Welcome

This website is all about the IoM’s tramways and railways. Soon we will show photos and fleet lists here. At a later stage we will also add other modes of transport like:

• Groudle Glen Railway
• Laxey Mines Railway
• Douglas Head Incline Railway
• Port Soderick Cliff Lift
• Douglas Holiday Camp Chair Lift

Here is a map of the IoM showing the various lines (click to enlarge):

Update (FEB 09): we have scanned hundreds of MER slides in the past few months and shortly these images will be available for you to view. Our fleet lists will also re-appear! Thank you for all the enquiries (we’ve been very busy – sorry for the delay).

Downloads

Along the MER right of way you can see various notices nailed onto plaster wood. We have replicated one of these notices for you to download! You will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader® software to open the file.

• MER sign (click here to open file)

Falcon Cliff Hotel Lift (Douglas)

Not a tramway or a railway but never-the-less a most interesting little line with a long history & a remarkable survivor. The Falcon Cliff Hotel stands some 250 feet above the Central Promenade in Douglas. In 1887 a Cliff Lift was built to give better access to the hotel. The double-track 4′ 0″ gauge Incline Railway was dismantled in 1896 and re-erected at Port Soderick. A second Public-Lift was built in 1932 by William Wadsworth Ltd. (rebuilt in 1937 and converted from D.C. to A.C. operation in 1950). The Cliff Lift is an elevator with the passenger cabin being propelled in a steel channel on an incline of 60 degrees. It has been out of use for a number of years now but everything is still there today.

Isle of Man Railways

Today there is only one steam railway left in the IoM – the line from Douglas to Port Erin. The first steam railway to open in 1873 was the 11 ½ mile long Douglas to Peel line built by the Isle of Man Railway Company (IMR). A year later the 15 ½ mile long Port Erin line was opened. The company had wanted to build a line to Ramsay but could not find enough funds. In 1877 a separate company (the Manx Northern Railway) was formed to build a line from St. Johns to Ramsey (16 ½ miles) – this was achieved by 1879. The last railway to be built (and the first to close in 1945) was the short Foxdale Railway which was later incorporated into the MNR. The collapse of Dumbell’s Bank in 1900 resulted in financial uncertainty for many companies in the IoM and in 1903 the MNR had to sell out to the IMR. 1965 was almost the end for the railways. UK holiday makers had discovered cheap holidays abroad and the passenger numbers on the IMR had fallen accordingly. Freight service has also almost completely disappeared. No trains ran in 1966. The Marquis of Ailsa leased the IMR for 21 years from 1967 and services started again to run, though the Peel and Ramsey lines closed in 1968/9. The IMR still lost money and the Marquis was able to terminate the lease after 5 years (as per the original contract). Today the IMR is run by the IoM government (like the MER and the SMR).

Queens Pier Tramway (Ramsey)

The 3′ 0″ gauge Pier Tramway opened in July 1886 but the pier and tramway closed in 1981. For many years only baggage cars were used on the pier and these were pushed by hand. After that both passenger and baggage cars were operated by the petrol loco. The last steamers used the pier in 1970 and the pier was closed many years ago .

Douglas Head Marine Drive Tramway

From 1896-97 to 1939 the Douglas Southern Electric Tramway (4′ 8 1/2″ gauge) took passengers from Douglas Head (reached by Ferry and Incline Railway) to Port Soderick (where a Cliff Lift could be used to reach the beach below – see also Falcon Cliff Hotel Lift). After closure the rolling stock remained in the depot until 1951-52 before being scrapped (only one car survived this fate). This line was unique on the IOM using conventional standard gauge double deck cars. Almost nothing remains of this lovely little line and its connecting Incline and Cliff Lift. To see the sole remaining car one has to travel to the National Tramway Museum in Crich, Derbyshire, where it is now on static display.

Douglas Cabletrams

The cable tramway ran through upper Douglas from 15.8.1896 to 19.8.1929. Originally, both ends of the line met the horse tramway on the promenade but the track connections were never used. The depot in York Road (which unfortunately got demolished only a few years ago) was also used as the workshop for the horse tramway. Only one car survives today and can be found inside the tram depot. Outing of this car on the line are extremely rare these days unfortunately. The Horses are still frightened of the vehicle and the car has to stop whenever a horse tram passes.

