Noted in the works during last weekend’s Guided Tour of the Manx Electric Railway's Derby Castle Sheds & Workshops, organised by Manx National Heritage, was Car No. 1, undergoing a major overhaul
Cars 1 and 2 are recognised by Guinness World Records as the oldest operational electric tramcars still carrying passengers on their original route. Both were obtained in 1893 from G.F. Milnes for the Douglas and Laxey Coast Electric Tramway, entering service in September 1893.
During the 1970s, and after several years as a permanent way hacks, both Nos. 1 and 2 became somewhat neglected. In preparation for the Island’s ‘Millennium of Tynwald’ celebrations in 1979, Cars 1 and 2 were given a thorough rebuild and repainted in the style of 1893 with 'Douglas & Laxey Coast Electric Rly' side titling. Back then, the car made its first public appearance on April 2, when it carried Sir Kenneth Cork, GBE, Lord Mayor of London, from Ramsey to Douglas.
Both cars have been regular performers during the summer season in the half century since and inevitably, during this time, No. 1’s relatively lightweight wooden bodywork has developed a noticeable tendency to sway from side to side thanks to, amongst other things, the bulkheads having lost the rigidity necessary to keep everything straight.
ABOVE: Car 1 in the bottom shed of Derby Castle Works, Sunday October 11th 2026. Beside is the body of Car 6, removed from its under frame which is undergoing a separate renovation in Derby Castle Top Shed.
As can be seen in the accompanying photos, the car has been stripped to reveal the frame. Notable is the lightweight construction of these pioneer electric tramcars, which owed much to their horse-drawn predecessors.
Going forward, the bulkheads are to be reinforced and, along with new panelling, once finished this remarkable machine will be good for the proposed upcoming 'Millennium of Tynwald' Mk II scheduled for 2029.*
*Following the success of the first Millennium of Tynwald in 1979 (One Thousand Years, One Thousand Welcomes), a marketing campaign which saw a significant uptick in the number of visitors to the Island (650,000), the then MER Society Chairman Mike Goodwyn contacted the Tourist Board to ask when the next Millennium of Tynwald would be? Now we know...