Car No.7 is a ‘Tunnel Car’ built in 1894 by G.F Milnes for the Manx Electric Railway (M.E.R). Like other cars in its series, it was originally fitted with Milnes Series 3 Trucks and Mather & Platt motors, which were replaced with ‘Brush D’ Trucks and air brake equipment in 1903. The car underwent few changes in its first century of service, apart from receiving K12 Controllers in 1946 and losing its original ‘two piece’ windows in favor of larger ‘one piece’ windows in 1970. Wrought iron gates at the top of the steps were also replaced by wooden doors.
During the 1990s and early 2000s, No.7 was used regularly by the Permanent Way Department during the winter months and returned to traffic during the summer. However, in the mid-2000s the car was allowed to deteriorate after being exclusively used by the Overhead Line and Permanent Way departments following the withdrawal of Car No.27 in 2001. No.7 was regularly stabled outside at Dhoon Quarry or in the roofless Laxey Car Shed, leading to complaints. In response, a dedicated works vehicle (No.34) was introduced, and No.7 was overhauled in 2007.
However, progress faltered and it was not until January 2010 that refurbishment of the car’s body began at The Village Workshop in Laxey. Most of the woodwork was replaced. At the same time, extensive work began on refurbishing trucks taken from No.27 for No.7, with the traction motors leaving the island for remedial work. No.7 returned to the M.E.R during June 2010, and during the overhaul, lost some of its original features, gaining a central partition and 2+1 transverse seating (as per Car No.5).
No.7 was fitted with new trucks from Car No.26 during the summer/autumn 2012 period after a traction motor failure, and returned to service in June 2013.