Isle of Man Railway Photo Gallery

No. 4 "Loch" rests on shed between services on 3rd May 2004

IMR No. 15 "Caledonia" is seen moving off shed during 2006

No. 10 "G.H. Wood" is seen arriving at Castletown on Tynwald Day 2009, with a special headboard to celebrate the occasion

No. 8 "Fenella" & No. 10 "G.H. Wood" are seen on a photo run past at Colby during 2005 special events

No. 17 "Viking" is seen waiting to depart Port Erin with the 'Viking Venture' to Colby during the 2009 events week

The Isle of Man Railway's first three locomotives for the Isle of Man Railway, 2-4-0T numbers 1-3, were delivered in 1873 from Beyer Peacock for use on the Douglas-Peel line. Number 1 "Sutherland" is the only one to survive on the railway and is seen here whilst in use on Santa Special duties, December 2001.

 

Delivered in 1874, again from Beyer Peacock were two further locomotives for use on the newly constructed Douglas-Port Erin line. Numbered 4 and 5 they were named "Loch" and "Mona" respectively. "Loch" has recently been reboilered and returned to service, but it is seen here shortly before withdrawal and in use on Santa Specials.

Today the service is usually, but not solely, in the hands of the larger 2-4-0T Beyer Peacock engines, 10-12. Number 10 "G.H. Wood" is seen at the southern end of the South line at Port Erin.

 

Also caught at Port Erin is sister 1905 loco No. 11 "Maitland", about to operate the final through journey to Douglas in 2001 before the line was severed for the installation of the IRIS sewerage pipeline.

No. 12 "Hutchinson" is seen passing over the 'Snotty Bridge' in late 2001.

When the operations of the Manx Northern Railway were absorbed by the Isle of Man Railway Company, four engines joined the IMR fleet. Two were short lived, the third identical to other IMR locos, and the fourth MNR 4 "Caledonia" dating from 1885 and built by Dubbs & Co. The only survivor on the IMR today is "Caledonia," which is seen at the much reduced Douglas Railway Station.

To aid the railway, and in particular with permanent way duties, a secondhand diesel locomotive was purchased during the early 1990's. Numbered 17 and named "Viking", it is seen at Douglas Railway Station alongside the former Peel line platform.

The Isle of Man Railway Company purchased two secondhand diesel railcars from County Donegal in 1961 and these were often used for the winter service on the Peel and Ramsey lines, prior to their closure. Following nationalisation of the railway in 1978 the use of the cars was spasmodic, often being assigned to per way duties. After repaint into Argentinian Blue, swiftly removed as soon as the unfortunate significance was realised in 1982, the two railcars reappeared in a version of the bus red and white scheme. The railcars are seen at Ballasalla during 1984, prior to the demolition of the true IMR station building, and replacement with something more modern. After a spell when the railcars saw some use on passenger service, they again were allocated to per way duties with their condition deteriorating into a very poor state. The cars were both dismantled during the late 1990's and a start was made on constructing replicas, however as the costs rose out of all proportion to their usefulness, the project was shelved and the units stored.