How about some positive news from the Isle of Man? The past few years when we discuss track laying its often been to talk about the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway and the on-off-off-off return of trams to the Sea Terminal. But leaving that tramway aside and heading to the Manx Electric Railway there is a positive development at Ramsey which should see trams returning to the main terminus in time for TT week this June.
Since the 2017 season services on the MER to Ramsey have been using a temporary terminus just before the Parsonage Road crossing with the track beyond this – both on the road crossing and within Ramsey Station itself – considered to be life expired. Whilst the Parsonage Road terminus was described as temporary its been in place for so long that you’d have been forgiven for thinking that it was here to stay. Until now that is!
Work on relaying the track across the crossing started on Tuesday 9th May with it planned that the work will be completed to allow trams to access Ramsey Station for the 2023 TT races – these take place between Monday 29th May and Saturday 10th June with the main races commencing on Saturday 3rd June.
Once the work is completed Ramsey Station should be used on a permanent basis once again.
But why has it taken so long???