Tuesday 15th March 2022 saw the Manx Electric Railway start operation for another season – its 129th! The three car timetable B was in use on the first day with two Tunnel Cars and a Winter Saloon all running – in three very different liveries to add a splash of colour to the Manx countryside!
Those three trams were Tunnel Cars 6 and 7 and Winter Saloon 21. Whilst 6 is in what most would consider the traditional MER colours, 7 is in the Prussian Blue and White of the Douglas & Laxey Electric Tramway with 21 in the nationalised green and white livery. The honour of the first service of all was Tunnel Car 7.
Timetable B sees six departures from Derby Castle to Ramsey at 0940, 1040, 1140, 1240, 1410 and 1510 returning at 1110, 1210, 1340, 1440, 1540 and 1640 plus a Derby Castle to Laxey at 1010 which returns to Derby Castle at 1055. This timetable will run every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday for the remainder of March before timetable C kicks in on Saturday 2nd April.
The Snaefell Mountain Railway hasn’t yet resumed operation with its first services of the year being on Saturday 19th March.