Douglas Horsetrams

Horses have been pulling tramcars along Douglas Promenade daily since 7th August 1876 and from November 1927 onwards still do so every summer (mid May to Mid September). Many cars in the fleet have been scrapped as the tourist trade diminished over the years but the surviving examples now seem to have a secure future. The company was originally owned by Mr Thomas Lightfood but was sold to the Isle of Man Tramways in January 1882. In March 1894 the line came under the control of the Isle of Man Tramways and Electric Power Co. who also owned the Douglas to Laxey electric tramway. After the liquidation of the I.O.M.T.& E.P. Co. in 1902 (after the desasterours failure of Dumbell’s Bank in 1900) Douglas Corporation purchased the horse tramway and the cable tramway from the receivers. The Corporation sold it’s bus operations to the Government in 1976 and it remains to be seen how long the 3′ 0″ gauge tramway will continue independent from the other lines on the island (i.e. M.E.R. and Steam Railway). At the terminus and depot (opened as late as 1894) at Derby Castle it meets the M.E.R. but there is no track connection.

Snaefell Mountain Railway

Opened on 21st August 1895 this line was built as an extension to the M.E.R. from Laxey to the summit of Snaefell, the island’s highest mountain. Due to the steep gradients (1 in 12) the line uses the wider 3′ 6″ gauge with a fell rail in the centre for additional braking and runs on the right. The car works and depot (the original structure was replaced in Centenary Year 1995) are situated just above the Laxey terminus but major overhauls are carried out at Derby Castle. For this the cars have to be placed on to temporary bogies. The rolling stock on this mountain railway is very similar to M.E.R. cars 10-13 (long since gone from the fleet) with two bow collectors.

Manx Electric Railway

The official opening date of this 3′ 0″ gauge electric railway is 7th September 1893. The line ran from Douglas to Groudle only. The extension to Laxey was opened on 28th July 1894 and on 2nd August 1898 the first passengers could reach the outskirts of Ramsey. The last short extension was in Ramsey to the present day terminus on 24th July 1899. The car works and main depot are situated just north of the Douglas terminus at Derby Castle (this was the name of an amusement park which stood in the grounds of what is now the bunker like Summerland). At Laxey there are two little sheds and Ramsey is home to another little shed and the M.E.R. museum inside the old goods shed. Originally is was planned to extend the line at Douglas along the horse tram tracks to the ferry terminal but Douglas Corporation did not like the idea of overhead wires and poles on the promenade. This is why at Derby Castle one still only finds a little wooden hut (i.e. ticket office) instead of an M.E.R. station. The horse tram depot next door now is the home of the Isle of Man Railways. Incredibly, the whole line is still in use today almost unchanged. Most of the original rolling stock has survived and the newest cars on the M.E.R. date from 1930 (trailers 40″,41″,44″). All cars are double ended and single deck and the motor cars use trolley poles for current collection. They closely resemble American Interurban trams and despite the word railway in it’s name the M.E.R. is really a tramway running almost exclusively on private right of way. Many company titles could be seen on the sides of the cars over years: Douglas & Laxey Electric Tramway, Douglas & Laxey Coast Electric Tramway, Douglas, Laxey & Ramsey Electric Railway, The Manx Electric Railway Co. Ltd., Manx Electric Railway, M.E.R., Isle of Man Passenger Transport, Isle of Man Railways. The M.E.R. was nationalised on 6th November 1956 and today is run by the Isle of Man Government Department of Tourism and Leisure under the umbrella of “Isle of Man Railways”.

