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Douglas Bay Horse Tramway

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Douglas Bay Horse Tramway
Roofed toastrack No. 35, Loch Promenade
LocaleDouglas, Isle of Man
TerminusDerby Castle station / Villa Marina
Commercial operations
Built byThomas Lightfoot
Original gauge3 ft (914 mm)
Preserved operations
Owned byIsle of Man Government
Operated byIsle of Man Railways
StationsVarious (hail & ride)
Length1.6 miles (2.6 km)
7 August 1876Official opening
2 January 1900Takeover, Douglas Corporation
30 September 1927Winter service terminated
28 September 1939Closed for duration
1 May 1946Seasonal services resumed
Preservation history
9 August 195680th Anniversary
7 August 1976Centenary parade
7 August 2011135th Anniversary
HeadquartersBanks Circus
Website
www.rail.im
Route map

The Douglas Bay Horse Tramway on the Isle of Man runs along the seafront promenades of Douglas for approximately 1 mile (1.6 km), from the southern terminus at the Villa Marina, to Derby Castle station, the southern terminus of the Manx Electric Railway, where the workshops and sheds are located. It is a distinctive tourist attraction.

History

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The tramway was built and initially operated by Thomas Lightfoot, a retired civil engineer from Sheffield. His service was introduced in 1876 between the bottom of what is now Summer Hill and the bottom of Broadway in the centre of today's promenade adjacent to the Villa Marina. In the earliest days the track was expanded, and passing loops and long crossovers added so that by 1891 the line ran double track the entire length of the promenade, much as it does today. From opening it has operated every year, except for a period during the Second World War.[1]

In 1882, Lightfoot sold the line to Isle of Man Tramways Ltd, later the Isle of Man Tramways & Electric Power Co. Ltd, which also owned the Manx Electric Railway. The company went into liquidation in 1900 as a consequence of a banking collapse. The tramway was sold by the liquidator to Douglas Corporation in 1902. Since 1927 the tramway has run in summer only.[1]

In 2014 it was announced by the Department of Infrastructure that during 2015 the horse trams would be temporarily suspended while resurfacing work on the promenade continued into its next phase, which runs from Regent Street to Strathallan. However, the plans were later revised, allowing regular horse tram operation to take place in 2015, 2016 and 2017.[2]

In 2015 Douglas Corporation partnered with Isle of Man Transport to introduce the 'Ticketer' system as used across the Island's other public transport systems.[3] On board a Ticketer hand-held unit connects with the island-wide contactless Go Cards and individual tickets can also be purchased.

Closure

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Despite being the world's last remaining 19th century original horse-drawn passenger tramway and the second-oldest operational rail system on the island, the future of the tramway has been brought into question in recent years.[4] In January 2016, Douglas Corporation announced that the tramway had run for the last time the previous September and that they had closed it as it was not financially viable. The tramway had made a loss of £263,000 in 2015.[5]

Continuance

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After an online petition attracted more than 2,000 signatures, the House of Keys established a committee to look into ways of retaining the iconic horse trams.[6][7] The operation of the tramway was taken over by the Isle of Man Heritage Railways division of the Department of Infrastructure and continued in the 2016, 2017[8] and 2018 summer seasons.

Various plans were submitted by the Department of Infrastructure to rebuild the Douglas Promenades.[9] In one version, the tramway would move from its location in the middle of the roadway to a new single line formation adjacent to the Promenade walkway. The plans received some criticism from a group of local residents who objected to the siting of the trams near to the walkway. However, in 2019, the tracks were relaid in their previous alignment along the centre of the road.[10] Trams started running again on Friday 29 July 2022, between Strathallan tram depot and Broadway.[11]

Description

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Double deck horse drawn tram on Douglas Seafront

The tramway is 3 ft (914 mm) narrow-gauge, double track throughout, running down the middle of the road. Service is provided by 23 tramcars and some 45 horses. There have been several types of tramcar, and at least one of each type has been retained. Most services are maintained by "closed toastracks", with winter saloons and open toastracks also in semi-regular service. In summer, trams are stabled outdoors overnight adjacent to the Terminus Tavern public house, and there is a purpose-built tramshed where they are stored in winter.

