IoM. 1963/08/28, 01. The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company handled most of the sailings from the mainland, with regular routes from Liverpool and Heysham. Here, SS "King Orry" is arriving at Douglas with a trip from Liverpool. During summer months there were also sailings from Llandudno, which is the route we took, aboard SS "Tynwald". Wednesday 28th August 1963.

IoM. 1963/08/28, 02. Isle of Man Railway Beyer, Peacock 2-4-0T No. 11 "Maitland" simmers just off the end of the platforms at Douglas station on a glorious summer's day, Wednesday 28th August 1963. This photo taken on Kodak "Ektachrome" film - interesting to compare with the others on Gevacolor film!

IoM. 1963/08/28, 03. Snaefell Mountain Railway tram No.2 at the lower station at Laxey, alongside the Manx Electric Railway from Douglas to Ramsey. The six trams of the SMR were built in 1895 by G. F. Milnes for the opening of the line and are still in service today, though No. 5 was rebuilt after a fire in 1970. The 3' 6" gauge line runs from here to the 2,036 feet summit of Snaefell, and is fitted with the Fell system centre rail for additional braking. This is largely made redundant by the more recent fitting of rheostatic braking but the equipment is still in place. The trams no longer carry the large signs on the roof! The line was taken over by the Manx Government in 1957 and a rather drab green & cream livery introduced, but the trams were later re-liveried in MER style, as seen on No. 2. The trams have bow collectors for the overhead 550v DC system and the line is now the only operational railway in the world using the Fell system. Wednesday 28th August 1963.

IoM. 1963/08/28, 04. Dating back to the opening of the Manx Electric Railway in 1893, G. F. Milnes built tram No. 1 sits alongside the depot at Laxey, between duties. This car and No. 2, built at the same time, still survive in service today! Wednesday 28th August 1963.

IoM. 1963/08/28, 05. Manx Electric Railway tram No. 9 has a "toastrack" trailer in tow as it arrives in Laxey from Ramsey, en route to Douglas, passing Car No. 1 outside the depot. Wednesday 28th August 1963.

IoM. 1963/08/28, 06. Snaefell Mountain Railway tram No. 6 has just departed from Laxey station for the ascent to the summit (2,036 feet above sea level), the centre rail of the Fell system (used for braking purposes) clearly visible. Unusually, the normal way of working here is right-hand running on the 3' 6" gauge line. The tram is carrying the new red, cream and varnished teak livery which replaced the 1957 green & cream. Wednesday 28th August 1963.

IoM. 1963/08/28, 07. Snaefell Mountain Railway tram No. 4 descends from the summit and is now approaching the terminus at Laxey, alongside the Manx Electric Railway tracks. No. 4 was the sole remaining tram carrying the rather drab green and cream livery introduced in 1957, all the others carrying the replacement red livery similar to the MER trams. Wednesday 28th August 1963.

IoM. 1963/08/28, 08. SMR tram No. 4 was the last of the six on the line to carry the rather drab 1957 livery of green & cream, soon to carry the more attractive MER style livery. One of six built by G. F. Milnes in 1895 for the 3' 6" gauge line, all survive to this day, though No. 5 was rebuilt after a fire in 1970. No. 4 stands at the line's lower terminus at Laxey, alongside the MER station. Wednesday 28th August 1963.

IoM. 1963/08/28, 09. Isle of Man Railway Beyer Peacock 2-4-0T No. 8 "Fenella" draws empty stock out of the platform at Douglas on the afternoon of Wednesday 28th August 1963. This photo taken on Gevacolor film, now very badly faded but rescued in "Photoshop"!

IoM. 1963/08/28, 10. Isle of Man Railway Beyer Peacock 2-4-0T No. 10 "G.H. Wood" brews up in the sunshine between Douglas shed and the station, Wednesday 28th August 1963. This photo taken on Gevacolor film, now very badly faded but rescued in "Photoshop"!

