In an unexpected development, Isle of Man Transport have announced that the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway will run once more this year after all with service operating on both Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd November. With the island’s other heritage lines also running for the last time over this weekend it has been decided that the horse trams should join in the “end of term” celebrations too!
Trams will run from Derby Castle to the Palace Hotel between 1000 and 1600 with the reduced £1 each way fare remaining in force. It has been confirmed that Douglas, Torrin and William will be providing the horse power and also that Rocky, Nelson and Thor will be at the stables which will be open for guided tours as well.
The horse tramway had started its 2019 season late on 24th May as a result of the Promenade reconstruction works, which remain ongoing and will be continuing for quite some time yet. The last time they ran was on 24th September after which it was announced there would be no more running for 2019 to allow further works to take place on the Prom but now that decision has been superseded with the news they will run twice more after all!
Details of what, if any, service may run in 2020 have yet to be announced.
Both the Manx Electric Railway and Snaefell Mountain Railway will also be in operation over the weekend before they start their winter shutdown (the Isle of Man Steam Railway is also running its last scheduled services of 2019 on Sunday 3rd November). The MER will then start running again on 13th March 2020 and the Snaefell Mountain Railway on 24th March 2020 (the Steam Railway is back on 6th March 2020).