mer.im logo 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)

Old MER Sign