Manx Steam Railway Locomotives

The Manx Peacocks:

It is a common mistake to believe that the fifteen Beyer, Peacock Bissell-truck 2-4-0 Tank Locomotives of the Isle of Man railways were unique.  Their origins stem from a class of 2-4-0 locomotive built by Beyer, Peacock in 1862 for the Tudela & Bilbao Railway, a broad gauge Spanish concern which was opened in 1863, a full ten years before the Isle of Man Railway Company's line from Douglas to Peel.  The combination of leading Bissell truck with cylinders inclined at 1 in 9 above was consolidated into a distinctive 2-4-0 Tank design for the Norwegian State Railways (NSR) which operated an extensive 3 ft 6 in gauge system and had purchased locomotives from a number of other suppliers without satisfaction.

The initial two locomotives to the new design were delivered in 1866 to become known as the 'Tryggve' class, or NSR type IV.  A further seven locomotives had been delivered by the end of 1871.  This was the design from which the initial locomotives for the 3 ft gauge Isle of man Railway were derived and photographs indicated an extraordinary similarity.

In total, twenty-five of the 'Tryggve' class were supplied to the NSR, five of which latterly became equipped with tenders for extra water and coal supplies.  Six truncated lightweight versions (NSR type III) were also built and supplied by Beyer, Peacock, whilst a modified type V was built under license in Sweden.  In total, forty-one 2-4-0T locomotives of what has become known as the "Manx Peacock" stable were to run on Norwegian tracks.

A further two locomotives of an almost identical pattern to the early Isle of Man engines were supplied by Beyer, Peacock in 1877 & 1888 to the Ballymena & Larne Railway which was similarly laid to a gauge of 3 feet.  A further five 2-4-0T locomotives were supplied somewhat further afield to South America and Australia.  With an extra set of driving wheels, a 2-6-0 Saddle Tank version was built in 1880, again for the Ballymena & Larne Railway whilst eight 2-6-2 Tank versions were supplied to a Spanish concern.  It would seem that in all, 63 Bissell-truck 2-4-0 Tank Locomotives to the "Manx Peacock" design or similar were built or licensed by Beyer, Peacock from 1866 until 1926.

The Sharpies:
(Under research)

Caledonia:
(Under research)

The Railcars:
(Under research)

Manx Steam Railway Locomotives

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