1893
Three power cars and
six trailers were delivered from G.F Milnes for the start of services from
Douglas (Derby Castle) to Groudle. It had been hoped that each power
car could haul two trailers, but they had insufficient power for the gradients
and worked with a single trailer car. Originally hand braked
and equipped with only one motor per truck, they were re-trucked with twin
motors and equipped with air brakes in 1903. Bow type current collectors
fitted until 1898. Car No 3 was destroyed in the Laxey depot fire
in 1930, although it has been known to 'reappear' from time to time recently!
No 1
1990s
|
2000
|
2002
|
2003
|
2004
|
2005
|
2006
|
2011
|
2013
|
2014
|
2015
|
2016
|
2017
|
2018
|
2021
|
No 2
1990s
|
2000
|
2002
|
2003
|
2004
|
2005
|
2007
|
2008
|
2011
|
2012
|
2014
|
2015
|
2016
|
2017
|
2018
|
|
|
2019
|
|
2021
|
|
No 3
Destroyed
in Laxey Depot Fire - 1930
The ghost of Car No
3 has been know to make appearances from time to time on the MER.
Fortunately I was out and about with my 'plate camera' and tripod to catch
one of the last apparitions in 2018.
|
Trailers No 49 - 54
(Originally numbered
11 - 16)
|
No 49
No 50
2006
|
2006
|
No 51
2009
|
2013
|
2015
|
2016
|
2017
|
|
2018
|
2019
|
2021
|
|
No 52
For
some years this car had been used without roof or seats as a rail carrier
during the winter period, being re-fitted for the summer period. In the
late 1940s it seems to have become a permanent works vehicle and now only
has one end dash panel fitted. The trucks currently fitted to it are from
motor car No 4, the body of which was destroyed in the Laxey Depot fire
in 1930. They were fitted in the late 1950s or early 1960s with the
motors removed. Its original roof had been stored and was apparently
used on No 51 when it was rebuilt in 1987.
No 53
2006
|
2006
|
No 54
1894
Six new power cars delivered
from G.F Milnes for the start of services to Laxey, together with six new
trailers. Two of the power cars and four of the trailers were lost
in the Laxey depot fire in 1930. The trailers were most likely originally
numbered from 17 - 22, being re-numbed in 1898. Power cars had Bow
type current collectors until 1898.
|
Cars No 4 - 9 The 'Tunnel
Cars'
|
No. 4
Destroyed
in Laxey Depot Fire - 1930, but trucks re-used later under trailer No 52.
No 5
1993
|
2000
|
2001
|
2002
|
2005
|
2007
|
2009
|
2010
|
2013
|
2015
|
2016
|
2017
|
2018
|
2019
|
2021
|
No 6
1990s
|
2000
|
2001
|
2002
|
2003
|
2006
|
2007
|
2008
|
2010
|
2011
|
2013
|
2013
|
2014
|
2015
|
2016
|
2017
|
2017
|
2018
|
2019
|
2020
|
|
|
2021
|
|
|
No 7
Was 'works car' for
some years but restored in 2010.
1990s
|
2000
|
2004
|
2005
|
2006
|
2010
|
2011
|
2012
|
2013
|
2014
|
2015
|
2016
|
2017
|
2018
|
2019
|
|
2020
|
|
2021
|
|
No 8
Destroyed
in Laxey Depot Fire - 1930
|
|
2019
|
|
|
No 9
Fitted with illuminations
in 1993.
1990
|
1993
|
2001
|
2003
|
2004
|
2004
|
2004
|
2005
|
2006
|
2009
|
2011
|
2012
|
2014
|
2015
|
2016
|
2017
|
2018
|
2019
|
2020
|
2020
|
|
|
2021
|
|
|
|
Trailers No 34 - 39
(Originally numbered
17 - 22)
|
No 34
Destroyed
in Laxey Depot Fire - 1930
No 35
Destroyed
in Laxey Depot Fire - 1930
No 36
|
|
2006
|
|
2017
|
|
No 37
No 38
Destroyed
in Laxey Depot Fire - 1930
No 39
Destroyed
in Laxey Depot Fire - 1930
1895
Four power cars built
by G. F. Milnes, plus the 'Director's Saloon. The power cars were to a
similar design as the Snaefell cars delivered in the same year and also
delivered with unglazed windows. Bow type current collectors until 1898.