IoM. 1963/08/28, 11. Isle of Man Railway Beyer Peacock 2-4-0T No. 10 "G.H.Wood" is getting ready for its next train at Douglas station, while No. 8 "Fenella" simmers in the background, Wednesday 28th August 1963. This photo taken on Gevacolor film, now very badly faded but rescued in "Photoshop"!

IoM. 1968/09/xx, 01. Isle of Man Railway Beyer, Peacock 2-4-0T No. 12 "Hutchinson" shunts some ancient wagons around at Douglas station yard, September 1968. It is carrying green livery, lined black & white.

IoM. 1968/09/xx, 02. Isle of Man Railway Beyer, Peacock 2-4-0T No. 12 "Hutchinson" shunts some ancient wagons around at Douglas station yard, September 1968. It is carrying green livery, lined black & white.

IoM. 1968/09/xx, 03. Isle of Man Railway Beyer, Peacock 2-4-0T No. 12 "Hutchinson" shunts some ancient wagons around at Douglas station yard, September 1968. It is carrying green livery, lined black & white.

IoM. 1968/09/xx, 04. Isle of Man Railway Beyer, Peacock 2-4-0T No. 12 "Hutchinson" shunts some ancient wagons around at Douglas station yard, September 1968. It is carrying green livery, lined black & white.

IoM. 1968/09/xx, 05. Isle of Man Railway Beyer, Peacock 2-4-0T No. 12 "Hutchinson" shunts some ancient wagons around at Douglas station yard, September 1968. It is carrying green livery, lined black & white.

IoM. 1968/09/xx, 06. Isle of Man Railway Beyer, Peacock 2-4-0T No. 12 "Hutchinson" is about to go off-shed at Douglas to make its way to the station for its next duty. It is carrying the "Spring Green" livery introduced after the railway re-opened under the patronage of the Marquess of Ailsa. September 1968.

IoM. 1968/09/xx, 07. Inside the engine shed at Douglas station on the Isle of Man Railway in September 1968. The railway had been closed a while earlier but was resurrected under the patronage of the Marquess of Ailsa. Working locos were repainted in "Spring Green" livery with black and white lining, and four are in the shed here. Sadly, the only one identifiable is No. 4 "Loch", I didn't make a note of the others. All are 2-4-0Ts from Beyer, Peacock in Manchester.

IoM. 1968/09/xx, 08. Isle of Man Railway Beyer, Peacock 2-4-0T No. 12 "Hutchinson" works off-shed at Douglas to make its way to the station for its next duty. It is carrying the "Spring Green" livery introduced after the railway re-opened under the patronage of the Marquess of Ailsa. September 1968.

IoM. 1968/09/xx, 09. Manx Electric Railway tram No. 9, together with a "Toastrack" trailer, sits in the northern terminus of the line at Ramsey awaiting departure time for Laxey and Douglas. Boxvan No. 16 sits in the headshunt alongside. September 1968.

IoM. 1968/09/xx, 10. The Ramsey terminus of the Manx Northern Railway had just closed for the second and final time on 6th September 1968 - it had previously been closed from November 1965 but reopened in 1967 under the patronage of the Marquess of Ailsa, alas without success. The station had originally opened in September 1879 and there was a branch to the dockside until the mid 1950s. In this view the track still looks used and some stock is scattered around the site, the whole approach controlled by a woundrous semaphore signal. The track was lifted in 1974 and the site is now covered by a supermarket.

IoW. 01. 1969/07/xx. One of the delights of the islands was the sea crossing - short in the case of the Isle of Wight, but with luck you would get to sail on one of the paddle steamers which lasted until the end of the 1960's. One of the SR built paddle steamers PS "RYDE" arrives at Ryde Pier Head with a sailing from Portsmouth and Southsea, July 1969.

