with one being outshopped in a bright blue and white livery for a very short time. The Falklands War broke out shortly thereafter and being seen in Argentine colours was deemed inappropriate, so they were quickly repainted with a red and white scheme (the same as that carried by the island's buses at the time) and remained like this until withdrawal from service in the early 1990s.
No. 17 Viking was a deep green colour upon arrival in 1992 and was repainted (but with black and orange lining added) for the naming ceremony in 1993. In 1999, a local support group voiced the opinion that one engine on the line should be in the spring green livery, and the management chose No. 17 to be so; it has remained as such since. No. 18 Ailsa was all over white upon delivery and there has been mention that it would be painted into another colour (spring green being disregarded due to the loco's name), but this has yet to happen. The two Simplex locomotives are painted blue and yellow, whilst the Wickham railcars are also blue with yellow chevrons.
Idiosyncrasies
Whilst all from the same manufacturer broadly to the same design, the Beyer, Peacocks all have slight differences; for example, the first three have their nameplates mounted forward of the injector feed pipe, whereas Nos. 4 and 5 are central, meaning the name plates unusually read "LO CH" and "MO NA", because of a gap where the pipe passes through. All Isle of Man Railway locomotives were supplied with brass chimney numerals, whilst the ex-MNR engines received them following the 1905 merger. Today No. 10 does not carry any chimney numerals, and No. 15 had its taken off when it was returned to Manx Northern Railway No. 4 in 2007; when it returned to traffic in 1995 it carried both numbers at once.
In 1946, Beyer Peacock supplied three boilers with new cast iron chimneys which were not fitted with numerals. These boilers were fitted to Nos. 5, 10, and 12, which lost their chimney numerals as a result. It was at this point that No. 5 and No. 12 gained small tank side number plates. No. 12 lost them again when reboilered in 1981. Over the years, the water tanks of each loco were patched when they leaked, resulting in each one being distinctive by their pattern of patches; this is not noticeable today as the tanks are welded, and the rivets are only dummies for aesthetic purposes. No. 6 Peveril in the museum does however retain it patched tanks. There are several other differences, such as the grab rail on the back of No. 5's cab being a different style to all the others, No. 11 having a brass safety valve bonnet (at one time carried by No. 13 have been recycled from a pre-1939 boiler fitted to No. 13 prior to it 1971 reboilering), No. 4 featuring fleet number and three legs of man in brass on the buffer beam.
Whistles
The stable of Beyer, Peacock locomotives carry standard whistles, which can be classified as high, medium and low. The medium tone of whistle is more commonplace for the simple reason that whenever a new boiler was supplied it came with a whistle. The higher "pea" whistle on the pre-1905 locomotives also has two variants, with 1-6 being higher than 7-9 and the whistle carried by No. 4 Loch from 1978 to 1995 being the highest. The third, much deeper tone of whistle was carried by Nos. 12 and 13 upon delivery, but this was changed so to a more standard version by the 1950s.
When No. 13 was rebuilt in 1971 a new deeper whistle was provided by Hunslet, and when No. 12 was extensively overhauled in 2001 it was fitted with the original deeper whistle, later being replaced by the medium toned one. Until withdrawal No. 4, known for the distinctive high pitch whistle, had been replaced with a medium tone one, leaving only No. 8 Fenella and Caledonia with a shrill whistle. It is not known what type of whistles were carried by the scrapped Sharp, Stewart locomotives. On occasion, such as at Thomas Days, Santa Specials and the end of season trains, staff members put their own whistles on locomotives, such as triple-chimes but these were never fitted to the locomotives originally.
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