They were not popular and taken out of passenger service in the early 1900s.
There was a suggestion that they could be re-gaugued, glazed and used as
additional cars on the Snaefell Mountain Railway, but instead they were
converted for freight use.
No. 10 - Freight Trailer
No 26
Converted to unpowered
freight car No 26, currently in storage.
No. 11
Converted
to a powered goods car in 1904, then to an unpowered goods trailer in 1911,
being renumbered to No 21 in the goods fleet in 1918. Around 1925/26
it donated it trucks to a new build flat vehicle also numbered No 21 and
the body was scrapped.
Freight Trailer
No 21
Not
quite Car No 11, but this is the 'new' build trailer No 21 from 1926 that
used the trucks from No 11.
No. 12
Rebuilt
in 1903 as a powered Cattle Car with a higher roof. In 1912 it had the
motors removed and was used as an unpowered vehicle and renumbered to 22
in the goods fleet. It was scrapped in 1927.
No. 13
Withdrawn
from use in 1903 and stored until 1918 when it was converted to a freight
trailer and re-numbered to 23 in the goods fleet. It was again re-numbered
to 22 in 1927 after the vehicle above was scrapped. From 1936 onwards
it was used as a staff mess hut at The Dhoon until officially withdrawn
from use in 1944. The remains lingered on at The Dhoon until broken
up in 1957.
|
Trailer No 59
(Originally No 26, then
32)
|
Originally delivered
as a 4 wheeled 'Director's Saloon', taking up its present number of 59
in the 1903 renumbering. It was fitted with bogie trucks in 1900 as it
apparently was prone to derailments in its original form. On the
25th August 1902 it became a 'Royal Saloon' when it conveyed King Edward
VII and Queen Alexandra from Derby Castle. It has been used as a
Tourist Office at the Sea Terminal and a waiting room at Derby Castle in
the 1970s before becoming a museum exhibit. Overhauled in 2005 it
saw some use before being withdrawn in 2015 after a derailment. Further
work was carried out and it emerged again in 2018 restored to its
original blue livery, just in time for the MER 125th celebrations.
1990s
|
2011
|
2013
|
2014
|
2018
|
|
2018
|
2019
|
2020
|
|
1896
Just one extra trailer
delivered, built by G.F. Milnes.
|
Trailer No 60
(Originally No 27, re-numbered
in the early 1900s)
|
A lucky survivor
of the 1930 Laxey Depot fire, being pulled out of the burning building
and repaired.
2014
|
2015
|
2015
|
2016
|
2017
|
|
2017
|
2018
|
2019
|
|
1898
Nine new vehicles
were delivered, built by G.F. Milnes. Five were open crossbench motor
cars and numbered from 14 - 18. Delivered from new with trolley type current
collectors. They were not fitted with air brakes and have become
known as 'Ratchet Cars', from the hand operated braking system. In
1899 No 16 exchanged trucks and equipment with Car No 4 which resulted
in a change to its appearance with 'paddle boxes' on the running boards
to clear the larger trucks and making it the only car in this series to
be equipped with air brakes. The other four vehicles were delivered
as trailers and originally numbered 19 - 22, but re-numbered to 40 - 43
on the arrival of the 'Winter Saloons' that took their original numbers.
These four cars were motorized and equipped with air brakes in 1903 and
renumbered yet again to become numbers 24 -27.
No 14
Out of use for many
years, but restored to service in 2018. Retains 'Ratchet Car' configuration.
2006
|
2017
|
2018
|
2018
|
2019
|
|
2021
|
|
2021
|
|
No 15
1993
|
2006
|
No 16
'Paddle Box' appearance
due to new trucks fitted in the early 1900s.
