Carrying on from last week David Mee takes us through what was happening at the latter end of the Transport Festival between 27th and 30th July 2023.
Thursday 27th July
Heritage Railway Festival day 5
MER Freight tour
Booked on 12 noon off Derby Castle – Car 6 and Freight trailer 26
Slightly delayed departure due to late arrival of the set from Laxey. Departed 12.05 with stops as follows:
Howstrake 12.15-20
Baldrine 12.30-40 1+42 passed
Garwick 12.45-50
Laxey Car Shed 13.00-20 7+48 passed
A glimpse in Laxey Car Shed:
R1 50, 43
R2 33, 52, 46*
R3 30, 28
Rear 25, 27, 23
All front to rear
* On freight trailer 26’s trucks, swapped so the trailer could take part in the event
Laxey Station 13.25-30 Refresh stop
NATS 3, 4 and Wickham 22 photographed at Laxey. 20 arrived on an extra
Bonner Corner 13.42-50 5+54 passed
Cornaa 14.10-20
Then straight to Ramsey, arriving 14.35 and after shunt departing at 14.50
Windy Ridge 14.58-15.05
Dreemskerry Farm 15.08-12
Ballaskeig 15.20-30 Cross, passed 1+42
Pole 443 15.45-16.00
(nice location between Skinscoe and Old Laxey Road)
Laxey Station 16.05-18 Refresh stop
Then direct to Derby Castle with a 5 min delay before Groudle due to essential line maintenance. Arrived Derby Castle at 16.50
MER allocations: Horse Car:
D1 9+59* later 44 36
D2 22+57 45
D3 7+48
D4 1+42
D5 5+54
D6 20+41
Spl 1: 1
Spl 2: 34
Spl 3: 6+Freight trailer 26
Extra: 20
* replaced after first round trip
Friday 28th July
Heritage Railway Festival day 6
MER 14/51 tour
Booked on 12 noon from Derby Castle
Stops and activities as follows:
Howstrake 12.10-15
Noted D3 service missing, hot box and in Laxey Car Shed sidings
Laxey Station 12.40-48 Refresh stop
Bonner Corner 12.52-57
Summit Curves 13.05-15 22+41 passed
Pole 711 12.30-35
(between Murrays Road and Ballaskeig)
Arrive Ramsey 13.55 / Depart 14.15
Windy Ridge 14.20-25
Dreemskerry 14.33-35
Ballaskeig 14.45-15.00 Crossed over, UDE 16 and 7+60 passed
Note 15.10 D4 off Ramsey NOT running
Browns Crossing 15.20-25
Non-stop to Laxey Station, arrive 15.45
Left the charter here and transferred to the service car.
With 5+54 to Derby Castle at 15.55
With car 5+54 to Ramsey at 19.40, saw Maria+61 at Ramsey
With car 5+54 to Douglas at 21.40
MER allocations: Horse Car:
D1 6+42 36
D2 22+41 45
D3 20+54* 2+60 (from 16.10)
D4 7+60**
D5 9+48
D6 1+49
Spl 1: 14+51
Spl 2: 34
UDE: 16
* Ran a hot box, recovered to Laxey Car Sheds sidings by 12.40, 5 retrieved trailer and took over D4 diagram from 16.40
** 7+60 took over D3 diagram, later replaced by 2+60
Saturday 29th July
Heritage Railway Festival day 7
Intensive service on MER
With 32+62+v16 to Ramsey at 8.40
Car tripped three times before Onchan Head. Terminated at Laxey due to compressor problems, so:
With 7+26 to Douglas at 9.55
With 14+w10 to Groudle at 11.10
With 6+60 to South Cape at 12.20
MER and Snaefell Cavalcade at Laxey
14.00 onwards
MER and SMR cars paraded through the station in numerical order and with a commentary by Charles Guard and Alex Brindley. Very impressive sight.
Back to the intensive service trams:
With car 22+41 to Ramsey at 15.25
With car 34+48 to Douglas at 18.10
With car 9+42 to Laxey Car Sheds at 20.40
With car 1+49 to Derby Castle at 22.25
MER allocations: Additionals at Cavalcade: SMR:
D1 32+62+v16* D5 1+49 D9 6+60 33+52 1
D2 34+48 D6 14+w10 D10 9+42 2
D3 20+58 D7 2+51 D11 16+59 4
D4 22+41 D8 5+19+v4 D12 21 5
L 7+26
* failed with compressor problems at Laxey first trip. Not used in service again
Sunday 30th July
Heritage Railway Festival day 8: The finale
Horse trams
Round trip with Alec and car 36 at 10.08
Intensive service on MER
With car 5+49 to Groudle at 10.40
With 5+49 to Laxey at 13.50
Transferred to the Snaefell Mountain Railway
With car 4 to the summit at 14.15
Walked to the summit to enjoy the views.
With car 1 to Laxey at 15.20
With car 5+49 again to Derby Castle at 15.55
MER allocations: Horse Car: SMR:
D1 22+60 36 1
D2 20+54 45 2
D3 1+42 18* 4
D4 14
D5 5+49
D6 34+48
D7 16+59
D8 6+41
D9 2+51
D10 7+44
D11 ? Almost certainly didn’t run
L 9+36
* One round trip at 12.30 using two horses
Car 33 was not used on passenger services throughout the event. It is currently with the poles & wires gang and restricted to 10mph running due to worn wheelsets. It will be replaced as p&w car by car 34 after the event, receiving new wheelsets due late August. It will then be refreshed over the winter for a return to the passenger fleet next year.
* Photos from this period can be viewed here.