Map this section's coordinates in "List of Isle of Man railway lines and locations" using OpenStreetMap

Download coordinates as:

Point Coordinates
(Links to map resources) 		OS Grid Ref Notes
Derby Castle 54°10′02″N 4°27′40″W / 54.1671°N 4.4612°W / 54.1671; -4.4612 (Derby Castle) SC39427738
Regency Hotel 54°09′58″N 4°27′55″W / 54.1660°N 4.4652°W / 54.1660; -4.4652 (Regency Hotel) SC39157727
The Hydro 54°09′51″N 4°28′07″W / 54.1641°N 4.4685°W / 54.1641; -4.4685 (The Hydro) SC38937707
The Palace Hotel 54°09′46″N 4°28′16″W / 54.1627°N 4.4710°W / 54.1627; -4.4710 (The Palace Hotel) SC38767692
Castle Terrace 54°09′40″N 4°28′24″W / 54.1612°N 4.4733°W / 54.1612; -4.4733 (Castle Terrace) SC38617675
The Esplanade 54°09′30″N 4°28′34″W / 54.1584°N 4.4760°W / 54.1584; -4.4760 (The Esplanade) SC38427645
Gaiety Theatre 54°09′19″N 4°28′41″W / 54.1553°N 4.4780°W / 54.1553; -4.4780 (Gaiety Theatre) SC38287611 (Currently closed)
Loch Promenade 54°09′05″N 4°28′40″W / 54.1515°N 4.4779°W / 54.1515; -4.4779 (Loch Promenade) SC38277569 (Currently closed)
Regent Street 54°09′00″N 4°28′38″W / 54.1500°N 4.4771°W / 54.1500; -4.4771 (Regent Street) SC38327552 (Currently closed)
Sea Terminal 54°08′57″N 4°28′31″W / 54.1491°N 4.4754°W / 54.1491; -4.4754 (Sea Terminal) SC38427541 (Currently closed)

[12] (All stops except the termini are request stops.)

Tramcars

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Fleet

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The remaining core of service trams represent a cross-section of various types of car used on the line over the years; notable exceptions from the current fleet are an umbrella car (one of which survives as a souvenir shop elsewhere) and a convertible car, although one of these survives in private ownership. This was the last of three cars from 1935 which were dubbed "tomato boxes" owing to their unconventional appearance. On 27 August 2016, after Douglas council took ownership, six trams were sold at auction, numbers 28, 33, 34, 37, 39 and 40. Trams notated as rebuilt are considered to be part of the "Heritage Fleet".

Key: Service Fleet Undergoing Rebuild Rebuilt Awaiting Rebuild
No. Built Builder Layout Seats Livery Adverts Notes
1* 1913 G.F. Milnes-Voss & Co. Enclosed Saloon 30 Red & Cream Bushy's *Replacement Vehicle
12 1888 Starbuck Car & Wagon Open Toastrack 32 Blue & Gold ~ Ornamental Lamps
18 1883 Metro-Cammell Double Decker 42 Maroon & Gold Okell's Single-Deck 1904, Double-Deck 1989
21 1890 George F. Milnes & Co. Open Toastrack 40 Burgundy & White Lamps Rebuilt 2018 – 2019
27 1892 George F. Milnes & Co. Enclosed Saloon 30 Prussian Blue & Cream None Carried Rebuilt 2017 – 2018
29 1892 George F. Milnes & Co. Enclosed Saloon 30 Red, Black & Cream None Carried Rebuilt 2017 – 2019
32 1896 George F. Milnes & Co. Sunshade 32 Red & White ~ Rebuild 2019–2024
36 1896 George F. Milnes & Co. Roofed Toastrack 40 Red & White Villa Marina Rebuilt 2017 "Tram of the Year"
38 1902 George F. Milnes & Co. Open Toastrack 40 Red & White ~ Scheduled For Rebuild
42 1905 George F. Milnes & Co. Open Toastrack 40 Red & Varnish Dragon's Castle Rebuilt 2017 – 2018
43 1907 United Electric Car Co. Roofed Toastrack 40 Red & White Conister Bank
44 1907 United Electric Car Co. Roofed Toastrack 40 Red, White & Blue None Carried Royal Tram (1964 & 1972)
45 1908 United Electric Car Co. Roofed Toastrack 40 Red & White Groudle Rebuilt 2017 – 2018