Distances (miles) & tram stops:

• 0.00 DERBY CASTLE (pole no. 1)
• 0.27 Port Jack (pole no. 16/7)
• 0.46 Onchan Head (pole no. 33/4)
• 0.?? Cafe Royal (pole no. 46/7)
• 0.67 Majestic (pole no. 51/2)
• 1.07 Braeside (pole no. 57)
• 1.?? “unnamed” (pole no. 59/60)
• 1.23 Far End (pole no. 66)
• 1.57 HOWSTRAKE (pole no. 87)
• 2.09 Groudle Old Road (pole no. 107)
• 2.24 GROUDLE (pole no. 116/7)
• 2.62 Lhen Coan (pole no. 1??)
• 2.71 Eskadale (pole no. 147/8)
• 3.46 BALDROMMA/Halfway (pole no. 178/9)
• 3.69 Scarff’s Crossing (pole no. 193)
• 4.02 Ballamenagh (pole no. 198/9)
• 4.29 BALDRINE (pole no. 215/6)
• 4.?? Sunnycott (pole no. 220/1)
• 4.58 GARWICK GLEN (pole no. 243/4/
• 4.67 Ballagawne (pole no. 257)
• 5.31 BALLABEG (pole no. 282)
• 5.72 Lamb’s Crossing (pole no. 304/5)
• 5.79 FAIRY COTTAGE (pole no. 307/8)
• 6.10 Preston’s Crossing (pole no. 312/3)
• 6.24 SOUTH CAPE (pole no. 320)
• 6.30 Miller’s Crossing (pole no. 325)
• 6.?? Laxey Car Sheds (pole no. 344/5)
• 7.01 LAXEY (pole no. 356)
• 7.11 DUMBELL’S ROW (pole no. 371/2)
• 7.60 Minorca (pole no. 409)
• 8.07 Laxey Old Road (pole no. 424)
• 8.58 Skinscoe (pole no. 458)
• 8.?? Ballamoar “Bottom” (pole no. 462)
• 8.?? Ballamoar”Top” (pole no. 465)
• 9.37 Ballaragh (pole no. 488/9)
• 10.14 DHOON GLEN (pole no. 530/2)
• 10.28 Burn’s Crossing (pole no. 540)
• 10.?? Dhoon Farm (pole no. 549/50)
• 10.49 DHOON QUARRY (pole no. 555/6)
• 10.67 Thalloo Mitchell (pole no. 563)
• 10.76 Brown’s Crossing (pole no. 567/8)
• 11.18 Ballellin (pole no. 579)
• 11.27 Ballig (pole no. 587/8)
• 11.48 Ballasholague (pole no. 602/3)
• 11.59 Looneys/Corkills crossing (pole no. 607/8)
• 11.66 GLEN MONA (pole 611/2)
• 11.76 Dhoon School/The Garey (pole no. 616/7)
• 12.06 Ballagorry (pole no. 623/4)
• 12.35 Watson’s Crossing (pole no. 635)
• 12.52 Dolland (pole no. 644)
• 12.60 BALLAGLASS GLEN (pole no. 654/5)
• 13.11 CORNAA (pole no. 688/9)
• 13.?? Murray’s Road/Crowcreen (pole no. 699)
• 13.63 BALLASKEIG (pole no. 718)
• 14.06 Ballafayle Corteen’s (pole no. 730/1)
• 14.?? Ballacannall (pole no. 733/4)
• 14.27 Ballafayle Kerruish’s (pole no. 745)
• 14.38 Rome’s Crossing (pole no. 752/3)
• 14.66 BALLAJORA (pole no. 762/3)
• 1?.?? Ballajora Quarry (pole no. 777)
• 15.10 DREEMSKERRY (pole no. 780)
• 15.30 Crowville (pole no.789)
• 15.49 Dreemskerry Farm (pole no. 795)
• 15.72 LEWAIGUE (pole no. 811/2)
• 16.45 BELLEVUE/Port-e-Vullen (pole no. 846)
• 17.14 BALLURE (pole no. 869/70)
• 17.?? Queens Valley (new stop added 2007, pole no. 880)
• 17.29 Walpole Drive (pole no. 884/5)
• 17.46 Queens Drive (pole no. 890)
• 17.?? Ballastowel (pole no. 898)
• 17.67 RAMSEY PLAZA (pole no. 903)