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Isle Of Man Steam Railway

Discussion in 'Narrow Gauge Railways' started by David Bigcheeseplant, Jun 11, 2016.

  1. Allan Thomson

    Allan Thomson New Member

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    Across the road? My understanding was that it wasn't in the main building but in another hanger - my guess is the old space shuttle one given that the boiler is outside opposite it...
     

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  2. marshall5

    marshall5 Well-Known Member

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    As part of the current Heritage Open Days promoted by Manx National Heritage the Douglas shed and workshops were opened for guided tours today. Unfortunately recent changes to the fire regs. meant that group sizes are limited to 8 visitors and 2 guides from the Heritage Railways Volunteers at any one time. All of today's tours were quickly booked up as are next Sunday's but all those who participated seemed to thoroughly enjoy themselves. The IMR is currently running a 2 train service on Sat/Sun only until the October half-term when we revert to Th - Sun for the final fling of the season. Trains are still loading well with the 14.00 ex Port Erin particularly well filled today. The dining train was out (twice?) on Thursday and also on the commuter train yesterday ( 7.45 ex P.E.). Where else can you go to work on a steam hauled train whilst tucking into a 'fireman's breakfast' and have 'drinkies' on the return (17.45 ex Douglas)?
    No 8 Fenella of 1894 is currently the Port Erin based loco (although it is approaching the end of its 2nd extension) whilst No13 Kissack of 1910 is the Douglas based loco. No15/MNR 4 Caledonia is also available. The rebuilt boiler of No4 Loch (1874) has been placed back in the overhauled chassis for the final time this week and most of the new/overhauled parts are on hand to complete reassembly. When it returns to service next year it will be the only loco carrying Salter safety valves. In the carriage shop the extensive rebuild of 'big brake' F49 of 1926 (the last new carriage built for the IMR) is progressing. The body was lifted on to an accomodation chassis while its own was grit blasted, had wasted steel replaced and painted, but has now been replaced. Work on the panelling and beading continues as the photo shows.
    More photos on https://www.facebook.com/hrviom/
    Cheers,
    Ray. IMG_2059a IMR No4 Loch Douglas works 3.10.20.JPG IMG_2060a IMR F49 Douglas works 3.10.20..JPG
     
    Last edited: Oct 3, 2020
  3. Allan Thomson

    Allan Thomson New Member

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    Intrigued about the mention of No4's boiler having Salter Valves on it? Does that mean that the Ross Pop Valves have been removed and the boiler rebuilt with working Salters? Or are they just Dummy ones?
     
  4. Selsig

    Selsig Member

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    The former I believe. I've seen reference to working Salter valves, and some the pictures don't seem to have any bosses for the pop valves on the boiler.

    John
     
  5. Allan Thomson

    Allan Thomson New Member

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    I was trying to work out, definitely looks like there's a hole for the bonnet on the boiler but there also appears to be a mounting on top of the dome for something though that could be the crane in the background. Guess will have to wait to see the finished product. 4's bell dome was cut and reconfigured when it was fitted to the modern boiler - some of the older images had it with a round top dome. At one point I recall seeing it with a painted steel dome like 5 & 6 had...
     
  6. marshall5

    marshall5 Well-Known Member

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    No4 will have working Salter safety valves, in fact they have already been tested during the boiler's out of frames steam test at the SVR some months ago. A lot of the replacement boilers came with steel dome covers so there are many more dome covers than there are boilers. ISTR being told that at one time the painted steel covers were put on in winter to save polishing them ... but that may have been one of 'those' stories. There are several bell mouth domes still with slots for the balance arms available so I assume one of these will be fitted to Loch.
    Ray.
     
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  7. kscanes

    kscanes Resident of Nat Pres

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    A colleague noted a Beyer coming off the ferry at Heysham yesterday. Green loco, separate red boiler. Assumed to be No10 (but open to correction). Does anyone know where it is headed?
     
  8. 5944

    5944 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Yes, no. 10, off to Keef's apparently, according to a post on one of the narrow gauge pages on Facebook.
     
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  9. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    With No.10 gone to the big island, any news re: No.11? Gotta be getting close now.
     