IoW. 02. 1969/07/xx. The line from Smallbrook Junction to Cowes was closed from 1966, together with the line from Shanklin to Ventnor, and the remains from Ryde to Shanklin electrified. In traditional fashion, however, the trains used were hardly new! Here, former LT 1925 built tube stock formed a train to Shanklin departing from Ryde Pier Head in July 1969.

IoW. 03. 1964/08/30. On a beautiful summer's afternoon, Ryde Pier Head station hosts the 15:28 departure for Ventnor with W14 "Fishbourne" at its head, raring to go with a good head of steam. The rest of the four platform station is deserted apart from a lone spare coach. The tracks in the foreground are the pier tramway - sadly I never took a picture of the vehicles that operated on this. Sunday 30th August 1964.

IoW. 04. 1964/09/03. O2 No. W31 "Chale" was one of the engines fitted with a Drummond boiler (with the safety valves on the dome), and is here waiting to depart from Ryde Pier Head with the 16:08 train to Ventnor on the afternoon of Thursday 3rd September 1964.

IoW. 05. 1964/08/30, 1. Ex-LSWR O2 Class 0-4-4T No. W14 "Fishbourne" starts its train away from a busy Ryde Pier Head station, the 15:28 to Ventnor, while another O2 runs round its train to form a working to Cowes. PS "Ryde" has recently arrived with a sailing from Southsea, the paddle steamer then in BR Southern Region livery with yellow funnel. In the foreground is the pier tramway, then still in operation. Sunday 30th August 1964.

IoW. 06. 1964/08/30, 2. O2 Class 0-4-4T No. W24 "Calbourne" drifts into Ryde Esplanade station at the landward end of Ryde Pier, having just left Pier Head with the 14:28 train to Ventnor on a glorious sunny day, Sunday 30th August 1964. This engine is the sole survivor of the class and is now undergoing another rebuild at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway based at Haven Street. The engines didn't carry the "W" prefix to their numbers, except on a small numberplate on the rear of the bunker!

IoW. 07. 1964/09/02. LSWR "O2" Class 0-4-4T No. W14 "Fishbourne" pauses at Ryde Esplanade station en route to Pier Head with the 17:20 train from Ventnor on the lovely evening of Wednesday 2nd September 1964.

IoW. 08. 1964/08/30, 3. O2 Class 0P 0-4-4T No. W35 "Freshwater" stands at Ryde Esplanade station with the 14:34 train from Ryde Pier Head to Cowes. It is hot on the heels of W24 "Calbourne" with the 14:28 train to Ventnor and is now having to wait the road. Sunday 30th August 1964.

IoW. 09. 1964/09/01. LSWR "O2" Class 0-4-4T No. W35 "Freshwater" sets off down the grade to the tunnel from Ryde Esplanade station with the 15:34 train from Ryde Pier Head to Cowes on Tuesday 1st September 1964.

IoW. 10. 1964/08/30. Seen from the station footbridge under the roadbridge across the station, "O2" No. W35 "Freshwater" approaches Ryde St. John's Road station with the 12:34 train from Ryde Pier Head to Cowes, as designated by the two supposedly white discs on the bufferbeam. Sunday 30th August 1964.

IoW. 11. 1964/08/30. A couple of "O2" Class 0-4-4Ts simmer on shed at Ryde St. John's Road between duties, on the left is No. W16 "Ventnor", while on the right is W21 "Sandown", on a lovely summer's day, Sunday 30th August 1964.

IoW. 12. 1964/08/30. "O2" Class 0-4-4T No. W16 "Ventnor" simmers on shed at Ryde St. John's Road, while its fire gets some attention between duties on Sunday 30th August 1964.

IoW. 13. 1964/08/30. Tankside of ex-LSWR "O2" Class 0P 0-4-4T No. W30 "Shorwell" on shed at Ryde St. John's Road MPD, Isle of Wight, showing the nameplate and BR later style crest, colloquially named the "Ferret & Dartboard". Sunday 30th August 1964.