2001
|
2002
|
2004
|
2005
|
2011
|
2014
|
2015
|
2016
|
2017
|
2017
|
|
|
2018
|
2020
|
2021
|
|
No 17
1993
|
2018
|
No 18
1993
|
2016
|
|
Trailers No 19 - 22
Renumbered to 40 - 43
in 1899 then rebuilt as power cars No 24 -27 in 1903
|
No 40
Converted
to power Car No 24
No 41
Converted
to power Car No 25
No 42
Converted
to power Car No 26
No 43
Converted
to power Car No 27
1899
Four new fully glazed
saloon power cars built by G. F. Milnes together with five new trailers
for the opening of the line all the way to Ramsey. Delivered with
ratchet brakes they were re-equipped during 1904 with the air brake equipment
and trucks from Cars 28 - 31. All of these power cars are currently
in service and form the backbone of the operational fleet. One of
the trailers (No 44) was lost in the Laxey depot fire but was replaced
by a new trailer that carried the same number.
|
Cars No 19 - 22 The 'Winter
Saloons'
|
No 19
1990s
|
2001
|
2002
|
2004
|
2005
|
2006
|
2007
|
2008
|
2010
|
2011
|
2012
|
2013
|
2014
|
2015
|
2016
|
2017
|
2018
|
2019
|
2020
|
2021
|
No 20
1990s
|
2000
|
2001
|
2002
|
2005
|
2006
|
2007
|
2010
|
2011
|
2012
|
2013
|
2014
|
2014
|
2015
|
2016
|
2017
|
2018
|
2019
|
2020
|
2021
|
No 21
1990s
|
2001
|
2002
|
2003
|
2004
|
2005
|
2006
|
2007
|
2008
|
2010
|
2011
|
2013
|
2014
|
2015
|
2016
|
2017
|
2017
|
2017
|
2018
|
2021
|
No 22
Car No 22 has a slightly
different history from the other 'Winter Saloons'. Originally delivered
in 1899, in 1990 the body was destroyed in a fire at Derby Castle Depot.
Only the underframe and trucks survived but a new body was constructed
locally and No 22 returned to service in 1992.
1990s
|
2001
|
2002
|
2003
|
2004
|
2005
|
2006
|
2007
|
2011
|
2013
|
2014
|
2015
|
2016
|
2017
|
2018
|
|
2019
|
2020
|
2021
|
|
No 44
Destroyed
in the Laxey depot fire in 1930
No 45
No
45 was a standard trailer until 2004 when it was converted into a flat
for the works department and has served as such ever since. However,
the parts required to convert it back for passenger use apparently still
exist at Derby Castle. It lost the end dash panel in 2018 or 2019.
2006
|
2009
|
2010
|
2011
|
2019
|
|
2020
|
2020
|
2021
|
|
No 46
2005
|
2007
|
2010
|
2011
|
2012
|
2013
|
2015
|
|
2015
|
2019
|
No 47
2003
|
2005
|
2014
|
2015
|
2017
|
|
2018
|
2018
|
2020
|
|
No 48
2002
|
2005
|
2011
|
2015
|
2016
|
|
2017
|
2018
|
2020
|
|
1900
A locomotive was constructed
by the Isle of Man Tramways & Electric Power Co 1900, to a steeple
cab design, for handling freight traffic on the MER. It didn't have
its own trucks but 'borrowed' them from Car No 17, having to give them
back during busy summer months! It was involved in an accident in
1914 and was withdrawn from traffic. It was rebuilt and emerged again
in 1926 with a new longer underframe incorporating two wagon bodies.
It still didn't have its own trucks, this time borrowing the much more
powerful ones from Car No 33 and operating as such until withdrawn in 1944.
It was restored as an museum exhibit in 1978 and made operational from
1983 to 1984 before returning to being a static exhibit. It was again
restored to service for 1993, using the trucks from Car No 17, but was
back in storage the following year and has remained stored minus trucks
at several locations since.