Scrapped fleet

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The tramway amassed at total of 50 cars, the final three arriving as late as 1935. Over the years several of these became surplus to requirements and were scrapped; many were stored in the former cable car depot at York Road, Douglas prior to its demolition to make way for a residential complex in 1990, others were dismantled being surplus to requirements over the years. Nos. 48 and 50 were purchased for possible use as wayside shelters on the Manx Electric Railway and were stored for a time at Derby Castle; the plan however never came to fruition and both vehicles were scrapped in 1982 leaving No.49 as the sole remaining example of this type of tramcar. No.46 was relocated to Nobles Park in Douglas in 1988 where it saw use as a shelter (memorably it carried a black and neon colour scheme latterly, promoting the Palace Lido); it was removed from the island and fully restored for museum display though later scrapped despite having been heavily reconditioned.

No. Built Builder Layout Seats Scrap Notes
1 (i) 1876 Starbuck Car & Wagon Double Decker 36 1901 Converted From Single Deck 1884 – Later Replaced
2 1876 Starbuck Car & Wagon Double Decker 36 1948 Not Used After World War II
3 1876 Starbuck Car & Wagon Double Decker 36 1948 Not Used After World War II
4 1882 Metro-Cammell Double Decker 34 1949 Not Used After World War II
5 1883 Starbuck Car & Wagon Double Decker 34 1949 Not Used After World War II
6 1883 Starbuck Car & Wagon Double Decker 34 1949 Not Used After World War II
7 1884 Starbuck Car & Wagon Double Decker 42 1924
8 1884 Starbuck Car & Wagon Double Decker 42 1949 Not Used After World War II
9 1884 Starbuck Car & Wagon Open Toastrack 32 1952
10 1884 Starbuck Car & Wagon Open Toastrack 40 1979 Spare Parts Retained
14 1887 Metro-Cammell Double Decker 42 1908 Destroyed (Depot Rockslide)
15 1887 Metro-Cammell Double Decker 42 1939 Purchased South Shields Tramways
16 1887 Metro-Cammell Double Decker 42 1915 Purchased South Shields Tramways
17 1886 Metro-Cammell Double Decker 48 1914 Ex-South Shields Tramways Converted Single Deck 1903
19 1889 George F. Milnes & Co. Open Toastrack 32 1949 Withdrawn & Stored 1940
20 1889 George F. Milnes & Co. Open Toastrack 32 1949 Withdrawn & Stored 1940
23 1891 George F. Milnes & Co. Umbrella Car 33 1952 Retractable Canvas Roof 1908 Later Fixed Roof
24 1891 George F. Milnes & Co. Umbrella Car 32 1952 Retractable Canvas Roof 1910, Later Fixed Roof
25 1891 George F. Milnes & Co. Open Toastrack 32 1952
26 1891 George F. Milnes & Co. Open Toastrack 32 1974
30 1894 George F. Milnes & Co. Open Toastrack 32 1950
31 1894 George F. Milnes & Co. Open Toastrack 32 1987 Advertising Car 1968–1975
35 1896 G.F. Milnes-Voss & Co Sunshade 32 2022 Glazed Bulkheads 1966 Home of Rest For Old Horses
41 1905 George F. Milnes & Co. Open Toastrack 40 1988 Spare Parts Retained
46 1909 George F. Milnes & Co. Roofed Toastrack 40 1986 Sold to Birkenhead Tramway Museum 1990
48 1935 Vulcan Motor & Engineering Convertible Saloon 27/34 1980 Sold – Manx Electric Railway 1978
50 1935 Vulcan Motor & Engineering Convertible Saloon 27/34 1980 Sold – Manx Electric Railway 1978

Other tramcars

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In addition to those cars remaining in the operational fleet, a number have survived and remained at other locations on the island; No. 14 spent several years at the Clapham Transport Museum until its closure, returning to the island in time for the centenary of the tramway in 1976; it entered the Manx Museum in 1991 where it remains today. No. 22 was converted into a souvenir shop used at Strathallan Crescent, it now resides at a transport museum in the north of the island where it fulfils the same role.

