"Public transport officials traveled to Switzerland and Austria to check out safety equipment used on mountain railways."
"Director of public transport Ian Longworth, together with a traction engineer and a specialist railway safety engineer were there to assess safety systems and see if they could be adapted for use on the Snaefell Mountain Railway.
Their Alpine visit took place as a Health and Safety at Work Inspectorate investigation continues into the runaway tram incident on August 4 this year when a vintage tram sustained brake failure after it left the summit terminus.
It hurtled across the Mountain Road at The Bungalow before the crew finally managed to stop it using the hand-operated fell brake.
Details of the Swiss trip were revealed following a Freedom of Information request.
The Department of Infrastructure said it could not provide details of costs as the visit had only take place the previous week.
It said: ’The reason for the travel was so that the director, a traction engineer and a specialist railway safety engineer could visit the manufacturers and designers of modern trams operating to a similar gauge to those on the Isle of Man, assess the safety systems installed on those trams and discuss to the viability of adapting these systems for possible use on the Snaefell Mountain Railway.
’With regards to the cost of the trip, we are unable at this moment in time to provide them as we do not hold them."
Read the full article and posted comments on Isle of Man Newspaper's website.
The Freedom of Information Request can be viewed HERE.