  10. GHWood

    GHWood Member

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    Having chatted to a member of the engineering staff a few weeks ago, the space for the pop valves is still there but it’s been blanked off for now so number 4 can run with real salter valves for now (but can be converted back if required).
     
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  11. Allan Thomson

    Allan Thomson New Member

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    Just got sent some pictures of a rail mounted crane. I understand it's possibly the one from Hill's meadow and remember seeing it from a distance on a railway walk - I seem to remember Colin Goldsmith saying it was the MNR one and used to be mounted on a wagon or 4 wheel coach underframe, but the image of a crane at Ramsey looks very similar but the central pillar appears different. Anyone know anything more about it?

    Also an intriguing aside, apparently this little train is in a scrap yard nearby? Looks like it's been kept possibly for resale? Curious if anyone knows anything about it?
     

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  12. marshall5

    marshall5 Well-Known Member

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    The crane at Ramsey (without a jib) is IMR crane No1 built by Kiss in 1873 which, as Colin told you, had been re-mounted on an ex 4 wh coach chassis at some time in its life, It was scrapped around 1969 after lying behind Ramsey carriage shed for many years. Could the other crane be the one from the loading bank at Ramsey MER station? I don't have a photo to hand to compare them. The fairground ride train was offered to us at the WLP maybe 5+ years ago but we turned it down and I can't remember where it came from. The next I heard of it was in the model railway exhibition on the South Quay and then in Rambo's scrap yard at Hills Meadow.
    Ray.
     
  13. Allan Thomson

    Allan Thomson New Member

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    It's definitely not the crane from Ramsey MER Station, that's a much wider gauge (looks about 8 foot as it required two sets of sleepers end to end - I understand that one came from the corner at Ramsey Harbour? That Crane is in the compound at Jurby Transport Museum.

    I'm sure when Colin made the comments (probably about 27 years ago now) he said MNR & not IMR.

    I considered whether it's the one from Ramsey Pier end mounted on a rail chassis but I'm sure that was still at the end of the pier in the early 90's

    Fairground train is intriguing is it from Onchan head or elsewhere? I'm sure I can remember a system in bits at Rushen Abbey (never laid)? There was also the system in the yard by the Mona Lisa which was never laid but I recall the chassis was more realistic (can'trememberany more than a chassisand track).
     
    Last edited: Nov 7, 2020
  14. marshall5

    marshall5 Well-Known Member

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    Re the crane at Ramsey MNR station - I, too, thought it was ex MNR originally but it seems that we were both wrong as the MNR never had one. IMR crane No1 "The Kiss Crane" was replaced by the one currently at Union Mills (IMR Crane No2). Perhaps as the former seemed to be based in Ramsey it was assumed to be exMNR. As regards the other crane all I can say is that it isn't the one from Blackboards (ex Laxey Harbour?) as that was restored to working order by Steve Carter and re-sold off-Island some years ago. For a while this was numbered IMR crane No3.
    For a while c.1988 there was some miniature railway equipment (15"/18") by the bridge in Old Laxey at the back of the Shore Hotel as it had been planned to build a railway to the Wheel. Needless to say nothing came of it and I never heard where the stock or track went but it wasn't the stuff now in Rambo's.
    Ray.
     
  15. marshall5

    marshall5 Well-Known Member

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    Today marked the start of the IMR's Santa trains which will run again tomorrow, next weekend and on the 22nd/23rd. Four return trips from Douglas to Santa's Grotto at Santon station are scheduled each day although there will be extras for corporate bookings which mean some after dark running tomorrow IIUC. No13 Kissack worked the 11.00 & 13.00 today while No15 Caledonia worked the 12.00 & 14.00 passing in Santon each with load 4 and well filled with excited ankle biters! The Dining set was parked in the manure siding at Santon to supply refreshments. After the last train No13 was to bring the dining set back - hopefully in good time for tonight's "Carnaby Street Christmas Special" to depart at 19.30. The dining set is out nearly every day this month, sometimes twice a day, and the current programme will finish with the Commuter Club trains on Mon 4th Jan. (full details here https://www.iombusandrail.im/media/1840/iom-railways-dc-a5-2020-christmas-leaflet-sp_lores.pdf
    Elsewhere on the railway it appears that No8 Fenella has now finished and will, hopefully, take her place in the overhaul queue after Nos 11, 10 and 12. The re-appearance of No4 Loch of 1874 after heavy overhaul is "imminent". No16 has been stripped "for assessment" in Jurby. 'Pairs' carriages F66/67/74 which last ran in 1999 and have resided under tarps at Port St. Mary in recent years have moved to dry storage in a hangar at Jurby. Their movement was necessary as they were in the way of contractors laying a gas main to a new housing development on the site of the former PSM gasworks. The only other stored 'pair' is F63 in Pt.Erin carriage shed. The return of the newly restored F62 is likely to take place in the New Year. A couple of photos of today's Santa Trains below.
    Cheers,
    Ray.
    DSC_0925a IMR No13 Kissack enters Santon on 13.00 from Douglas 12.12.20..JPG DSC_0933a IMR No15 Caledonia at Keristal on 14.00 from Douglas on 12.12.20.JPG Santa Express.jpg
     