1903
Four vehicles that were
delivered from G. F. Milnes as trailer cars in 1898, were converted to
crossbench motor cars. Called the 'Paddleboxes' after the steps in
the running boards needed to clear the new Brush trucks fitted. Four
brand new trailers were delivered in the same year to replace these cars,
re-using the same numbers, 40 - 43.
|
Cars No 24
- 27
(Previously
trailers No 40 - 43)
|
No 24
Destroyed
in Laxey Depot Fire - 1930
|
|
2019
|
|
|
No 25
Sorry, I don't seem
to have a picture of Car No 25. In storage at Laxey, trucks are used
under locomotive No 34.
No 26
No 27
Used as the works car
for many years and had a makeshift cab fitted.
No 40
Destroyed
in Laxey Depot Fire - 1930
No 41
Destroyed
in Laxey Depot Fire - 1930
No 42
No 43
2006
|
2007
|
2009
|
2012
|
2016
|
|
2019
|
|
2020
|
|
1904
Four new power cars
and two trailers were built by the Electric Railway & Tramway Carriage
Works in 1904 to help with increasing passenger numbers. Crossbench
open cars, the power cars trucks and air brake equipment were moved to
the 'Winter Saloons' Nos. 19 -22 in the early 1900s. All of the power cars
are in storage and have not worked for many years. A separate order
of the same year delivered the two saloon trailers, No 57 & 58.
These were intended to alter the previous practice of using saloon power
cars as trailers during the winter months and run with Cars No 19 - 22.
No 28
2006
|
2011
|
No 29
2006
|
No 30
2007
|
No 31
2011
|
No 55
No 55 last worked in
1997 and has been in storage at various locations since then.
|
2007
|
|
No 56
Delivered as a fairly
standard crossbench open trailer, No 56 remained as such until 1991 when
conversion started to turn it into a saloon that would be accessible to
disabled persons, emerging as such in 1995.
2004
|
2005
|
2006
|
2016
|
2018
|
|
|
2020
|
|
|
The two 1904 saloon
trailers were used together in 1993 for the 'Steam on the Electric' special
trains and I was lucky enough to photograph them with IOMR No 4 'Loch'
on the trial run from Laxey to The Dhoon early in the year.
No 57
2012
|
2015
|
2017
|
2018
|
2018
|
|
2019
|
2020
|
2021
|
|
No 58
1906
Two new power
cars and two trailers were delivered from the United Electric Car Company.
The power cars were the last to be delivered to the MER and are the most
powerful ones on the railway. All four vehicles are still in service.
No 32
1990s
|
2005
|
2008
|
2009
|
2011
|
2012
|
2013
|
2014
|
2015
|
2016
|
2017
|
2017
|
2018
|
2019
|
2021
|
No 33
1990s
|
2001
|
2002
|
2004
|
2006
|
2011
|
2011
|
2013
|
2014
|
2015
|
2016
|
2017
|
2017
|
2018
|
|
No 61
No 62
1930
On the 5th of
April 1930 a major fire consumed the MER depot at Laxey. Apart from
the building, four motor cars and seven trailers were destroyed in the
blaze, only two trailers, Nos. 50 & 60 were saved.. Funds and
the insurance settlement were insufficient to rebuild the depot and replace
the cars, so in the end only three new bodies were ordered from the English
Electric Company and delivered in the same year. They were to the
same design as the ones delivered in 1904 and took numbers and salvaged
trucks from three of the cars destroyed in the fire.
|
Trailers No 40, 41 & 44 (II)
|
No 40
No 41
No 44
2006
|
2007
|
2011
|
2011
|
2018
|
|
|
2020
|
|
|
2004
In 1994 work was
started at Derby Castle on constructing a replica of the Snaefell Mountain
Railway's locomotive No 7 'Maria'. This was completed in 1996 and
made a few appearances but was stored in 1998. In 2003 work started
on rebuilding it as a self propelled diesel electric works car for the
Manx Electric Railway and it was finished in 2004. It employs the
trucks from Car No 25 and has been used intermittently since then, also
appearing at various enthusiast events on the MER and also the Steam Railway.
2004
|
2005
|
2009
|
2009
|
2010
|
2010
|
2010
|
2011
|
2011
|
2019
|
|
|
2021
|
|
|
|
