Railways
An unusual survival: the island kept its Victorian transport when everywhere else scrapped it. The Isle of Man Steam Railway still runs steam to Port Erin, the Manx Electric Railway has been working since the 1890s with original tramcars, the Snaefell Mountain Railway climbs to the summit, and the Douglas horse tramway still runs along the promenade. Also the Groudle Glen Railway, the stations and sheds, and the rolling stock that would be in a museum anywhere else and is in daily service here.
Part of Isle of Man
104 moments in this segment.
- - Manx Electric Railway, Laxey - 1963. The Manx Electric Railway at Laxey in 1963. The MER passed through several changes of ownership and near-closure in the twentieth century before the Manx government took it on.
- - Snaefell Mountain Railway - 1963. The Snaefell Mountain Railway in 1963. The line has been carrying passengers to the island's highest point since 1895 without interruption of its route.
- - Kirk Michael Station, IOM. Kirk Michael station in 1970. The line through Kirk Michael on the west coast closed in the 1960s, and its trackbed is now a walking route.
- - Manx Electric Railway train approaching Cornaa 1973. Manx Electric Railway winter saloon 21 with trailer 41 approaching Cornaa in 1973, on the way to Ramsey. The northern half of the line runs through the glens of the east coast and was under threat of closure through much of this period.
- - 05882 (858) 30-06-1982 of the Isle of Man Railways steam tank locomotive No 11 "Maitland" at Douglas, Isle.... Isle of Man Railway steam tank locomotive No. 11, photographed on 30 June 1982. The line's locomotives are Beyer, Peacock two-foot-six-inch gauge engines, some over a century old and still working.
- - The train now departing - Steam on the Isle of Man - 1988. Steam on the Isle of Man in 1988. The Steam Railway was reduced to the Douglas to Port Erin line in the 1960s and 1970s after the rest of the network closed, and has run continuously since.
- - Isle of Man Steam Railway with footplate (cab) ride June 1992. A footplate ride on the Isle of Man Steam Railway in June 1992. The three foot gauge line has run from Douglas to Port Erin since the nineteenth century and is publicly owned.
- - IOM Manx Electric Railway Centenary 1893-1993. The centenary of the Manx Electric Railway, marked in 1993. The line opened in 1893 and cars 1 and 2 of that first year are still in service, which is the basis of its claim to be the oldest electric tram line running its original stock.
- - Groudle Glen Railway Centenary 1996. The centenary of the Groudle Glen Railway in 1996. The two foot gauge line opened in 1896 to carry Victorian holidaymakers from Groudle Glen out to a headland zoo, and was restored by volunteers.
- - Isle of Man Steam Operated Railways 2003. Steam operation on the island's railways in 2003. The Isle of Man Steam Railway has run since the 1870s and its surviving locomotives include Loch and Maitland, both built by Beyer Peacock.
- - SnaefellMtnRly1-NrLaxey-CIMG0402. Snaefell Mountain Railway train No. 1 descending towards Laxey. The mountain cars have run this line since 1895 and use a bow collector on the overhead.
- - Derby Castle, Manx Electric Railway. Derby Castle, the Douglas terminus of the Manx Electric Railway. The depot and workshops here maintain cars that are over a century old.
- - MER 9, Groudle Glen, 2006 (01). Manx Electric Railway car No. 9 at Groudle Glen station. The MER opened in stages from 1893 and reached Ramsey in 1899.
- - Little Isabella, Groudle Glen, 2006 (01). Little Isabella at Groudle Glen. The Groudle Glen Railway is a two-foot gauge line built to carry visitors to a coastal zoo, and it is now preserved and running again.
- - Isle of Man Steam Railway - train in Colby station. An Isle of Man Steam Railway train at Colby station. The southern line runs from Douglas through Ballasalla, Castletown, Colby and Port St Mary to Port Erin.
- - Groudle Glen Hotel and tram station Isle of Man England. A photochrome print of the Groudle Glen hotel and tram station with Manx Electric Railway tram No. 5. Groudle Glen was one of the pleasure grounds built along the electric line to give the trams somewhere to carry people to.
- - Tram at Derby Castle terminus of Manx Electric Railway. A tram at the Derby Castle terminus of the Manx Electric Railway. Derby Castle is where the horse tramway along Douglas promenade meets the electric line north, so a passenger can cross the island on Victorian traction alone.
- - New railway bridge over the A6 at Kewaigue. A railway bridge over the A6 at Kewaigue. The Isle of Man Steam Railway runs narrow gauge steam from Douglas to Port Erin and is the surviving southern section of a network that once reached Peel and Ramsey.
- - Castletown Station - panoramio. Castletown station on the Isle of Man Railway. Castletown was the island's capital until 1874 and the line to Port Erin still calls there.
- - Summit cafe on Snaefell. The summit café on Snaefell (Sniaull), the island's highest point. The Snaefell Mountain Railway has carried passengers to the summit since 1895, about five miles from Laxey.
- - Horse drawn tram. A horse-drawn tram on Douglas promenade. The Douglas Bay Horse Tramway is described as the world's oldest horse-drawn tramway, a claim made largely by the island's own tourism body and worth attributing.
