Isle Of Man Steam Railway

Sadly, I'll be [very] busy over here ...

{with a carriage project}

 

Shame that. I feel like the kids are of an age now when they would enjoy a holiday on the island, but this puts me off. Another year, then.

 

With all the other railway and other things on the IoM, does a reduced length for the horse tramway make such a difference?

 

I would say it does for several reasons
1) AIUI, it's the only working horse tramway in the world, so it's a bit like "we'll only keep half stonehenge"
2) it's not universally popular, so if half gets abandoned, how long before the other half goes. Also for the detractors, it's a line that goes from nowhere to nowhere at the moment
3) it's been promised by the govt, and best to hold all entities to their promises.
4) (and this is a personal view), in a future where we seek to move away from motorised transport, a tram corridor that could be extended from the ferry to the MER gives you a rail link from Ferry to the north. (I don't think that is incompatible with horse operation).
5) per 3, if transport backs down on this, what of the next funding promise.

 

(Obv #4 is a precursor to bringing the MER up to 320km/h operation...)

 

Sadly, AIUI there are a lot of people on the island who would love to see the horse tramway closed precisely because it causes traffic congestion on the Promenade. They're philistines, of course, but sadly that's the world we live in...

 

And yet, the bit that they are currently trying their damnedest to kybosh is the bit that won't cause any extra traffic at all as it'll be on the reserved formation between the road and the prom. I guess they prefer the weeds that currently inhabit the space...

John

 

There's people that would stop the TT...

Wasn't part of the plan to seperate traffic and trams? Has that gone by the board? (Didn't they find all sorts of ground issues under the prom?)

 

I did travel on the horse tramway this summer. I had mixed feelings. On the one hand it is clearly historic. However the horse had a panic attack at the "country" end and had to be placated by the driver who was not particularly competent. I felt it was badly handled. The tram was also loaded with very old people who were clearly just "doing the tram" and immediately they disembarked they were piled onto buses. It just seemed too much like a theme park ride with a distressed horse thrown in. I'm not one of the wokey wokey crowd, but I did feel sorry for the animal.

 

As I understand it, the formation from the current terminus to the sea terminal is already there, and bar a couple of spots (up to the war memorial, and a few footpath crossings) is as near as ready to have final grading prior to permanent way being installed. Certainly, all the work segregating the formation has already been done. Its currently a rather fetching roadside weed patch...

John

 

And the Manx Government will give it a higher priority because a few people defer their visits?

 

Eh?

 

That's largely my experience of the North Norfolk Railway, to be fair. Apart from the horse.
On my one previous visit to Douglas, a friend and I stayed in one of the hotels along the promenade and used the horse tram every day we were there, as transport, to get either into town or out the other way to the MER terminus. I certainly wouldn't want to have to walk even half of it with small children, it's a fair old stretch.
And yes it does matter. Again, thinking of the family, if I want to take them on a narrow gauge train I can go to Leighton Buzzard; if I want to take them on a vintage tram thing I can go to Crich; if I want to take a train up a mountain, it's a bit of a trek, and expensive, but it's still easier to get to Snowdon. The horse tram is the island's USP.

 

from the Systra report in 2023

under the recommendations ...

Recommendation 13 – Horse Tram reinstatement to War Memorial and Sea Terminal 1.6.5 Our modelling work has shown that the financial case for reinstatement of the horse tram to either the War Memorial or the Sea Terminal would require very large increase in passenger numbers to avoid a further increase in subvention, based on current operating methods. There is clearly a strategic case for reinstatement to the Sea Terminal. This is an example where the change in emphasis around capital spending could produce benefits, with the Sea Terminal being utilised as part of the railways visitor facilities perhaps prior to investment in facilities at Derby Castle.

I read that as it will cost to do the re-instatement, and it will need to be well patronised to re-coup the costs.
It is an important transport link, in my view.

It did run quite close to the sea terminal at one time.

 

Like the TT (and especially the Manx), the money it "brings in" isn't through the farebox, but the incentive it give people to come over and then do things when over.

It's not easy to calculate, but critical to understand the value of it.

 

Why do you say that? How can it be an important transport link when the timetable is limited and it's patronised by tourists. It can't carry luggage or goods.
It's a tourist attraction and can't ever be anything else.

 

..... and getting back to the Steam Railway. Martyn Soames Transport Solutions https://www.facebook.com/MartynSoamesTransportSolutions/ have posted images of the body F37, one of the ex MNR Hurst Nelson carriages from Collection X being lifted back on to its restored chassis at Stanegate Restorations. These carriages, built in 1899 featured electric light from new and were purchased by the Manx Northern as 'through' carriages to Douglas over the IMR. We are all looking forward to seeing F37 back on 'home metals' after a 50 yr. absence.
Ray.

 

we're not finished with it, yet !