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Manx Transport Review No.40 Summer/Autumn 1983 |
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The Snaefell Mountain Summit Hotel, which was destroyed by fire on the night of 5th - 6th August 1982 is expected to be completely rebuilt in time for the end of the season. The contractors expect work to be completed by about mid September. To avoid disrupting the normal seasonal passenger service on the Mountain line, a new siding was constructed at the Bungallow, to permit wagons to be loaded with construction materials without fouling the main line. Two wagons were constructed on the original Milnes truck frames of Snaefell cars, replaced by replicas built by London Transport to accommodate the ex Aachen equipment. Snaefell No.4 has been in use as a works car. With activity concentrated on Snaefell, the diminished funds and interest available for the remainder of the system led to minimal Winter works being carried out : some lengths of track were relaid at and near Scarffe's Crossing, scene of many derailments, whilst further work was carried out at Garwick. Paddleboxes 16 & 27 were engaged on Winter works duties throughout the period. Cars 6, 7, 26 & 32 have seen little or no service this season. Car No.1 of 1893 has been out of service for some time, reputedly suffering from blown traction motors. Car No.27 was noted in traffic with trailer 60 (an unusual combination) on July 16th. The plan to site a new vicarage on the Laxey Station is running into serious difficulties. Sir Charles Kerruish is to chair a joint meeting between the Laxey Village Commissioners and the Lonan Commission, and members of the Lonan & Laxey Parochial Church Council. A public requistion meeting to organise opposition to the IoMPTB proposals is to be held shortly. The scheme has been described as 'rediculous and stupid' and 'unacceptable' and threatens the entire nature and character of the present station. The Horse Tramway appears to have enjoyed a reasonably good season, although the early part of the year was exceedingly slow to pick up. As a result of the evaluations carried out during last Winter, the Corporation Tramways Department scrapped its former geographical fare stage system and introduced a flat fare of 25p (15p for children/senior citizens) for any distance. Pre-printed tickets have been re-introduced to implement the new system. Car Nos. 21,29,32,34,35,36,37,38,39 & 40 were at last given a thorough repainting during the Winter, whilst car 29 was also given a heavy overhaul. The result of these efforts was the most presentable fleet of horse cars seen in recent years, whilst the overhaul programme went some way to catching up on the backlog of deferred maintenance. Car No.1 which was loaned to Sealink for publicity purposes last Winter and shipped to Heysham on October 8th 1982, returned to Douglas on March 15th. The car has been repainted by Lancaster City Transport Department at their former Morecambe Transport Depot in an overall Sealink livery. The car has been exhibited at various Sealink-Manx Line promotions in London and elsewhere, before re-entering service in Douglas still in its Sealink garb. |
Manx Transport Review No.42 -
Spring/Summer 1984
Ballure Viaduct at Ramsey was at last equipped with
derailment guard rails to the tracks - fully six years after
their provision was agreed with the Board's 'Chief
Executive' to be a matter of paramount importance. SMR Car 2 has been put through Derby Castle Car Works
and is said to have had some pillars and panels renewed, the
roof recanvassed and a repaint. Work also continued on No.9
and Trailer No.42. Car No.14 was noted on the Paint Shop
road during February. Some spot resleepering of track has
been carried out on the approach to Ramsey and at
Ballamenagh whilst more fencing repairs have taken place in
the Ballaglass - Cornaa - Ballafayle districts. A total of nine horse tramcars have been put through a
thorough overhaul and repaint during the past Winter and two
additional cars have yet to be dealt with. Car No.44 has
been equipped with new dash panels and Car No.42 has been
rebuilt to prewar condition with the original destination
plates fitted to overall hoops. The season of 1983 saw a
significant drop in passengers owing to the enourmous drop
in day excursion traffic to the Island, resulting from the
drastic cutback in suitable sailings offered by the Steam
Packet Co., with its much-reduced fleet of ships.
Manx Transport Review No.43 -
Autumn/Winter 1984
Despite the poor season, traffic on the Manx Electric
appears to have held up well, although as is usual nowadays
precise figures are not published. Cars in use this season
were: 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 9, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23(Special), 25, 26,
27, 32, 33 and Trailer Cars Nos. 37, 40-49, 55, 56,
59(Special), 60-62. The Saloon Trailers Nos. 57-58 were
repainted and 57 is to be lettered in 'Manx Electric Railway
Co. Ltd.' style. Car 5 had its bizarre paintwork touched up
and tidied during the Summer and was noted hauling Trailer
58 on a Private Hire on August 8th. Amongst the unusual
combinations that were in service during the Season, Car 2
and Trailer 55; Car 6 ran at one stage with Trailer 60 and
green Car 32 was seen running to Derby Castle with a red
trailer; this did not, however enter service. As is by no means unusual, the season saw a
considerable number of derailments (sometimes two a day)
with cars off the road at Douglas, Howstrake, near Groudle,
and Ballabeg, at Laxey, Minorca, and elsewhere. The overall
condition of the Laxey-Ramsey section is still far superior
to the Laxey-Douglas lines. Derailments on the Snaefell
section do not seem to have diminished in number and ought
to give rise to grave concern. The Snaefell Summit hotel, completely rebuilt after
its disastrous fire in August 1982, was duly reopened at the
beginning of the Season. The insurers now require the
premises to be permanently occupied. At the beginning of the season, Car 41 was renumbered
Car 10 owing to a lack of plastic fleet numbers. Car No.1
still has no fleet numbers at all in default of the
Corporation's own byelaws. The wet weather service was
maintained by more open crossbench cars than normal owing to
the fact that Saloon Car 29 has not been in traffic at all.
