Manx Electric Railway train at the Laxey river crossing, approximately 1970.

Overview

Isle of Man Transport operates a system of Victorian-era rail transportation on the 221-square mile Isle of Man, a crown dependency of the United Kingdom lying between Ireland and Great Britain. Although technically not part of the U.K., the U.K. pound sterling is at par with Manx currency, and is legal tender. Place names in this article appear in both English and Manx Gaelic. The seasonal rail transport system comprises four distinct elements.

The 3-foot-gauge Isle of Man Steam Railway operates 15.5 miles between a terminal at the south edge of the central business district of the capital Douglas (Doolish) and Port Erin (Purt Chiarn) at the southern end of the island. Service is relatively infrequent, but there is a flag stop only about a half mile from the island's only airport, Ronaldsway. The line's 2-4-0 locomotives date from 1874.

The Manx Electric Railway (MER) operates 17.75 miles between the northern end of Douglas and Ramsey (Ramsaa) on the island's northern coast. A rich variety of scenery and settings is visible from the oldest continuously operating electric tramcars in the world. Service is roughly hourly in the summer, and less frequent in the spring and autumn 'shoulders' of the season.

At Laxey (Laksaa), the largest town between Douglas and Ramsey, passengers may transfer from the MER to the Snaefell Mountain Railway, to travel four miles to the summit of the 2036-foot high mountain. The 3 foot-6 inch-gauge cars date from the 1890's, and are equipped with bow collectors.

In Douglas, most of the distance between the MER terminus and the Isle Man Steam Railway can be covered on Douglas' horsecars, which have a common 3-foot gauge with the MER. The remaining distance can be traveled by Isle of Man Transport's modern bus system, which covers the entire island. An Island Explorer pass makes use of all these systems quite convenient for the visitor.

Photo Gallery

Five Random Images
Image 44557 (231k, 1024x690) Collection of: David Pirmann Location: Derby Castle/Douglas	Image 44587 (229k, 1024x690) Collection of: David Pirmann Location: North of Derby Castle nr. Aquadrome/depot entrance	Image 44613 (251k, 1024x689) Collection of: David Pirmann Location: Derby Castle/Douglas	Image 44618 (163k, 1044x699) Photo by: Duncan Allen Location: Douglas Promenade	Image 44623 (214k, 1044x699) Photo by: Duncan Allen Location: Ronaldsway Halt

Links

Official Site - Manx Electric Railway Society. The official site of the Manx Electric Railway Society- maps, schedules, fares, history, photo galleries, and more. Covers not only the Manx Electric but the other rail lines described above.

Page Credits

By Duncan Allen.