Isle of Man Railways will revive memories of the Northern Line during the Manx Heritage Transport Festival later this month.
Main stations along the Port Erin line will be re-named to reflect the Northern Line stops on Saturday 1 August, with Douglas becoming St John’s, Castletown re-named the Wildlife Park and Port Erin Ramsey.
It is just one of five days of special events and unusual couplings planned by Isle of Man Railways that will delight residents and visitors over the weekend 29 July to 2 August 2015. Full details and booking information can be found in the 10-page festival leaflet available free of charge from stations and online at www.iombusandrail.info.
Friday 31 July sees the popular vintage bus tour of closed lines including for the first time access for participants to look around the former Sulby Station and grounds. It will also be Diesel Delivery at Laxey – with no. 34 Maria on display on the washfloor sidings.
The packed festival programme includes the MV Karina taking a Castletown coastal cruise that departs Douglas Sea Terminal at 10.30am on Thursday 30 July plus a Fourteen Railways coastal cruise on Sunday 2 August departing Douglas at 6pm to cruise to Port Soderick and Groudle. For cruise enquiries phone 617436.
There are classic vehicle displays at Castletown and Douglas stations on Thursday 30 July plus American vehicles from the Cunningham collection on display at Laxey for All American Day on Sunday 2 August.
One highlight that will be completely ‘delivering the goods’ is the re-launch into service of mail van no. 16 on Friday 31 July operating a special postal service between Douglas, Laxey and Ramsey. Fully restored from near dereliction, the mail van has been repainted in the olive green livery, which was carried following the nationalisation of the MER in 1957. It will operate for the first time in 40 years at this year’s festival, firstly attached to the rear of the 9.40am service departing Derby Castle for Ramsey then returning to Laxey at 11.55am to remain on display for the remainder of the day.
During the evening the mail van will be coupled with car no. 33 and trailer no. 44 – the line’s newest tram, trailer and van all in one train. Tickets are £10 for its special 6pm departure from Derby Castle on Friday 31 July. Tram historian Andrew Scarffe and the team from ManxElectricRailway.co.uk will host a photography tour providing insight into the role the MER played in moving freight along the East coast.
Restoration of the mail van has been undertaken by Laxey and Lonan Heritage Trust with enthusiastic and generous support from Isle of Man Post Office. Culture Vannin and numerous individuals also contributed to enable the restoration work to go ahead.
The regular Thursday Night at the Steam Railway Museum in Port Erin will be held from 6pm to 9pm on 30 July with volunteers on hand to provide expert tours and audio and video presentations.
For more information and to book see the Manx Heritage Transport Festival leaflet, available from all railway stations and online at www.iombusandrail.info.