IoW. 14. 1964/09/01. W14 "Fishbourne" is carrying a single white disc on the top lamp bracket, denoting a train for Ventnor, this is the 10:28 from Ryde Pier Head between Ryde St. John's Road station and Smallbrook Junction on Tuesday 1st September 1964. During the busy summer months when Smallbrook Junction signalbox was manned, this section was operated as double track, in quieter periods when it was not necessary for the signalbox to be open, this section was operated as two single tracks, one for the Ventnor line and one for the Cowes line.

IoW. 15. 1964/09/01. On the section between Ryde St. John's Road station and Smallbrook Junction, W28 "Ashey" will crossover when it reaches the junction as it is in charge of the 10:34 train from Ryde Pier Head to Cowes, though strangely it is not carrying any headcode discs at all! Tuesday 1st September 1964.

IoW. 16. 1964/08/30. The fireman of No. W17 "Seaview" gets ready to give up the single line token to the signalman at Brading station as the train comes off the single line section from Smallbrook Junction - the line was then double south to Sandown. This is the 10:28 train from Ryde Pier Head to Ventnor on Sunday 30th August 1964. The engine is not exactly clean and has a badly burnt smokebox door, so perhaps not in the best of health!

IoW. 17. 1964/08/31. 0-4-4T Class O2 No. W16 "Ventnor" has just set off from Brading station on the double track section towards Sandown with the 09:28 Ryde Pier Head to Ventnor train on the lovely morning of Monday 31st August 1964. Note the unfenced public footpath from a local road to the station!

IoW. 18. 1964/09/02. 0-4-4T No. W18 "Ningwood" approaching Sandown station with the 09:28 train from Ryde Pier Head to Ventnor on Wednesday 2nd September 1964. Various disused tracks can be seen in the foreground, part of the former goods yard, while beyond the far side of the train the remains of the former Isle of Wight Central Railway line to Merstone can be seen.

IoW. 19. 1962/09/07. Seen from a Ventnor to Ryde train entering Shanklin station, O2 Class 0-4-4T No. W36 "Carisbrooke" is waiting to depart for Wroxall and Ventnor. Friday 7th September 1962.

IoW. 20. 1964/08/29, 1. O2 No. W22 "Brading" has just about breasted the climb from Shanklin but is still working hard with a nice clean fire. It is in charge of the 11:28 train from Ryde Pier Head to Ventnor, now well on its way to Wroxall. In the far background the white outcrop of Culver Cliffs marks the northern side of Sandown Bay. Saturday 29th August 1964.

IoW. 21. 1964/08/29, 2. O2 Class 0-4-4T No. W30 "Shorwell" has just about reached the top of the climb from Shanklin en route to Wroxall and Ventnor whilst working duty No. 4. This is the 11:08 departure from Ryde Pier Head to Ventnor on Saturday 29th August 1964.

IoW. 22. 1964/08/29, 3. O2 0-4-4T No. W16 "Ventnor" is returning from the town of the same name with the 11:40 train to Ryde Pier Head, seen here between Wroxall and Shanklin on Saturday 29th August 1964.

IoW. 23. 1964/08/29, 4. O2 No. W30 "Shorwell" now returns from Ventnor with the 12:20 train for Ryde Pier Head, passing the grazing cattle between Wroxall and Shanklin. Saturday 29th August 1964.

IoW. 24. 1964/09/02. O2 Class 0-4-4T No. W21 "Sandown" has arrived at Ventnor station with the 11:28 train from Ryde Pier Head and is now taking water in the course of running round its train, before returning to Ryde as the 12:40 departure. There is still plenty of evidence of coal traffic to the merchant in the station yard, also storage areas in the caves in the cliffside. The tunnel through Boniface Down can just be seen to the left of the coach in the platform. Wednesday 2nd September 1964.

