It’s all about the trailers on the Manx Electric Railway at the moment with the plan that by the time of the Heritage Transport Festival in late July three will be returned to service – including 54 which had last run in 1971. 54 is being restored by a group of volunteers at Laxey and that group are already looking ahead to their next project as recently trailer 36 was moved from Derby Castle north to Laxey in preparation for its own return to service.
One of the 1894 built trailers, of which four were lost in the Laxey Car Sheds fire of in 1930, 36 last ran back in 1971 and in the intervening period has been in stored in various different locations before it was returned to Derby Castle from the Homefield Bus Garage in 2009. Some work has been completed at Derby Castle already but the rest will be completed at Laxey once the volunteers have finished with 54. Of note there are currently none of this batch of trailers operation but with work also underway on bringing 37 back into service this year by July 2020 two should be available.
Meanwhile, work continues on not only 54 and 37 but also 49. All three should be ready in time for the Manx Heritage Transport Festival in July.