MANX RAILWAYS

(ISLE OF MAN)

Photographs

by

Colin Carr

June 1999

 

Isle of Man Steam Railway


This 3 ft gauge railway runs 15.3 miles from Douglas to Port Erin, using vintage steam locomotives and rolling stock.

It was opened in 1874

Apart from one 0-6-0 engine, inherited from the Isle of man Northern Railway, all the locomotives are 2-4-0 tank engines.

  

The only 0-6-0 loco, No. 4 Caledonia wearing the livery of its original owners, the now defunct Manx Northern Railway, seen at Port Erin

Isle of Man Steam Railway 2-4-0 loco no. 10, C. H. Wood, ready to depart Port Erin for Douglas. 

No. 10 awaiting the 'off' at Port Erin

Plenty of smoke and steam

No. 4 and No.1 in charge of a Douglas to Port Erin double-header

Station stop en route to Port Erin

No.4 at Port Erin

No.1 Sutherland at Port Erin

No.1 and No.4 head back to Douglas
Unidentified loco in charge of a Port Erin train


Snaefell Mountain Railway

 

This tramway runs on 3' 6" gauge track and uses 550 volts DC electric power drawn from overhead lines. It covers the 5 miles from Laxey to the summit of the islands only mountain, Snaefell.

The line opened in 1895 and uses vintage trams. The journey takes thirty minutes. From the top of Snaefell on a clear day, it is said that you can see six kingdoms, Scotland, England, Wales, Ireland, Mann and Heaven.

Laxey Wheel seen from the Snaefell Mountain Railway
Snaefell Mountain Railway tram No 3 with a full load starts the descent to Laxey
Tram No 1 awaits its next service to Laxey
Tram No 4 arrives at the top of Snaefell


Manx Electric Railway

This is currently the longest railway on the island, running 17 miles from Douglas, via Laxey, to Ramsay.

It is 3ft gauge and powered from 500 volt DC overhead wires.

Most of the trams were built before 1910, and two date back to the opening of the line in 1893.

Manx Electric Railway tramcar no. 6 at Laxey

 

 

Tram No.19 with an unpowered trailer in tow leaves Ramsey for Douglas .

She wears the livery of the long defunct Douglas, Laxey and Ramsay Electric Tramway.

Note the plaque celebrating 100 years of continuous service, 1899 - 1999

Interior of an MER tram seen before departure from Laxey to Ramsay

Interior of MER tram No 2

MER tram No 2 in the livery of the former Douglas & Laxey Coast Electric Tramway
MER trams No 2 and No 19 at Laxey

Douglas Horse Drawn Tramway

 



The world's oldest surviving horse tramway opened in 1876.

 

It runs for 2 miles from the Sea terminal, via Douglas' Promenade,

to the Manx Electric Railway terminus at Derby Castle.

A one horsepower tram heads slowly along the prom towards Derby Castle