IoW. 25. 1964/09/01. O2 class 0-4-4T No. W22 "Brading" has recently passed Smallbrook Junction where the Cowes Line diverges from the Ventnor line, and is now passing the distant signal for the junction. It is heading for Cowes with the 11:34 train from Ryde Pier Head on Tuesday 1st September 1964. This stretch is now part of the Isle of Wight Steam Railway.

IoW. 26. 1964/08/31. Working bunkerfirst back from Cowes with the 10:24 train to Ryde Pier Head, No. W22 "Brading" drifts towards Ashey station for its next stop on a lovely summer morning, Monday 31st August 1964.

IoW. 27. 1964/08/31. O2 No. W22 "Brading" rattles down the grade from Whippingham station (long closed) towards Newport with the 11:34 train from Ryde Pier Head to Cowes on Monday 31st August 1964.

IoW. 28. 1964/09/03, 1. O2 Class 0-4-4T No. W20 "Shanklin" crossing the bridge over the River Medina at Newport with the 10:34 train from Ryde Pier Head to Cowes as it approaches Newport station. The bridge originally had an opening section for river traffic and was double track, also carrying the line from Newport to Ventnor West, but reduced to single track when this line closed. Thursday 3rd September 1964.

IoW. 29. 1964/09/03, 2. The daily (Monday to Friday) goods train from Medina Wharf to Ryde St. John's Road crosses the River Medina bridge soon after passing through Newport station with its load of coal wagons. The train is hauled by O2 0-4-4T No. W35 "Freshwater". The bridge originally had an opening section for river traffic to pass and was double track while it also carried the line from Newport to Ventnor West. The second track was removed after closure of this line, as can be seen by the bricked up section on the abutment on the left of the picture. Thursday 3rd September 1964.

IoW. 30. 1964/08/29. O2 class 0P 0-4-4T No. W22 "Brading" has the signal "off" to depart from Newport station with the 09:34 train from Ryde Pier Head to Cowes on Saturday 29th August 1964.

IoW. 31. 1964/08/29. O2 class 0P 0-4-4T No. W22 "Brading" has the signal "off" and the "rightaway" from the Guard to depart from Newport station with the 09:34 train from Ryde Pier Head to Cowes on Saturday 29th August 1964.

IoW. 32. 1964/09/03, 1. O2 class 0-4-4T No. W20 "Shanklin" slows down with its train for the speed limit over the steel girder bridge south of Cement Mills Halt. The train is the 11:24 from Cowes to Ryde Pier Head, heading for Newport. Thursday 3rd September 1964. This part of the line is now a cycleway and footpath.

IoW. 33. 1964/09/03, 2. W22 "Brading" arrives at Cowes station with the 11:34 train from Ryde Pier Head and then conducts the "gravity run-round". Initially the train ran to the bufferstops to allow passengers off, then the engine propelled the stock out beyond the engine release crossover which can be seen between the tracks. The handbrake on the coaches was applied while the loco ran forward and across the points to run-round, the brake on the stock in the meantime being released so that the stock ran by gravity back to the bufferstops, chased by the engine! Thursday 3rd September 1964.

IoW. 34. 1964/09/03, 3. No. W22 "Brading" is just performing the "gravity run-round" at Cowes station. Because of restricted space the engine release points were well back up the platform, so the engine propelled the empty stock past the turnout and the handbrake was applied on the coaches. The engine then ran round while the handbrake was released on the stock which then ran by gravity to the bufferstops. The engine then followed the stock and recoupled ready for departure. This is the 12:24 train to Ryde Pier Head on Thursday 3rd September 1964.

IoW. 35. 1964/09/03. No. W22 "Brading" has just performed the "gravity run-round" at Cowes station. Because of restricted space the engine release points were well back up the platform, so the engine propelled the empty stock past the turnout and the handbrake was applied on the coaches. The engine then ran round while the handbrake was released on the stock which then ran by gravity to the bufferstops. The engine then followed the stock and recoupled ready for departure. This is the 12:24 train to Ryde Pier Head on Thursday 3rd September 1964.