It has been confirmed that the second big heritage transport event on the Isle of Man of the year has been cancelled with the Manx Heritage Transport Festival following Rush Hour on the Railways as going online. The Virtual Transport Festival will be held on the same dates as the planned physical event, 29th July to 2nd August and will feature events from the Manx Electric Railway and Isle of Man Steam Railway again plus the Groudle Glen Railway, Douglas Bay Horse Tramway, Orchid Line at the Wildlife Park, Crogga Valley Railway and the Great Laxey Mines Railway will also get involved too.
In a statement released earlier this week Isle of Man Railways said: “We thank you for all your support for the railways during these difficult times. While we are disappointed not to be able to welcome our visitors in person to the event this year, we are excited to see what the Virtual Transport Festival has to offer and we are sure you will not be disappointed”.
As you may recall during the Rush Hour on the Railways event at Easter Manx Electric Railway Online and the Isle of Man Heritage Railways Volunteers combined on their Facebook pages to bring films and photos of the trams and trains in action on the MER and Steam Railway and more of the same is expected in July/August along with the other lines mentioned above also being included. Exact details of what is planned have yet to be announced but we are sure there will be varied action across the five days again.
It has also been confirmed that many of the big spectacles planned for the event – including Caledonia to Knockaloe – are hoped to be postponed to a future event and it has also been confirmed that the 2021 Transport Festival will taken place between 28th July and 1st August 2021.
And whilst you can’t visit the Isle of Man at the moment, the Isle of Man Railways online shop is open with plenty of gifts to remind you of the heritage railways. You can access this at www.rail.im/shop and help to support the railways at a time when there is no fare income available.