A troublesome diesel loco, dubbed The Cabbage, is back on the tracks - with a view to eventually getting it back into service on the Steam Railway.

A Freedom of Information response has revealed that significant works have been carried out on loco no.21 over the last year.

These works have included the replacement of a cracked axle and repairs to the wheelset and gearbox.

No.21 has now been lifted back onto its bogies and is stored under canvas on a siding at Douglas railway workshops.

The machine remains out of service ‘pending recommissioning plans’, says the Department of Infrastructure in its response.

Works planned for the next 12 months include inspection of electrical and electronic equipment and recommissioning.

The FoI request asked for details of how much had been spent on each locomotive on the Steam Railway but no breakdown is given for The Cabbage.

A total of £195,202 has been spent on all locos in the fleet since November last year. Budget for works planned on no.21 over the next 12 months is listed as ‘not fixed’.

Isle of Man Railways chief engineer Andrew Cowie acknowledged that ‘ultimately it was not ideal for our needs’.

He said: ‘It’s a low priority. I’d like it get it back running because it’s all there but only as a “high days and holidays” and emergencies use.

‘There’s still a case for it. For example, if we got to the point where we couldn’t run the steam locos in the summer because it was very dry, it’s there as a back-up. It’s useful as an emergency recovery vehicle.’

The machine was first delivered in December 2013, having been manufactured by an American firm using reconditioned second-hand parts.

It had been purchased for £420,000 to pull commuter, dining and maintenance trains as well as acting as a shunter and recovery loco. It was claimed it would save £40,000 a year in running costs.

Transport bosses had originally planned to buy a brand new machine but did not have the budget or the political backing.

But from the get-go no.21 was plagued by a catalogue of technical problems and has spent much of the last decade out of action.

A total of £287,000 has been expended trying to fix the problems - taking the total to £707,800 including purchase price. An FoI response in 2023 suggested another £40,000 was needed to get it operational.

American manufacturer Motive Power and Equipment Solutions went into liquidation after filing for bankruptcy in 2022.

The Department of Infrastructure’s latest FoI response also gives details of works carried out and pending on steam loco Mannin, which was removed from display at Port Erin museum in 2019 with a view to returning it to service.

Over the past year, Mannin has been undergoing boiler and heavy overhaul work in the UK.

A twisted frame has been straightened, a new smokebox manufactured and the boiler fitted to the frames. Reassembly as a rolling chassis will begin over the next 12 months.