Today we head back to the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway for another look at the horse trams in service. This time around we feature those horse cars which aren’t in service that often – 1, 12 and 18.
Although not in service at the time of this photo, Toastrack 12 was only returned to service during the MER events week in order to play a starring role in the Cavalcade on the last day of events. Before this it underwent some test runs on 7th September and following this was left stabled outside overnight. And it is there it is seen on that same night.
Wet weather on the Isle of Man tends to mean one thing – the use of enclosed saloons on the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway! With only one available for the majority of 2018 this meant that 1 was often pressed into service but thankfully not too often with the nice weather experienced for much of the summer. But on 8th September it started off wet and so 1 was in use and is seen here arriving at Derby Castle with Andrew providing the horse power.
The only double decker actually on the horse tramway, 18 is usually only seen during special events with use outside of those times seeming to be few and far between. On 8th September after the conclusion of the Cavalcade the tram was used on one public return trip between Derby Castle and the Sea Terminal and is seen here after its return being led back into Strathallan Depot. (All Photographs by Gareth Prior)