View source for Isle of Man – Centenary of Steam Railway – 1973

{{#vardefine:stamp-count|0}}

{{FDC issue
|fdc-image=IM-Centenary-of-Steam-Railway-1973-FDC.jpg
|fdc-back-image=N/A
|country=Isle of Man
|country-code=[[wikipedia:en:Isle of Man|IM]]
|issue-title=Centenary of Steam Railway
|issue-date=4 August 1973
|withdrawn-date=3 August 1974 (SG 35–38 withdrawn from sale)
|quantity-sold=
|sold-out=
|year=1973
|stamp-type=[[wikipedia:en:Commemorative stamp|Commemorative stamp]]
|stamp-subtype=Anniversary
|theme=Steam railways; railway centenary; locomotives
|text-credit=
|designer=J. H. Nicholson, R.I.
|printer=[[wikipedia:en:Harrison and Sons|Harrison & Sons (High Wycombe) Ltd.]]
|printing-process=[[wikipedia:en:Photogravure|Photogravure]]
|colours=Multicoloured; five colours
|paper-gum=White postage stamp paper with Harrison & Sons coating; PVA adhesive
|perforation=15 × 14
|stamp-dimensions=
|issue-format=Four stamps, each issued in sheets of 50 (catalogue notation: 5 × 10)
|cover-type=Official [[wikipedia:en:First day of issue|first day cover]]
|cover-producer=[[wikipedia:en:Isle of Man Post Office|Isle of Man Post Office Authority]]
|cover-reference=
|limited-edition=No
|edition-limit=
|copy-number=
|cachet=Isle of Man Railway Company emblem incorporating a steam locomotive and the Three Legs of Man, with an ornate red and gold surround; railway centenary wording and the dates 1873 and 1973
|addressed=No
|postmark-type=Circular first day of issue handstamp
|postmark-location=[[wikipedia:en:Douglas, Isle of Man|Douglas, Isle of Man]]
|postmark-date=4 August 1973
|postmark-inscription=FIRST DAY OF ISSUE / - 4 AUG 1973 / DOUGLAS / ISLE OF MAN
|postmark-notes=One circular strike overlaps all four stamps. The cover is unaddressed.
|postmark-image=IM-Centenary-of-Steam-Railway-1973-postmark.jpg
|postmark-additional-image-1=
|postmark-additional-image-2=
|signed=No
|signed-by=
|signature-details=
|information-sheet=Yes
|information-materials=Double-sided information card
|information-sheet-title=Isle of Man Railway
|information-sheet-image=IM-Centenary-of-Steam-Railway-1973-information-card-front.jpg
|information-sheet-back-image=IM-Centenary-of-Steam-Railway-1973-information-card-back.jpg
|information-sheet-notes=The front gives a history of the railway. The reverse describes the four locomotives and provides technical details of the stamp issue.
|authenticity-certificate=No
|authenticity-certificate-image=
|authenticity-certificate-back-image=
|fdc-owned=Yes
|condition=
|collection-comment=Owned. Unaddressed official cover with all four stamps, a Douglas first day cancellation and a double-sided information card. No reverse cover image is provided.
}}

The '''Centenary of Steam Railway''' issue was released by the Isle of Man on 4 August 1973. It comprised four commemorative stamps depicting locomotives associated with the [[wikipedia:en:Isle of Man Railway|Isle of Man Railway]] and the [[wikipedia:en:Manx Northern Railway|Manx Northern Railway]]. Stanley Gibbons catalogues the stamps as SG 35–38 and lists a first day cover for the issue.<ref name="SG2022-railway">{{Cite Catalogue
|author=Stanley Gibbons
|title=Channel Islands and Isle of Man 2022 Edition Stamp Catalogue
|edition=31st combined edition
|publisher=Stanley Gibbons
|year=2022
|section=Isle of Man
|page=199
|catalogue=Stanley Gibbons
|catalogue-number=35–38
|isbn=978-1-911304-89-0
|notes=Place of publication: Ringwood.
}}</ref>

The centenary commemorated the opening of the railway's Douglas–Peel line on 1 July 1873. That date is recorded both on the accompanying information card and in the railway's official anniversary guide.<ref name="railway-card">{{Cite
|title=Isle of Man Railway
|type=Information card
|reference=[[:File:IM-Centenary-of-Steam-Railway-1973-information-card-front.jpg|Front scan]]; [[:File:IM-Centenary-of-Steam-Railway-1973-information-card-back.jpg|reverse scan]]
|notes=Double-sided information card accompanying the owned official first day cover. The stamp issue date is printed as 4 August 1973; a separate publication date is not given.
}}</ref><ref name="railway-anniversary">{{Cite
|title=Year of the Railways 2023: Commemorative Souvenir Event Guide
|type=Event guide
|publisher=Isle of Man Transport
|year=2023
|url=https://www.visitisleofman.com/downloads/dmsimgs/iom-year-of-the-railways-2023-event-program_7760176.pdf
|access-date=3 October 2026
}}</ref>

== The owned cover ==

The envelope identifies its producer as the '''Isle of Man Post Office Authority''' and is inscribed “OFFICIAL FIRST DAY COVER”. Its cachet features the Isle of Man Railway Company emblem, incorporating a steam locomotive and the Three Legs of Man, beneath the railway centenary title and dates 1873 and 1973.<ref name="owned-cover">{{Cite
|title=Centenary of the Isle of Man Steam Railway — official first day cover
|type=First day cover
|publisher=Isle of Man Post Office Authority
|reference=[[:File:IM-Centenary-of-Steam-Railway-1973-FDC.jpg|Scan of the owned cover]]
|notes=Unaddressed collection copy bearing SG 35–38 and a Douglas first day cancellation dated 4 August 1973.
}}</ref>

