Mannin Likely to Miss the Party

A unique steam engine that was earmarked for a return to service after over 50 years is unlikely to be ready in time for next year’s 150th anniversary celebrations.

A non-standard locomotive built in 1926, number 16 ‘Mannin’ was the last and largest engine supplied to the island by Manchester-based manufacturer Beyer Peacock.

The locomotive was removed from the museum in Port Erin in 2020, the first time it had been moved in at least 20 years.

This followed former transport chief Ian Longworth telling Heritage Railway magazine that he wanted to see it back in steam in time for 50th anniversary of the opening of the Douglas to Peel line in 2023.

However, when a recent FoI (surprisingly not from Gef) asked the DoI for an update on the engine, the DoI said: ‘The initial schedule has been impacted by the lockdowns and other priorities. Any delivery schedule is constrained by the budget available and the costs to complete; therefore, it is not expected that the locomotive will return to service in spring 2023.’

It also revealed that £169,898 has been spent on the scheme so far.