IsLe of WIGHt’s cHatHam carrIaGe aPPeaL raIses £150,000

A £200,000 appeal to repair three SECR coaches at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway is three quarters of the way to its target, with £150,000 raised. The vehicles – Brake Thirds Nos. 4145 and 4149, and Composite No. 6375 – had been withdrawn from service because of corroded underframes, as a result of operating on Ryde Pier in steam days. Following contract repairs at Tenby and Llangollen respectively, the underframes of Nos. 4149 and 6375 have been shipped back to the island, where No. 4149 will be the first to be reunited with its body and returned to traffic. However, with No. 4145 requiring the same attention, more donations will be welcomed at www.iwsteamrailway.co.uk/ make-a-donation.aspx or at The Railway Station, Havenstreet, Isle of Wight PO33 4DS, marked ‘Chatham Carriages Appeal’ and with cheques made payable to ‘Isle of Wight Railway Co. Ltd’. The resulting stock shortage left the railway with only one serviceable bogie brake coach (LBSCR Brake Third No. 4168) and the rake of bogie stock had to be strengthened with three four‑wheel coaches earlier this year while its highest capacity carriage, LBSCR Third No. 2416, had its wheelsets replaced. Channel 4’s five‑part documentary featuring the IoWSR’s 1864‑built Oldbury four‑wheel Composite No. 10 was screened on June 13. As revealed in SR474, it is one of four coaches restored especially for the programme in just six months; for more, see pages 42‑49. The IoWSR’s other specific appeal – for £40,000, to reinstate demonstration goods facilities at the Wootton terminus – has also reached a milestone with £25,000 raised. Donations can also be made via the above addresses.