Manx Electric Railway Online

Trailer 55 inside Derby Castle Car Shed, July 2025 © Dave Martin

History
Trailer No.55 was built in 1904 by the Electric Railway and Tramway Carriage Company of Preston alongside Cars 28-31 and designed to match, mounted on Brill 27CxT trucks. It remained pretty constant in traffic from construction with regular partner Car No.25, and was repainted into Silver livery to mark the silver jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1977 (and curiously also renumbered to 25!), returning to normal M.E.R Red/White/Teak shortly after.

No.55 was stored in 1995, but gained a short running reprieve in 1997 due to a lack of operational standard 40-48 series Trailers. It was stored at Laxey Car Shed at the end of the year, moved to Ramsey Car Shed via Derby Castle during the exodus in June 2002, moving back to Derby Castle Car Sheds during the Autumn of the same year, and juggled again to Ramsey Car Shed in July 2003, eventually moved and stored at Derby Castle Car Sheds during August 2008.

During Spring/Summer 2012 No.55 was stripped of it’s trucks, and mounted on wooden blocks in the Derby Castle Bottom Shed. After a number of years, it was remounted on a spare pair of Brush ‘D’ bogies and restoration commenced. This is taking place as and when workshop time permits.

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