Key: Undergoing Restoration Auctioned Off Privately Owned On Display
No. Built Builder Layout Seats Location Notes
11 1886 Starbuck Car & Wagon Open Toastrack 32 Wirral Museum Withdrawn 1976, Moved Jurby-Wirral May 2021
14 1887 Starbuck Car & Wagon Double Decker 42 Manx Museum Audio/Visual Display, Renumbered 1908 Ex-13)
22 1890 G.F. Milnes & Co. Umbrella Car 32 Jurby Museum Former Tram Shop (Last Sunshade)
28 1892 G.F. Milnes & Co. Enclosed Saloon 30 Off-Island Sold Privately, August 2016 (£2,800)
33 1896 G.F. Milnes & Co. Sunshade 1974 Bulkheads 32 On-Island Sold Privately, August 2016 (£1,200)
34 1896 G.F. Milnes & Co. Sunshade 1972 Bulkheads 32 Jurby Museum Sold, August 2016 (£1,300) Motorised 2018
37 1896 G.F. Milnes & Co. Sunshade 1972 Bulkheads 32 On-Island Sold Privately, August 2016 (£1,100)
39 1902 Starbuck Car & Wagon Toastrack Lengthened 1934 40 On-Island Sold Privately 2016 (£1,800) M.E.R. Society
40 1902 G.F. Milnes & Co. Toastrack Lengthened 1939 40 On-Island Sold Privately, August 2016 (£1,000)
47 1911 G.F. Milnes & Co. Bulkhead 40 Wirral Museum Withdrawn 1976, Moved Jurby-Wirral May 2021
49 1935 Vulcan Motor & Engineering Convertible Saloon 27/34 Ramsey Withdrawn 1978 (Last of Kind) Privately Owned

See also

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Douglas Bay Horse Tramway.

References

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b "Isle of Man Guide – Transportation, Horse Drawn Trams". Maxima Systems. Retrieved 8 February 2008.
  2. ^ "Horse tram service back on track for 2015". Town of Douglas. 9 May 2015. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  3. ^ "Douglas Borough Council – Just the ticket: Council updates horse tram ticket management system".
  4. ^ "Douglas regeneration: £21m plans submitted for Manx capital". BBC News. 6 May 2015.
  5. ^ "Isle of Man horse tram service ends after 140 years". BBC News. 22 January 2016. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  6. ^ "Isle of Man horse trams: More than 2,000 people sign petition to save service". BBC News Online. 23 January 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  7. ^ "Isle of Man horse trams: Committee to explore closure alternatives". BBC News Online. 26 January 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  8. ^ "Horse Trams". Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  9. ^ "Prom revamp application set to be submitted". Archived from the original on 21 July 2015. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  10. ^ "Opposition to horse trams on Douglas walkway". Archived from the original on 21 July 2015. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  11. ^ "Isle of Man's popular horse trams return after three years". BBC News. 29 July 2022. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  12. ^ "Tram stop locations - Douglas Bay Horse Tramway". douglashorsetramway.im. Retrieved 23 January 2022.

Bibliography

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  • Heavyside, Tom (2010). Douglas – Laxey – Ramsey: including the Groudle Glen Railway. Narrow Gauge Branch Lines series. Midhurst, West Sussex, UK: Middleton Press. ISBN 9781906008758.
  • Hendry, Robert (1993). Rails in the Isle of Man: A Colour Celebration, Midland Publishing Limited, ISBN 1-85780-009-5
  • Pearson, Keith (1999). Douglas Horse Tramway - A Millennium Year History, 1st Edition, Adam Gordon, ISBN 978-1-874422-25-9
  • Johnston, Norman. "Douglas Horse Trams in Colour." Omagh: Colourpoint Press, 1995. ISBN 9781898392101.
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