VINTAGE VECTIS: ‘A1X’ BOWS OUT on seVen-coach sPectacuLaR
Restored LBSCR carriage provides the finishing touch to thrilling double-headed ‘Terrier’ finale.
Vintage locomotives and carriages with a combined age of 1,711 years took centre stage at an impromptu Isle of Wight gala. The restoration of a seventh four-wheel carriage presented the opportunity for the island’s steam railway to field three unique trains of pre-Grouping carriages, complemented by its in-house trio of Victorian engines. Furthermore, the debut of LBSCR Brake Third No. 4115, with its varnish barely dry, enabled the first run of what will become a regular seven-coach train of four-wheel carriages, comprised of vehicles that date back to 1864. The Stroudley carriage has been painstakingly rebuilt from its post-withdrawal bungalow state over a five-year period, including provision of a modified Southern van underframe. It last carried passengers in 1931.
Turned out in Maunsell-era olive green, No. 4115 and its matching rake were coupled to the Isle of Wight Steam Railway’s pair of ‘Terriers’, Nos. W8 Freshwater and W11 (Newport), which double-headed the last train of each day of the ‘All Island Locos Together’ weekend.
It was the first opportunity to run the 1920s-1930s ensemble, but also the last, because the August 4/5 event was the final public appearance for Freshwater before overhaul. When the ‘A1X’ emerges from its forthcoming ABOVE MIDDLE: Rush hour at Havenstreet! Two generations of Isle of Wight railway history meet on August 4, as Freshwater shunts its train of four-wheel carriages into Griffin’s Field, while Calbourne takes charge of the Edwardian-era stock in the headshunt.
overhaul, it will be turned out in post-war Malachite green, in the style of scrapped classmate No. W13 Carisbrooke (SR481). Freshwater will, however, be kept on standby in case another locomotive fails, before it is stripped down in September. That will follow one last steaming to test its new injectors.
The availability of a second brake carriage meant that the IoWSR was able to field two dedicated trains of four-wheel carriages prior to being assembled into a seven-coach set. Unusually playing second fiddle was celebrity ‘O2’ No. W24 Calbourne, which hauled four of the younger Brighton bogie carriages. Passenger figures were not available as Steam Railway went to press, although initial indications are that it was a commercial success, despite the fact that the gala was not advertised in the IoWSR’s 2018 timetable brochure. ●● The IoWSR’s 2017-restored Isle of Wight Railway Oldbury composite No. 10 will provide additional capacity with the seven other four-wheelers.
The varnished teak coach was restored for Channel 4’s Great Rail Restorations series (SR481).