Historic Isle of Man Railway coach returns home after 50 years

Steam Railway Supporters’ Association will oversee eventual restoration.

The oldest surviving bogie coach from the Isle of Man Railway’s original 1876 order has returned to Manx soil after nearly half a century away.

Coach F6, built by Brown, Marshalls of Birmingham, is the sole survivor from the railway’s first batch of bogie carriages. 

Withdrawn in the 1970s, it narrowly escaped scrapping thanks to enthusiasts Peter Rampton and Nigel Bowman who struck a deal with a Belfast scrap dealer in 1974 and shipped the coach to England.

Since then, F6 had been in storage as part of Rampton’s famous “Collection X” with the Vale of Rheidol Railway acting as custodian following his death. 

Unlike its sister coach F68, now restored and on display in Aberystwyth, F6 was never part of the operational fleet.

Earlier this month, the coach was transferred to the Isle of Man Steam Railway Supporters’ Association (IoMSRSA) who will oversee its preservation and eventual restoration.

Managing Director of the Vale of Rheidol Railway Llyr ap Iolo says “We are delighted to see Coach F6 return home. 

"Though it was never operated by the Vale of Rheidol, we recognised its value and were proud to support its preservation"

Secretary of the IoMSRSA Grant Taylor says: “Coach F6 is a unique link to the early days of Manx rail travel. We look forward to bringing it back to life.”