The Year of Railways was a series of special events held on the Isle of Man during 1993 to commemorate the centenary of the opening of the first section of the Manx Electric Railway from Douglas (Derby Castle) to Groudle in September 1893.
The Isle of Man, sometimes referred to simply as Mann, is a self-governing British Crown dependency in the Irish Sea between Great Britain and Ireland. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann and is represented by a lieutenant governor. Defence is the responsibility of the United Kingdom.
The Manx Electric Railway is an electric interurban tramway connecting Douglas, Laxey and Ramsey in the Isle of Man. It connects with the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway at its southern terminus at Derby Castle at the northern end of the promenade in Douglas, and with the Snaefell Mountain Railway at Laxey. The line is undulating and passes through areas of scenic beauty. Many visitors take an excursion on the trams.
Douglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 27,938 (2011). It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and on a sweeping bay of two miles. The River Douglas forms part of the town's harbour and main commercial port.
Prior to 1993 the Isle of Man's steam and electric railways were already established as tourism attractions and had put on special events previously such as the 1973 Steam Railway Centenary, the 1993 Year of Railways was used as an opportunity to promote the Island as a mecca for rail and engineering enthusiasts.
Events
Although 1993 was the centenary of the Manx Electric Railway, the events showcased all of the Islands railways and more with intensive activities during three periods. Each of the event periods commenced with "meet and greet" sessions held at Summerland, where organisers, directors, staff and other influential people from the railways were on hand. As well as outlining the event timetables, there were slideshows, question-and-answer sessions and general chat. The majority of the events were simple railway-based activities, although the opportunity was also taken to do things a little differently. They included:
Trams at Laxey station during the celebration on 27 August 1993
Parallel running of the two original tramcars dating from the opening of the line; this usually took place prior to daily services to facilitate use of both running lines
Use of a low loader to transfer No. 4 "Loch" of the Isle of Man Railway to Laxey where it ran a service pulling two MER trailers along a section to Dhoon Quarry
Tram 9 decorated by engineers from Blackpool to become illuminated; it ran shuttles to Groudle where the Groudle Glen Railway put on evening services
Tram Cavalcade at Laxey where every available tram, trailer, works vehicle and the steam engine performed a run by with a historic and trivia based commentary
Photo trams and trains ran which would stop at preselected scenic locations so that the passengers could alight, photograph and proceed to the next location
Chasing buses that shadowed special services to viewpoints and chased ahead to await the arrival of trains/trams, sometimes utilising vintage buses
Special tram services were featured that included running commentaries about the views and attractions along the length of the routes with stopping places
Floodlit evening photography and barbecues were held with staff creating shunting movements for the benefit of spectators, often with little-used rolling stock
Guided tours around sheds and depots which would normally be closed to members of the public, both in the day and in conjunction with evening sessions
Guided walks of the closed railway lines to Peel, Ramsey and Foxdale with connecting vintage buses and coaches between venues, and refreshments
Slide and film shows with a "bring your own along" policy ensuring a varied mix of entertainments, also including raffles and other attractions
Operation of the restored Upper Douglas Cable Car along the promenade at Douglas prior to the operation of usual horse tram services
Cavalcade line-ups of the horse tram fleet outside the workshops at Derby Castle, including some rarely used tramcars in service along the promenade
The return of "Polar Bear" to the Groudle Glen Railway for a month-long visit, including double headed trains, freight trains, and the like
The Isle of Man Railway (IMR) is a narrow gauge steam-operated railway connecting Douglas with Castletown and Port Erin. The line is 3 ft narrow gauge and 15.3 miles (24.6 km) long. It is the remainder of what was a much larger network that also served the western town of Peel, the northern town of Ramsey and the small mining village of Foxdale. Now in government ownership, it uses original rolling stock and locomotives and there are few concessions to modernity.
The Groudle Glen Railway is a 2 ft narrow gauge railway north of Douglas in the Isle of Man which is owned and operated by a small group of enthusiastic volunteers and operates on summer Sundays; May to September and Wednesday evenings in July and August along with a number of annual special events.
Barbecue or barbeque is a cooking method, a style of food, and a name for a meal or gathering at which this style of food is cooked and served.
Organised by the staff and friends of the railways including local preservationist groups, and backed up by the island's Department of Tourism and Leisure, which own the railways, these events were hailed both on and off the island as a resounding success. Total visitor numbers for the events were estimated at 35,000, second only at attracting visitors behind the T.T. Races. The success of the year's events paved the way for a period of much interest in the island's railways over the next years, and this was reflected in the array of events between 1994 and 1998 culminating in the 125th anniversary of the railway.
Subsequent festivals
Following the success of the Year of Railways, the lines played host to similar events to celebrate other milestones in the histories of the island's railways.
1998 Steam 125 marked 125 years of the Isle of Man Steam Railway from Douglas to Peel.
The Snaefell Mountain Railway is an electric mountain railway on the Isle of Man in Europe. It joins the village of Laxey with the summit of Snaefell, at 2,036 feet (621 m) above sea level the highest point on the island. It connects with the Manx Electric Railway (MER) in Laxey. The line is 5 miles (8 km) long, is built to 3 ft 6 in gauge and uses a Fell Incline Railway System centre rail for braking on the steep gradients. It is electrified using overhead wires at 550 volts direct current, with bow collectors.