For the first time in many years, horse tram crews
were provided with a uniform dust-coat which did not improve
overall appearances. The MER Board style convict caps of
some years ago have disappeared without trace and without
any regret. Postbox Aachen 1010 Sir, The arrival of this 20-ton tramcar at Douglas was a
mistake. Aachen 1010 was brought over from Germany and
delivered to Douglas aboard the LUNE FISHER, on November 12
1976 and was taken to Derby Castle Yard where it remained in
use as a mess room for some years. The other Aachen cars
purchased for the MER Board were delivered to London
Transport's Lots Road Power Station yard, and all had
arrived by November 26th. The veil of secrecy that surrounded the reason for
the arrival of Aachen 1010 in Douglas successfully avoided
adverse publicity; both this MER Board and London Transport
were under heavy criticism at the time, and the allegations
made by the Island's MER Society to the effect that the
rebuilding of the ex-Aachen equipment into the old Milnes
plate frame trucks for Snaefell was completely impractical,
was entirely borne out and the re-equipped Snaefell cars run
on modified replicas built at Acton by London Transport. The
substantial cost over-run on this ill-conceived scheme was
borne by the unfortunate ratepayers of the GLC. London
Transport's inefficiency and extravagance was under
investigation by Sir Horace Cutler who is said to have found
the ill-fated LT involvement in this and other projects to
be 'significantly indicative.'
Could you please explain why and how it happened that Aachen
1010 was brought all the way from Germany to Douglas only to
be used as a mess-room at the Derby Castle Works yard ? I
know you did a cartoon about this tramcar's incredible
journey, so you must know something we don't know about the
most expensive tea hut in the world !
The original intention was that one of the Aachen cars would
be loaded with all the spares and sundries associated with
them, and that this car would be sent direct by road and sea
from Germany to Douglas. Unhappily the organisation was such
that the wrong car was picked up and brought over, loaded
with nothing at all. London Transport, as the MER's
'Consultants' in this project, arranged for MER staff to go
down to Lots Road at a later date to retrieve the spares-an
expedition that was noted in this journal at the
time.
Manx Transport Review No.44
Spring/Summer 1985
Only a limited amount of Winter work has been carried
out on the Manx Electric Railway with the main effort being
concentrated on track renewals and general upgrading on the
IMR. Repairs to the Northbound track at Lamb's Crossing have
been carried out and substantial remedial work has been
effected to the appalling stretch of track along King Edward
Rd, Onchan. A substantial number of traction poles have been
painted up to just below cross arm height and every fifth
pole now carries its number. Cars dealt with in Derby Castle
Works include the two saloon trailer cars 57 & 58, Cars
7 & 25 and Trailer Car 42. Snaefell Car No. 1 has also
received attention at Derby Castle. The Board has invited applications from anyone
interested in developing the Dhoon Glen Station cafe site.
It is envisaged that the developer would demolish the
exhisting kiosk, shelter and toilets and then incorporate
these facilities in a new building to provide refreshments
and souvenirs. All proposals for the site, which has mains
electricity and a septic tank for sewage disposal, will be
subject to planning permission and the approval of the IoM
Forestry Board as owners of Dhoon Glen. The 1985 season's operation was inauguarated on May
1st by Dr R. Earle, president of the Newcomen Society which
was holding its annual convention in Douglas. The Horse
Tramway will continue to operate until September 28th.
The Transport Committee has considered a report on the
condition of the horse tram tracks, prepared by Holmes Grace
& Partners of Douglas. Mr John Grace of the firm is one
of the multiplicity of government inspecting officers
appointed under the terms of the IoM Passenger Transport Act
of 1982. The report is understood to list the defects that
required remedial work prior to the commencement of the
present season particularly in respect of the worn road
surface. The future of the Horse Tramway, with its increasing
heavy deficit, has been the subject of comments by the
Borough's Treasurer, and it is hoped to deal with the
overall decline in financial performance with this
undertaking in the next issue of Manx Transport
Review.
Manx Transport Review Spring/Summer
1986
1906 Crossbench Car 32 which has lost the dreadful
green livery applied in 1979, has emerged from Derby Castle
Carworks not only in proper MER livery, but also features
only the correct Manx Electric crest, and without the
unfortunate fairground-style botch up badge produced by the
MER Board in 1978. Trailer Car 47 which has also recently
been through Derby Castle paint shop is also restored to
full MER livery and lettering. Winter Saloon Car 21 of 1899 brought down the overhead
wires at Pole 59 whilst working the 5pm ex-Douglas on Easter
Saturday. Further examination revealed that the overhead
equipment was defective and suitable repairs were later
made. During the past Winter season, limited track repairs
have been carried out near Bulgham top, with appropiate
single line working between the crossovers at Dhoon Quarry
and Ballaragh. Buildings at Dhon Glen have been
demolished. The Douglas Corporation Horse Tramway service opened
for the season on May 1st, with Mayor of Douglas, Cllr Mrs
Audrey Ainsworth performing an opening ceremony. She then
drove Car No.44 a short distance. The service will continue
until 27th September. Car 44, the Royal Tram has been beautifullypainted in
a completely bogus livery to commemorate Douglas Corporation
Buses or Manx Heritage Year. Some signwriting is in Manx
Gaelic. Car No.1 of 1913 which was given an overall
Sealink-Manx Line advert livery by Lancaster City Transport
in 1982 prior to being placed on exhibition in London and
elsewhere, has now been painted in traditional Douglas
Corporation Tramways livery.