Isle of Man: Manx Transport Festival 2018 (July 2018), and other things...

David Hennessey · Aug 26, 2018

Rather later than anticipated, but anyhow...

Between Wednesday 25th and Sunday 29th July 2018, the Manx Heritage Transport Festival took place over the Isle of Man’s rail and tramway network, with a wide range of events to suit all ages and tastes. I visited the island between the 22nd and 30th of July, and present a short diary-style report of the event. I also include events organized by the Isle of Man 50 Group, who were also present during this period.

Monday 23rd July

Two days before the festival started, the Isle of Man 50 Group were on the steam railway, with their hired photo charter train. This was supposed to have featured former Manx Northern Dubs 0-6-0 tank Caledonia, but her repair work wasn’t quite completed in time, so Beyer Peacock tank No.12 Hutchinson deputized. Hauling wagons M.78 and H1, and carriages F.18 and F.49, Hutchinson made many photo stops along the 13 miles to Port Erin, including run-pasts at Port Soderick, Crogga, Santon, Castletown, Ballabeg and Port St Mary. While the wet weather wasn’t to many photographer’s advantages, some opportunities were taken to photograph the train during its journey.

Tuesday 24th July

The day before the festival, saw the penultimate Isle of Man 50 Group event take place, with the ‘Tram Tuesday’ hires on the Manx Electric Railway. This usually involves three tram/trailer combinations working three trips; one to Groudle, the second to Laxey and the third to Ramsey. For 2018, the following combinations were used:

Car 20/trailer 61 to Groudle and back

Car 1/trailer 40 to Laxey and back

Car 33/trailer 42 to Ramsey and back

Wednesday 25th July

The day the festival started, beginning with a parallel run of Cars 1 and 2 on the Manx Electric Railway. Elsewhere, the Isle of Man 50 Group’s 2018 program drew to a close, with a hired working on the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway. Douglas and the recently refurbished open-top car 42 travelled from Derby Castle to Sea Terminal and back, with a photo stop outside the Gaiety Theatre near Marine Drive on the return run. The Marine Drive to Sea Terminal section of the horse tramway will soon be downgraded to single track with passing loops (hence a parallel run, three days later). The event ended with a visit to the horse stables near Derby Castle.

Elsewhere, there were unusual tram/trailer combinations working the normal scheduled services on the Electric Railway. These combinations included Car 32 with trailer 48, and Car 33 with trailer 60.

Meanwhile at Kirk Michael, at the site of the old station on the steam railway’s former route to Ramsey, ex-Manx Northern Dubs 0-6-0 tank Caledonia and Foxdale coach No.17 stood on display. The site (presently occupied by the local fire service) saw quite a crowd, which multiplied when ex-Douglas Corporation AEC double deck bus No.15 arrived, while working a tour. The one-day event was even the subject of an on-the-spot report, broadcast on Manx Radio 97.2FM!

Thursday 26th July

The second day of the festival, with two separate events on the steam and Manx electric railways.

On the steam railway, the 09:50 departure to Port Erin was advertised as a special. This was supposed to be the ‘Manx Northern’ with Dubs 0-6-0 tank Caledonia. However, as mentioned earlier, her repair work had not quite been completed in time for the festival. So, at the last minute, the train was re-scheduled as the ‘Manxman’, with Beyer Peacock tank No.13 Kissack doing the honours.

Later, on the MER, Car 19 and trailer 42 ran an afternoon photography charter, with photo stops at various locations on the route to Ramsey, including Howstrake, Scarffe’s Crossing, Laxey Car Sheds, Minorca, Murray’s Road, Windy Ridge and Ballure Viaduct among many places.

Friday 27th July

Day three, and it was the turn of the Electric Railway, with advertised visits to Derby Castle Works and Car Sheds. Visitors took the opportunity to go behind the scenes at Derby Castle, from seeing running repairs to a tram car being carried out, to seeing the collection of cars and trailers on shed; some active, and some stored. There was also a few chances to get photographs of specially posed vehicles. For instance, Ratchet Car 14 (nearing the end of her three year restoration at the time of writing) was positioned outside the repair shed, while Car 32, 17 and 6 were posed half in and out of the main shed.

Elsewhere, Car 19, trailer 51 and mail van 4 worked a postal special between Douglas and Laxey.

That evening, I took a visit to the privately owned Crogga Valley Railway. The line’s two American outline diesel locos (one Union Pacific and one Santa Fe) were in action, and noted running parallel alongside the Isle of Man Railway’s Beyer Peacock tank No.13 Kissack while the latter was working an evening ‘curry’ train to Castletown.

Saturday 28th July

The fourth and penultimate day of the festival, and it was back to the steam railway hosting two events, to commemorate 50 years since the closure of the Peel and Ramsey routes. The morning saw organized visits to the signal box and workshops, where again, visitors had a chance to go behind the scenes and view the latest progress. Highlights of these tours included viewing the carriage sheds (with Beyer Peacock tanks No.5 Mona and No.9 Douglas still trapped inside their asbestos tent), and the main workshops where No.10 G.H Wood and No.4 Loch were (and presently) undergoing their respective overhauls.

The intense service was worked by all three of the currently active fleet. No.8 Fenella, No.12 Hutchinson and No.13 Kissack took it in turns to work services from Douglas to Port Erin and vice versa.

Also that day, the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway held a parallel run of two horses and cars side by side, from Villa Marina to the Gaiety Theatre.

That evening, a photography event was held at the railway station. At the end of the scheduled services for the day, Fenella and Kissack posed for photographs, and worked a double headed run-past for photographers out of the station. Then, after splitting the train into two separate ones, participants were taken to just beyond the carriage shed, for an organized run-past on both the main running line, and part of the former line to Peel/Ramsey. Adorned with respective headboards, Fenella and Kissack slowly advanced towards the waiting photographers.

Back at the station, a hog-roast was served, followed by a speech from the current Isle of Man Transport director, Mr Ian Longworth. In his statement, he gave details on the current state of progress on the rail, tram and bus networks.

Sunday 28th July

The fifth and final day of the 2018 festival, with an intense service on the Manx Electric Railway, which was supposed to have featured all available tram/trailer combinations. Unfortunately, wet weather throughout most of the day forced parts of the timetable to be curtailed, and many tram cars working without trailers.

On the Groudle Glen Railway, Bagnall 0-4-2 tank Annie was in steam, and there was the added bonus of seeing ex-Butlin’s Clacton Camp Baguley 0-4-0 steam outline diesel loco Maltby (formerly Parracombe), made famous in the end credits to BBC’s ‘Hi De Hi’. After a small formal ceremony, Maltby got down to sharing the passenger service with Annie, between Lhen Coan and Sea Lion Rocks, and vice versa.

The festival concluded with an evening talk at Douglas station.

More pictures from my visit, can be found here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/david-hennessey/albums/72157669681365237