Isle Of Man Steam Railway

The 2'g on the platform road was for a Groudle loco (The Steamplex) and the 19" on the loop was for one of the Laxey Mines locos - a few years ago now, though.
Ray.

 

'been there, done that Bryan!
Cheers,
Ray.

 

On the island, truth is stranger than fiction...

 

We have, look out for it after Sunday

 

There was a fair sized headboard on the 14.30 departure from Douglas yesterday - pity 2 wedding parties both turned up at the same time ..... as did the rain!
Ray.

 

A bit more Headboard business

 

Have to confess, I though Brenda was 'Lord of Man' .... what with the crown's claim being based on a receipt, as opposed to the OK from an invisible friend.

I wonder ..... When was the last time two green (steam!) locos double headed a service?

 

Channel surfing last night brought Channel 8 20.00 - 21.00 to view.
Cab camera ride Douglas to Port Erin. No idea if it will be reshown.
Tonight it's the kwvr

 

Yes, Bryan it was well worth watching even if it was a bit old. Scary to see how much younger everyone looked. It may vary from region to region but ours showed the KWVR episode (with the 4F) straight after the IoMR last night. Tonight it is Cumbrian Coast followed by Llangollen.
Cheers,
Ray.

 

Just seen some photos from someone's guided visit last weekend on Facebook. How long has the Cabbage been dumped bogieless on blocks amongst the buses?

 

I think it's been there for quite a while.
I did try and get a photo of it from the train back in June, but wasn't succesful !

 

Not very long this time. It was in the running shed until it was craned off its bogies a few months ago for them to be repaired off-island..... again.
Ray.

 

I take it burning sage has already bee tried? Maybe a different coat of paint? I do know green has been considered "unlucky" in some nautical circles and it is on an island. Perhaps the poor thing got confused on it's way over and thinks it's a boat?

Yes, I do know that's crazy talk ..... but they've tried pretty much everything else. That leaves the Sherlock Holmes dictum "when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth". I'd be up for matching the livery of the ex-CDR railcars. Subtle, eh?

 

Thanks Ray. I thought I'd seen photos of it dumped at the back of the shed a few months ago. Might've been when no. 8 was being prepared for its trip abroad. Should've taken the whole loco to the mainland for fettling. Kingsbury scrapyard isn't too far away from Statfold...

 

It seems to be a characteristic of MPI's NG offerings that they need to spend a lot of time on blocks.

 

Someone on the U.S. Narrow Gauge Discussion Group described the D&S as having bought "a pair of $3 million paperweights". IIRC only one set of trucks was ever delivered and these were condemned by the D&S engineers. Not unreasonably the D&S witheld payment and MPES went bust. I'm guessing that they may end up being parted out for other GP40's to pay off creditors. Fortunately the D&S 'hedged their bets' by purchasing 4 ex White Pass & Yukon locos and I believe that those have been very satisfactory and seen the R.R. through another fire season along with the oil fired steam locos.
FWIW my 'better half' tells me that her recipe for coleslaw begins with "shred the cabbage"........
Ray.

 

Although the Summer Transport Festival has finished the IMR continues to be very busy. On Wednesday evening MNR No.4 Caledonia took out a test train which included the MNR Cleminson No.6 which is seen, below, at Castletown (photo courtesy of IoMSRSA).
Today the railway was running to timetable T + C which means that there is an ECS working ex Douglas in the 'wee small hours' in order to form the 07.45 Commuter Club ex Port Erin and a late return from Port Erin at 19.15. The next photo (courtesy Heritage Railway Volunteers) shows IMR No.13 Kissack simmering by the PE water tower before taking the 07.45.
As always lots more pictures and up to date news on https://www.facebook.com/hrviom/
Cheers,
Ray.

 

Unfortunately the GE bogies on which 21 sits have numerous known design flaws, what limited spares available are typically horded by any US 3ft railroads who can get their hands on them. They are also quite old now which doesn't help either.

The situation is further compounded by the fact that the loco has to be lifted off its bogies using a big crane outside. So when something goes wrong everyone knows about and the inevitable bad press follows.

Tim

 

I believe Blodge know a thing or two about NG diesels. Could they not sort it out?

 

Only if the parts are get-able. Don't forget Funkey diesel Castell Caernarfon sat around at Dinas (Llanwnda) for yonks short of some key component of other.