Isle of Man – Centenary of Steam Railway – 1973
| FDC image | No image uploaded |
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| FDC reverse image | No reverse image uploaded |
| Country | Isle of Man |
| Country code | IM |
| Issue title | Centenary of Steam Railway |
| Date of issue | 4 August 1973 |
| Withdrawal or invalidation date | 3 August 1974 (SG35–38 withdrawn from sale)
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| Stamp type | Commemorative stamp |
| Stamp subtype | Anniversary |
| Theme or subject | Steam railways; railway centenary; locomotives |
| Text credit | |
| Designer or artist | J. Nicholson |
| Printer | Harrison and Sons |
| Printing process | Photogravure |
| Colours | Multicoloured |
| Paper and gum | |
| Perforation | 15 × 14 |
| Stamp dimensions | |
| Issue format | Four stamps, each issued in sheets of 50 (5 × 10) |
| Number of stamps | 4 |
| Cover type | First day cover |
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| Postmark date | |
| Postmark inscription | |
| Postmark notes | |
| Postmark image |
No postmark image uploaded
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| Information sheet included | |
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| Information sheet image | No image uploaded |
| Information sheet reverse image | No reverse image uploaded |
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| Certificate of authenticity included | |
| Certificate of authenticity image | No image uploaded |
| Certificate of authenticity reverse image | No reverse image uploaded |
| FDC owned | No |
| Condition | |
| Collection Comment | Wanted cover; not currently held in the collection. |
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 Isle of Man Railway and the Manx Northern Railway. Stanley Gibbons catalogues the stamps as SG35–38 and lists a first day cover for the issue.[1]
The centenary commemorated the opening of the railway’s Douglas–Peel line in 1873. The railway’s official anniversary guide identifies 1 July 1873 as the opening date.[2]
Designs and production
The stamps depict:
- 2½p — No. 1 Sutherland, 1873.
- 3p — MNR No. 4 Caledonia, 1885.
- 7½p — No. 13 Kissack, 1910.
- 9p — No. 3 Pender, 1873.[1]
Caledonia was numbered 4 by the Manx Northern Railway and later became No. 15 in the Isle of Man Railway fleet.[3]
The stamps were designed by J. Nicholson and printed by Harrison and Sons using photogravure. All four values are multicoloured and perforated 15 × 14. Each denomination was issued in sheets of 50 stamps, arranged in five columns and ten rows. Stanley Gibbons records cylinder numbers 1A (each ×5) for all four values.[1]
Sales and withdrawal
Stanley Gibbons records the following quantities sold:
| 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.[1]
Stamps in this issue
| Image | Identifier | Face value | Subject | Format | Other catalogues | Notes
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No image | IM-SG-35 | 2½p | No. 1 Sutherland, 1873 | Stamp | Quantity sold: 617,122 stamps. Withdrawn from sale on 3 August 1974.[1]
| |
| No image | IM-SG-36 | 3p | MNR No. 4 Caledonia, 1885 | Stamp | Quantity sold: 808,173 stamps. Withdrawn from sale on 3 August 1974.[1] Caledonia later became IMR No. 15; see Manx Northern Railway locomotives.[3]
| |
| No image | IM-SG-37 | 7½p | No. 13 Kissack, 1910 | Stamp | Quantity sold: 331,695 stamps. Withdrawn from sale on 3 August 1974.[1]
| |
| No image | IM-SG-38 | 9p | No. 3 Pender, 1873 | Stamp | Quantity sold: 324,414 stamps. Withdrawn from sale on 3 August 1974.[1]
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References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Stanley Gibbons.Channel Islands and Isle of Man 2022 Edition Stamp Catalogue(31st combined edition).Stanley Gibbons.2022.Section: Isle of Man.Catalogue system: Stanley Gibbons.Catalogue number(s): 35–38.ISBN: 978-1-911304-89-0.
- ↑ Year of the Railways 2023: Commemorative Souvenir Event Guide(Event guide).Isle of Man Transport.2023.Accessed 30 September 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 “Manx Northern Railway — Locomotives”. Wikipedia. Retrieved 30 September 2026.