This page is designed for photographic contributions to the Manx
Electric Railway Society website. If you have any views of transport
to or on the Isle of Man, particularly pre 1980, and would like to
see them added to the website please e-mail first with details to
busbus@mcb.net All contributions
welcomed.
Transport enthusiast Roy Cripps has sent in the following views of
Island transport. The MERS is very grateful for the use of these
photographs, which make a welcome addition to the website. Copyright
for each view remains with Roy Cripps.
Manx Electric Railway car 1 and disabled persons trailer 56 are seen
at Ramsey on Tuesday, June 13, 2006. The trailers wheelchair ramp is
being used for passengers to disembark.
For a short period 1893 car 2 had some of its maroon repainted blue,
as seen in this view here at Groudle on July 16, 2002 in the company
of trailer 43. Apart from looking decidedly odd amongst the red cars,
the effect is somewhat marred because it was only a partial repaint,
side lining retaining maroon from the previous livery. Car 2 now
carries MER red and white livery similar to that applied to
sister car 1.
MER tunnel car 5 is seen approaching Baldrine station en route
to Ramsey with a service tram on September 11, 2001, with the
Island's mountain range in the background. Note the Ramsey bound
track had recently been re-laid, whilst the tram shows the fleetname
in the Manx language.
The same car almost seven years later, caught at Laxey station on
Friday, May 16, 2008 during the shortened operation between Derby
Castle and Laxey only.
Tunnel car 6 is seen outside the doomed Summerland complex on March
25, 2002 whilst in use as a winter wire car. As the overhead crew
attend to some problem with the wires, other members of staff look
intently under the car.
Car 6, along with 1893 trailer 49, has just shunted at
Derby Castle in readiness for its next trip north on
Wednesday, June 4, 2008.
Tunnel car 6 and Winter Saloon 22 sit at Derby Castle on Saturday,
July 12, 2008
Traditionally during the winter period a regular service car,
normally but not exclusively from the batch of tunnel cars, is given
over the to the per way dept for maintenance duties. Car 7 is seen at
Groudle on October 22, 2001 whilst operating as such. At the
beginning of each summer the car would be cleaned and returned to
passenger service - however so far this has proved not to be the case
for car 7, it is still (2005) used on per way work and has not seen
passenger use in a number of years. The condition of the tram is
dreadful, not helped by outside storage during a large part of the
2004/2005 winter.
As part of Isle of Man Railways 2008 enthusiast events paddlebox car
16 and the delightful little trailer 60 were operated on service
between Derby Castle & Ramsey on a number of occasions. The
pair are seen approaching Dhoon Quarry on Monday, July 21, the
landside track north of Laxey having re-opened a few days earlier. At
this time the seaside track remained closed with single-line
operation in place between Laxey and Ramsey.
1899 Winter Saloon 19 sits at Derby Castle with good patronage on
August 9, 2001, shortly to depart for Ramsey. The tram carries the
yellow & brown livery and lettering for the Douglas Laxey
& Ramsey Electric Tramway. Trailer 48 was also painted in
this scheme to match the power car, but on this occasion the tram is
paired to a red and white liveried 40's class trailer.
Manx Electric Railway paddlebox car 27 has for several years been in
use as a per way unit, with knocked up cab and yellow and black
hazard stripes. It is now stored out of use, but is seen rounding the
curve by the former Douglas Bay Hotel site on September 11, 2001.
Behind the car work is beginning on the new office block that has
since replaced the impressive structure that was once the hotel.
Trailer 41, built in 1930, is being shunted in Laxey on Saturday,
July 19, 2008. It is about to be re-attached to Tunnel car 5 before
returning to Derby Castle
Looking inside the top shed at Derby Castle depot on July 14, 2002 a
range of MER stock can be seen, including paddlebox 26, trailers
61 and 41 and behind trailer 61 are cars 1 and another trailer. Some
of the lines most modern stock is present, 61 dating from 1906 and 41
which replaced a similar car in 1930.
In recent years a considerable amount of trackwork has been re-laid
on the Manx Electric, mostly by outside contractors. Two pieces of
equipment that contractors Hocking Rail brought with them are seen at
Ham & Egg Terrace, Laxey. The first is a tamping machine
pictured on March 25. 2002, the second is a mobile crane photographed
on July 29, 2002.
Work has commenced on the Manx Electric 2007/2008 winter relay and
which has again seen the Ruston locomotive and trailer 45 in use with
the contractors. The loco is first seen alongside Laxey Goods Shed on
Friday, November 2, 2007 and later on per-way works with the former
trailer on Thursday, November 15, 2007
Contractors eqipment is seen at Laxey station on Monday, January
7, 2008
The above four photos taken during April 2008 depict some of the
contractors equipment at Laxey that was in use for the early summer
partial relay on the Laxey-Ramsey section of the Manx Electric
Railway
Snaefell Mountain Railway car 2 is caught outside the line's Laxey
sheds on March 24, 2005, prior to the start of the summer season
