In Pictures: Drying out runs start on the Manx Electric Railway

With the 2020 operating season on the Manx Electric Railway a little over a week away – first services are due to run on Friday 13th March – preparations are now underway for those first passenger services. One of the key activities to take place are the “dying out” runs and on Tuesday 3rd March Winter Saloon 19 was out on the railway for this very purpose.

After a winter of storage the drying out runs are a vital part of the preparation for the trams to make sure that those month’s of inactivity can be blown away – think of it like an animal coming out of hibernation. All trams available for service are expected to go through this process and Tuesday 3rd March saw the very first runs of this type for the year with not only 19 but Tunnel Car 6 also out on the MER to show all is well.

In preparation for these runs Isle of Man Transport have warned motorist to be on the lookout for trams – and trains on the Steam Railway – on the mov. With the past few months having seen no movements some motorists may have got used to driving around without trams coming into view so its no bad thing they are given a reminder before the worst happens.

19 takes a break by the old Summerland site in between drying out runs.

Another view of 19. (Both Photographs by Geoff Pickles, 3rd March 2020)

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