Manx Electric Railway

Ah well, as you say, at least it was tried.

It would have been a tad embarrassing to derail a visiting engine ...

 

The 'proper' terminus for the MER at Ramsey came back into use only a day late and seems to be well received by passengers as they no longer have to walk to the 'temporary' terminus across the road. The first photo shows 'Tunnel Car' No.9 with toastrack trailer on the 13.40 to Douglas. The second shows 'Winter Saloon' No.21 painted in 'Austerity green' with the wheelchair accessible trailer having just arrived at 15.25.
Ray.

 

A short video of the parallel run of No.1 and No.34 out of Derby Castle on Thursday morning

 

This is a third article about the Manx Electric Railway based on Modern Tramway. Each is a retrospective, looking back at events in the history of the railways.

Modern Tramway Journal included a short article in October 1963 about developments in 1899 on the Isle of Man, and particularly about the use of 'Bonner Wagons' by the Isle of Man Tramways and Electric Power Company Limited which became the Manx Electric Railway.

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2023/08/24/going-piggy-back-in-1899/

The first two articles can be found on these links:

Part 1: Nationalisation
http://rogerfarnworth.com/2023/06/19/the-modern-tramway-part-7-the-manx-electric-railway/

Part 2: 5 years after Nationalisation
http://rogerfarnworth.com/2023/08/0...-1962-a-review-5-years-after-nationalisation/

 

I’ve a new series of three programmes on the Electric Railway starting on Thursday 31st on Manx Radio
They will be available to listen to or download from the radio podcast page or on Spotify
The previous series on the steam railway is all there already
https://www.manxradio.com/podcasts/isle-of-man-heritage-railways-a-celebration/

 

The Secret of Laxey Siding. ....

‘Modern Tramway’ in January 1964 carried an article by J.H. Price about the process involved in getting Snaefell rolling-stock to Derby Castle for maintenance.

The article included a step-by-step photographic record of the operation. ...

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2023/08/30/the-secret-of-laxey-siding/

 

Well now, that's very interesting ...

In early August I had a close look around Laxey Sheds [both Snaefell and MER]

 

Unexpected treat on Sunday night, as the MER ran festive trams from Laxey up to Dhoon

 

Hope you don't mind but I've asked the mods to move this to the IoM steam railway thread as it is more relevant there. Thanks for posting the update.
Cheers,
Ray.

 

Thanks. I'm sure I clicked on the steam railway thread, but I have a feeling my phone jumped to the this one as I pressed it.

 

The full version of the new Systra report is out ...

https://www.gov.im/media/1381802/isle-of-man-heritage-railway-review-final-report_compressed.pdf

Although it's 95 pages, it does make interesting reading.
More details than in the summary that came out earlier.
If the politicians were looking for justifications for cut-backs or closures ... this report gives a very different viewpoint.
One item I picked out -
£1 of "subvention" generates £2.88 visitor spend into the Manx economy.
The visitor spend almost doubles if you take the "capital expenditure" out of the subvention side of the equation.

Oh, and Systra do a good demolition of the idea of "converting" the line north of Laxey into single line with passing loops shared with a cycleway.

 

Apparently, that link doesn't work - it appears that the report in question has been removed.

If you pop over to https://www.national-preservation.com/threads/isle-of-man-steam-railway.726366/page-76#post-2857495

There's a link in that post to another source. Thanks to @marshall5

 

Today marked the start of the 2025 operating season on the MER. It was pleasing to see well filled trams and a great many enthusiasts from the Island and from 'across' riding and taking photos. The first photo is of Tunnel Car 7 awaiting departure from Ramsey on the 13.40 the other being sister car 5 at Laxey ready to head North at 14.40. IoM Railways have posted a very well produced short video of today's events https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2882373288591264
Ray.

 

Pleased to hear / see that !

Hope they have a good season ...