All four stamps are tied by one circular '''FIRST DAY OF ISSUE''' handstamp dated '''4 August 1973''', with '''DOUGLAS''' and '''ISLE OF MAN''' in its inscription. The cover is unaddressed.<ref name="owned-cover" />

== Designs and production ==

The stamps depict:

* [[IM-SG-35|2½p]] — [[wikipedia:en:Isle_of_Man_Railway_No.1_Sutherland|No. 1 Sutherland]], 1873.
* [[IM-SG-36|3p]] — [[wikipedia:en:Isle of Man Railway locomotives#No._15_Caledonia|MNR No. 4 Caledonia]], 1885.
* [[IM-SG-37|7½p]] — [[wikipedia:en:Isle of Man Railway locomotives#No._13_Kissack|No. 13 Kissack]], 1910.
* [[IM-SG-38|9p]] — [[wikipedia:en:Isle of Man Railway locomotives#No._3_Pender|No. 3 Pender]], 1873.<ref name="SG2022-railway" />

Caledonia was numbered 4 by the [[wikipedia:en:Manx Northern Railway#Locomotives|Manx Northern Railway]] and later became No. 15 in the Isle of Man Railway fleet. The accompanying card explains both numbers.<ref name="railway-card" />

The stamps were designed by J. H. Nicholson, R.I., and printed by [[wikipedia:en:Harrison and Sons|Harrison & Sons (High Wycombe) Ltd.]] using [[wikipedia:en:Photogravure|photogravure]]. The card records five colours, white postage stamp paper with Harrison & Sons coating, and PVA adhesive.<ref name="railway-card" />

All four values are perforated 15 × 14. Stanley Gibbons records sheets of 50 (5 × 10) and cylinder numbers 1A (each ×5) for all four denominations.<ref name="SG2022-railway" />

== Information card ==

The double-sided card is headed '''ISLE OF MAN RAILWAY'''. Its front describes the formation of the railway company, construction of its lines and their opening. It identifies Sutherland as the locomotive that hauled the official Douglas–Peel opening train on 1 July 1873.<ref name="railway-card" />

The reverse describes Sutherland, Caledonia, Kissack and Pender, including their builders, wheel arrangements and the origins of their names. It also records Kissack hauling the Royal Train during the Royal Family's visit in August 1972. A technical details section follows the locomotive descriptions.<ref name="railway-card" />

== Sales and withdrawal ==

Stanley Gibbons records the following quantities sold:

{| class="wikitable"
! Stamp
! Face value
! Quantity sold
|-
| [[IM-SG-35]]
| 2½p
| 617,122
|-
| [[IM-SG-36]]
| 3p
| 808,173
|-
| [[IM-SG-37]]
| 7½p
| 331,695
|-
| [[IM-SG-38]]
| 9p
| 324,414
|}

These figures count individual stamps, not first day covers. All four stamps were withdrawn from sale on 3 August 1974.<ref name="SG2022-railway" />

== Stamps on this cover ==

{| class="wikitable"
! Image
! Identifier
! Face value
! Subject
! Format
! Other catalogues
! Notes
{{FDC stamp row
|image=IM-SG-35.jpg
|identifier=IM-SG-35
|face-value=2½p
|subject=[[wikipedia:en:Isle of Man Railway locomotives#No._1_Sutherland|No. 1 Sutherland]], 1873
|format=[[wikipedia:en:Postage stamp|Stamp]]
|other-catalogues=
|notes=Quantity sold: 617,122 stamps. Withdrawn from sale on 3 August 1974.<ref name="SG2022-railway" />
}}
{{FDC stamp row
|image=IM-SG-36.jpg
|identifier=IM-SG-36
|face-value=3p
|subject=[[wikipedia:en:Isle of Man Railway locomotives#No._15_Caledonia|MNR No. 4 Caledonia]], 1885
|format=[[wikipedia:en:Postage stamp|Stamp]]
|other-catalogues=
|notes=Quantity sold: 808,173 stamps. Withdrawn from sale on 3 August 1974.<ref name="SG2022-railway" /> Caledonia later became IMR No. 15; see [[wikipedia:en:Manx Northern Railway#Locomotives|Manx Northern Railway locomotives]].<ref name="railway-card" />
}}
{{FDC stamp row
|image=IM-SG-37.jpg
|identifier=IM-SG-37
|face-value=7½p
|subject=[[wikipedia:en:Isle of Man Railway locomotives#No._13_Kissack|No. 13 Kissack]], 1910
|format=[[wikipedia:en:Postage stamp|Stamp]]
|other-catalogues=
|notes=Quantity sold: 331,695 stamps. Withdrawn from sale on 3 August 1974.<ref name="SG2022-railway" />
}}
{{FDC stamp row
|image=IM-SG-38.jpg
|identifier=IM-SG-38
|face-value=9p
|subject=[[wikipedia:en:Isle of Man Railway locomotives#No._3_Pender|No. 3 Pender]], 1873
|format=[[wikipedia:en:Postage stamp|Stamp]]
|other-catalogues=
|notes=Quantity sold: 324,414 stamps. Withdrawn from sale on 3 August 1974.<ref name="SG2022-railway" />
}}
|}

== References ==

<references />