Last surviving sunshade Car No. 22 of 1890 has been brought back to Douglas from the Jurby Transport Museum today in readiness for next week’s Heritage Transport Festival week. Meanwhile, Royal Tram No. 44 has been sent to Jurby as a replacement.
Car 22 was spotted on the back of a JCK DAF beavertail lorry en route from Jurby Transport Museum, where it has served as its shop since early 2010.
Shortly after 22's arrival in Douglas, Horse Car 44, aka ‘The Royal Tram’, prominently on show during last week’s visit by HRH King Charles III, was loaded onto the lorry which repatriated Car 22, and was sent to Jurby in its place. 44 is said to be in need of significant overhaul
Car 22 will be outside the new Derby Castle Horse Tram Depot, during next week’s festivities.
Following conversion from an open sunshade toastrack car, 22 is seen in use as the tramway's shop in this view from May 1980. (Photo: MERS Collection)
The tram was converted into a souvenir shop by the Corporation circa 1977 when 22 had its seats removed and was fitted with sides. During the main season, each day it was pushed out of the shed into the sunlight where it served as an interesting and useful asset to the Horse Tramway - and for many years was a major stockist of MER Society publications. During this period, visitors could also venture into the depot itself and see, amongst other things, the restored 72/72 Cable Tram, part of a historic display set up at the northern end of the depot.
Having fallen out of favour, 22 found itself transferred to the Jurby Transport Museum early in 2010, where until this week it has been displayed alongside the Douglas Cable Car.
Milnes Sunshade Car 22 poses outside the Depot during the Light Rail Transit League's visit to the Island in May 1956. The car was delivered from G.F. Milnes in 1890 as an open toastrack; the wooden sunshade roof was fitted shortly after the turn of the 20th century. The tramway's traverser can be seen to the left of Car 22. (Photo: R.B. Parr)
Against the backdrop of the Grand View block and the former Peveril Hotel, Sunshade Car 22 reaches the end of its journey along the Promenade on a rather wet-looking day in the 1960s. Amongst other things, 22 carries advertising for the former White City fairground, which was located on Onchan Head.
ABOVE: Royal Car No.44 was on display during the visit of HRH King Charles III on July 14th 2026.
ABOVE: A general (if somewhat distorted) panorama of the Strathallan Depot during the occasion of the visit by HRH King Charles III. Car No. 44 is just visible peeping out of the centre road of the depot.