  16. marshall5

    marshall5 Well-Known Member

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    In case anyone has missed the big announcement on the IoMSRSA Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/IOMSRSA/
    IMR No4 Loch of 1874 has steamed today for the first time after a 3 year rebuild. When it returns to traffic Loch will be one of the oldest, regularly operating steam locos in the world. For those who don't 'do' Facebook I've re-posted one image here.. IMR No4 Loch first steaming 17.12.20  IoMSRSA.jpg a.jpg
    Anyway tonight is the Orchid Line Christmas 'bash' on the 'Festive Pie & Mash' train so I expect I'll hear all about it!
    Cheers,
    Ray.
    Edit: Video of tonight's 'Pie & Mash' and photos of Port Erin Museum on https://www.facebook.com/hrviom/ Thanks Mike.
     
    Last edited: Dec 17, 2020
  17. andrewshimmin

    andrewshimmin Well-Known Member

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    I thought I would attempt an end-of-year round-up of the whereabouts and status of the IMR locos, as I understand it. It's partly a straw man so someone more in the know can correct me!

    1 Sutherland: Port Erin railway museum
    2 Derby: long gone
    3 Pender: Manchester (sectioned)

    4 Loch*: restoration nearing completion, back in 2021 with Salter safety valves and Indian red livery.
    5 Mona: dismantled for asbestos removal. (Possible static restoration?)
    6 Peveril: dismantled for asbestos removal. (Possible static restoration?)
    7 Tynwald: remains (frames) at Southwold
    8 Fenella: withdrawn end of 2020, back of overhaul queue behind no. 11, 10 and 12
    9 Douglas: dismantled for asbestos removal. (Possible static restoration?)
    10 G H Wood: under restoration (Alan Keef?), back after No. 11
    11 Maitland: under restoration (Alan Keef?), back 2021?
    12 Hutchinson: awaiting restoration after No. 11 and No. 10.
    13: Kissack*: in service. Dark green livery.

    14 Thornhill (ex MNR): privately owned, stored on the island.
    15 Caledonia* (ex MNR 0-6-0T): in service, MNR livery
    16 Mannin: removed from Port Erin museum for asbestos removal and assessment of condition.
    19 & 20 County Donegal railcars: overhaul stalled since late 1990s....

    Bold are the "service fleet" as it where, italicised are essentially no longer with us, normal type are unlikely to run any time soon.
    * Are the currently operational locos.

    (Edited as was scrambled at first)
     
    Last edited: Jan 2, 2021
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  18. D1039

    D1039 Guest

    Add to that the new boiler construction:

    "The construction [at SVR, Bridgnorth] of the third and fourth new build boilers [of five] for the Isle of Man Railway is ongoing. The firebox for No 3 is largely complete and early in 2021 it will be riveted to the boiler barrel. No 4 isn’t very far behind it and during the last week of November a contract welder was on site to carry out some of the specialist activity on it that we cannot do in-house".
    https://www.svrlive.com/bldec20

    Patrick
     
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  19. andrewshimmin

    andrewshimmin Well-Known Member

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    Yes, I've got quite confused now as to which boilers are on/for which locos, so I missed that out!

    Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk
     
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  20. D1039

    D1039 Guest

    The position in 2019 was discussed from post #180 onwards (page 9).

    Patrick
     
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