Trailer No.53 inside the Derby Castle Top Shed, March 2016 © David Martin
| CURRENT STATUS AND LOCATION | YEAR LAST OPERATED | LIVERY |
| Stored, Derby Castle Car Shed | 1978 | Red/White/Teak |
History:
Trailer No.53 was the fifth trailer built for the Manx Electric Railway in a batch of six delivered in 1893 by G.F Milnes of Birkenhead, as No.15. It was renumbered in 1895 to No.27 with the intended construction of the 14-18 series, No.32 in 1898 with the anticipation of the 24-27 trailer rebuilds, and finally No.53 in 1903/04 with the anticipation of the construction of the 1906 motors. It was rebuilt with a canvas roof in 1894/95 from it’s condition as a fully open trailer, and rebuilt again in 1903 with a curved wooden roof.
A post-war rebuild in the 1940s saw higher glazed end bulkheads added. No.53 was still available for summer work until July 1978, until it was withdrawn from service and permanently stored in Laxey Car Shed. The Trailer was one of four offered for sale by the M.E.R during 1978, however no successful bids were received.
It was moved from there for further storage at the Homefield Bus Garage in Upper Douglas in May 2002, returning to the M.E.R in November 2009. No.53 is now stored on trucks at Derby Castle Car Sheds, pending further decisions on its future.
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