Steam 125 was a series of events held in 1998 to mark the 125th anniversary of the Isle of Man Railway opening its first route from Douglas to Peel the railway ran a large number of special events. Most notable was the return to service of the original steam locomotive No. 1 "Sutherland" which hauled special services all year, including excursions on the Manx Electric Railway; other highlights included night trains, arranged photography sessions, slide and film shows, unusual tram trips, and visiting locomotives on the Groudle Glen Railway and many more. This was the last of the "big" railway events on the island, which had begun with the "Year of Railways" in 1993 to mark the centenary of the Manx Electric Railway. Although there are still annual events periods on the island these are now a very half-hearted affair and do not bring the enthusiasts as they once did.
There were also lower-key events in 1997 and 1999 for the centenary of tram services to Ramsey, but despite their smaller scale they were well attended by visitors.
Ramsey is a coastal town in the north of the Isle of Man. It is the second largest town on the island after Douglas. Its population is 7,309 according to the 2006 census. It has one of the biggest harbours on the island, and has a prominent derelict pier, called the Queen's Pier. It was formerly one of the main points of communication with Scotland. Ramsey has also been a route for several invasions by Vikings and Scots.
From 1999, although events still took place annually, they were held on a much smaller scale, usually over a weekend in July or August with fewer one-off events being held. They usually consisted of more straightforward events such as unusual tramcars in operation, double-headed trains, non-passenger vehicles in service. Events such as night photography, slide shows and such, were phased out.
From 2009 the event has been renamed as the "Manx Heritage Transport Festival", and it is intended to hold the event annually over the same period in future: starting on the Wednesday of the last week in July and continuing until the following Tuesday, with events on all railways, and some non-rail events such as vintage bus tours, boat trips, and the like.
The Great Laxey Mine Railway was originally constructed to serve the Isle of Man's Great Laxey Mine, a lead mine located in Laxey. The 19 in gauge railway runs from the old mine entrance to the washing floors along a right of way that passes through the Isle of Man's only remaining railway tunnel under the 3 ft gauge Victorian Manx Electric Railway and the main A2 Douglas to Ramsey coast road.
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Related Research Articles
Laxey is a village on the east coast of the Isle of Man. Its name derives from the Old Norse Laxa meaning 'Salmon River'. Its key distinguishing features are its three working vintage railways and the largest working waterwheel in the world. It is also the location of King Orry's Grave.
Onchan is a village in the parish of Onchan on the Isle of Man. It is at the north end of Douglas Bay. Although administratively a village, it has the second largest population of settlements on the island, after Douglas, with which it forms a conurbation.
The Douglas Bay Horse Tramway on the Isle of Man runs along the seafront promenade for approximately 1.6 miles (2.6 km), from the southern terminus at the Victoria Pier, adjacent to the Sea Terminal, to Derby Castle, the southern terminus of the Manx Electric Railway, where the workshops and sheds are located. It is a distinctive tourist attraction.
Laxey is a interchange station in the village of Laxey on the east coast of the Isle of Man. It is the principal intermediate station on the Manx Electric Railway as well as being the lower terminus of the Snaefell Mountain Railway. It is thus the island's only dual-gauge station, albeit with completely separate tracks. Some MER services from/to Douglas terminate here.
See also Transport in the Isle of Man.
Isle of Man Transport is an agency of Isle of Man Government that operates public transport on the Isle of Man.
The Isle of Man Steam Railway Supporters' Association Ltd (IoMSRSA) is a railway preservationist group dedicated to ensuring the continued operation of the Isle of Man Railway on the Isle of Man. Since its inception in 1966 the group has provided volunteer workers, acted in a watchdog role and undertaken the restoration of the Groudle Glen Railway on the island, as well as supporting projects on the railway and producing a journal Manx Steam Railway News regularly.
Little Isabella is a rustic water wheel, situated in Groudle Glen on the Isle of Man, that was originally built in 1893 with the arrival of the Manx Electric Railway to the glen. It has been dubbed the "Little Isabella" owing to its alleged resemblance to the Laxey Wheel in nearby Laxey which was opened in 1854 by Lady Isabella, the wife of the then Lieutenant Governor of the island. In its time the wheel has been used for various purposes, including pumping water to the Groudle Hotel and providing power for the fairy lights that ran through the glen from the entrance to Lhen Coan, terminus of the Groudle Glen Railway. Latterly its function has become entirely aesthetic.
Bungalow Station is the only intermediate station on the Isle of Man's Snaefell Mountain Railway and is located where the main mountain road intersects the line.
Snaefell Summit railway station is the upper terminus of the Snaefell Mountain Railway on the Isle of Man and is served by the tramway of the same name.
Groudle Glen Station is the first mandatory stopping point and major station on the Manx Electric Railway which serves the village of Groudle Glen in the Isle of Man, and is situated between Groudle Lane and Eskadale on the route to Laxey and Ramsey.
Annie is a steam locomotive that operates on the Groudle Glen Railway on the Isle of Man.
This article details Trailer Nos. 36–39 of the Manx Electric Railway on the Isle of Man.
Trailer Nos. 57 – 58 of the Manx Electric Railway on the Isle of Man are a pair of trailers.
