With 2023 being promoted as the Year of the Railway on the Isle of Man thanks to two significant anniversaries – 130 years of operation for the Manx Electric Railway and the 150th anniversary of the Isle of Man Steam Railway – and a week long Transport Festival taking place in late July what more excuse did David Mee need to head to the island? None! This is the first part of his diary of what happened taking in the period between 20th and 26th July 2023.
Thursday 20th July
With car 1 and trailer 42 to Ramsey at 15.10
Photos of the tram shunting in the new old station.
With car 20 + 47 to Douglas at 17.10
MER allocations (service D) :
L 5+41
D1 22+44
D2 20+47
D3 7+48
D4 1+42
Friday 21st July
With car 7+47 to Laxey at 9.20am
With car 5+42 to Ballaglass at 10.10
With car 9+41 to Dhoon Glen at 13.00
With car 16+59 to Laxey at 14.10
Snaefell Mountain
Car 4 to summit at 14.45
Car 4 to Laxey at 15.20
With Car 7+47 to Douglas at 15.55. A busy tram.
Transferred to the Horse Cars:
Harry and 36 to Mona Drive at 16.30
MER allocations (service D):
L 7+47
D1 5+42
D2 20+48
D3 9+41
D4 16+59
UDE 14
Hire 6+44
Saturday 22nd July
With Car 7+59 to Douglas 20.10
Known MER allocations (service D plus G):
D1 7+59
D4 20+57
Year of the Railways ‘23 event
Sunday 23rd July
Heritage Railways Festival Day 1
Travel on Parallel run with cars 1 and 2 at 8.50am. Sat in Car 2 for journey, photo stop in rain at Howstrake. Back by 9.20am.
Winter Saloons on Horse Tramway – photo and travel on:
Car 29 at 9.35
MER meanders:
With car 5+51 to Laxey at 10.40
Noted that car 9+59 swapped diagrams at Laxey due to traffic levels.
With car 6+54 to Cornaa at 12.10
Noted single line working in place Ballaragh to Dhoon Quarry due to wall collapsing between the road and railway and obstructing inland line. This had been discovered by the UDE first thing this morning.
With car 5+51 to Groudle at 13.00
Rather stupidly the MER were running single motors on a gala day, so the first tram to arrive was full. Instead:
With Car 6 to Halfway at 15.20
MER allocations (service D): Horse Car:
L 9+59* 29
D1 2
D2 1*
D3 5+51
D4 6+54
Spl 1: 1
Spl 2: 2
Spl 3: 7+19 (36)
UDE: 20
* Swapped duties after first run at Laxey
Monday 24th July
Heritage Railways Festival Day 2
Parallel run – 14 and 16 to Groudle – photo and travel
Departed late at 8.56 with a stop for photos at Howstrake. Travelled on car 16 both ways.
Arrived back at Derby Castle at 9.20
With car 20+57 to Laxey at 9.40, very busy tram
Maria & 49 Shuttle – travel and photo
Booked on 10.50 departure from Laxey
Actually departed late at 11.05 and got later for several reasons: single line running, disabled passenger. Photo stop below Ballaragh and at Dhoon Quarry for the shunt and pass by service train. Very late back into Laxey at 12.05. Quick transfer to:
With car 32+62 to Ramsey at 12.10. Well loaded service. Delayed 20 minutes due to the single line running and many intermediate stops.
With car 32+62 to Douglas at 13.40
Noted both lines now open at Ballaragh (from about 13.00 apparently).
MER allocations: Horse Car:
L 1+51 36
D1 20+57 45
D2 16+42
D3 7+48
D4 32+62
Spl 1: 14
Spl 2: 16
Spl 3: 34+49
Spl 4: 14+Van 4
Tuesday 25th July
Heritage Railway Festival day 3
Nationalised service parallel run – 32 / 21 – photo and travel
08.50 departure from Derby Castle. Sat in car 21 having been caught in a rogue shower. No photo stop and early arrival back in Douglas. Car 21 in limited use only.
With 32+62 to Laxey at 9.40
Tram tripped before Port Jack and again at Onchan Head. Reset, but cautious running and lots of pick ups on route caused a ten minute late arrival at Laxey.
With 20+42 back to Douglas at 10.25
Time for a ride with Bobby and Horse Car 21, launched into service today, at 11.05.
No.34 and two trailers
Booked on 12 noon from Derby Castle
Photo stops at: Lag Birragh
Laxey Sub
Summit Curves (tram failed)
Having had trouble on the rise by the car shed in Douglas, 34 finally overheated and failed just short of the summit at Bulgham. We sat there from 13.15 to 13.55 whilst the generator cooled down. Then ran non-stop to Ramsey arriving at 14.25. This will be the only time 34 hauls two trailers.
MER allocations: Horse Car:
L 20+42 21
D1 32+62 42
D2 1+49
D3 5+48
D4 16+51
Spl 1: 32
Spl 2: 21
Spl 3: 34+54+60
UDE: 2
Wednesday 26th July
Heritage Railway Festival day 4
Service F next three days, plus enhanced version Saturday, trams from 8.40am to 10.55pm daily!
With 32+58 to Groudle at 8.40
Photographed the parallel run arriving
1970’s parallel run, 5 and 20 – photo and travel
Departs Derby Castle at 8.50am
With 20 single motor back to Derby Castle at 9.12
With 5+19 (36) to Laxey at 9.40 from Groudle Siding
Booked on Derby Castle yard tour at 11.15
Derby Castle Car Shed and workshop tour
19 in paint shop for full refurbishment into brown and cream livery
Walked through workshop, machine shop to:
Bottom Shed R1 9, 47
R2 7
R3 w10, w8, 29, 18
Yard 19 outside paint shop
1 outside bottom shed
Top Shed R1 2, 22 running road
R2 empty running road
R3 59, 51, 37
R4 21, 56, 53, 17, 15
R5 48, 44, 55
R6 62, 26
R7 34, 54, 60
R8 57, v4, v16, 61
All notes are front of shed to back, left road to right road
Walked down to the station
Double Deck Horse Car in service
Round trip on the Double Decker No.18 with Bobby providing the haulage at 12.20
With 9+57 to Groudle at 13.40
With 7+59 to Liverpool Arms at 15.20
With 5+19 to Douglas at 15.40
Car 9 single motor to Ramsey at 19.40
Car 9 single motor to Derby Castle at 21.40
MER allocations: Horse Car:
D1 32+58 18
D2 6+?
D3 5+19
D4 14 (1st run only then 9+57)
D5 16+59 (1st run then 7+59)
D6 22
Spl 1: 5
Spl 2: 20
Spl 3: 20+56
- Photos from these seven days can be viewed in our Gallery section
Regarding Wednesday’s MER D2 allocation; 6 was paired with Trailer 48. 🙂
Thank you Andrew. Despite spending the bulk of the day on the MER I somehow managed to miss it!