- - Manx Electric Railway. The Manx Electric Railway at Laxey station. The line was built between 1893 and 1899 and runs from Douglas through Laxey to Ramsey, the longest narrow gauge vintage electric railway in the British Isles.
- - Snaefell tram 2 at the summit. Snaefell Mountain Railway tram No. 2 at the summit. The line climbs to the top of Snaefell, from where the surrounding countries are visible on a clear day.
- - Douglas Railway Station - panoramio. Douglas railway station. The station is the southern network's terminus and its Victorian frontage is one of the largest railway buildings on the island.
- - Horse tram 44 at Derby Castle. Horse tram No. 44 outside the depot at Derby Castle. The horses are stabled here and worked in shifts along the promenade.
- - Castletown Goods Shed & Wagon. A Sentinel steam wagon in the goods shed at Castletown station. The Isle of Man Railway carried freight as well as passengers, including fish from the west coast ports.
- - No 21. Locomotive No. 21 at Port Erin. The Isle of Man Railway once ran to Peel, Ramsey and Foxdale as well as Port Erin; only the southern line survives.
- - Isle of Man Steam Railway Douglas to Port Erin. The full Isle of Man Steam Railway journey from Douglas to Port Erin. The railway was built in the 1870s to carry the Victorian visitor traffic that arrived by steamer at Douglas.
- - Snaefell Mountain Railway car at Laxey station. A Snaefell Mountain Railway car at Laxey station. The mountain line has a wider gauge than the coast line and uses a Fell centre rail for braking on the descent.
- - Imr-l-wagon. An Isle of Man Railway 'L' wagon. Goods stock like this carried freight, coal and fish across the island network before road haulage took the traffic.
- - Imr-fish. An Isle of Man Railway fish wagon. Fish traffic from Peel and Port St Mary was a significant part of the railway's freight business while the herring fishery lasted.
- - Manx Electric Railway train at Baldrine Park. A Manx Electric Railway train at Baldrine, heading towards Douglas. The MER still runs original Victorian and Edwardian cars in ordinary service, which is what makes it unusual rather than merely old.
- - Dhoon Glen station. 's national glens, a steep wooded ravine dropping to the sea.
- - Isle Of Man Steam Railway (part one) - Douglas to Ballasalla [4K]. The Isle of Man Steam Railway from Douglas to Ballasalla. The line is three foot narrow gauge and runs from Douglas south to Port Erin, the surviving portion of a once larger network.
- - Laxey and the Snaefell Mountain Railway [4K]. Laxey and the Snaefell Mountain Railway. The mountain line begins at Laxey, where it meets the Manx Electric Railway, and climbs to the island's highest point.
- - Hay baling near Ballabeg
- - SMR Wg 1 20170429 Laxey 3. Snaefell Mountain Railway car No. 1 at Laxey station. The mountain cars date from the line's opening in 1895 and are among the oldest electric tramcars in regular use anywhere.
- - Snaefell Mountain Railway, Laxey. The Snaefell Mountain Railway at Laxey. Laxey station is shared between the coastal electric line and the mountain railway, which is why the village is the hub of the island's electric network.
- - Snaefell Mountain Railway 1+2 Laxey 2017-07-12. Snaefell Mountain Railway cars 1 and 2 at Laxey, July 2017. The line has six original cars, built for its opening in 1895.
- - Snaefell Mountain Railway. A Snaefell Mountain Railway car at Laxey. The five mile climb to the summit is the only electric mountain railway in the British Isles.
- - Isle of Man Steam Railway, Ballabeg. The Isle of Man Steam Railway at Ballabeg. The line is two feet six inches gauge and has operated since the 1870s.
- - Car no 5, Snaefell Mountain Railway. Snaefell Mountain Railway car No. 5 at Laxey. The line's cars were built by G. F. Milnes for the 1895 opening and remain in service.
- - A look at the Laxey Mines and Crogga Valley Railways, Isle of Man. The Laxey Mines and Crogga Valley railways. Small industrial and private narrow gauge lines survive alongside the island's public railways.
- - Railways Of The Isle Of Man. The railways of the Isle of Man. The island's Victorian transport survivals are its most distinctive material heritage after its stone crosses, and are publicly owned.
- - Laxey, Car No 16 with trailer. MER car No. 16 with a trailer at Laxey. Laxey is the junction where the coast line meets the Snaefell Mountain Railway, and it is the busiest point on the electric network.
- - Laxey MER station, Car no.19. MER car No. 19 at Laxey station. The electric railway's rolling stock includes cars built in the 1890s that are still in scheduled use.
- - Fenella at Port Erin. Locomotive No. 8 Fenella at Port Erin. The Isle of Man Railway's steam locomotives were built by Beyer, Peacock and carry Manx names.
- - Douglas-Horse-Tramway-IOM-P1490016. A stop on the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway for trams travelling towards Derby Castle. The tramway runs the length of the promenade and its cars are drawn by horses that are retired to a dedicated home.
- - Port Erin, I.O.M. R steam locomotive. An Isle of Man Railway steam locomotive at Port Erin. The line to Port Erin is the last operating section of the island's steam network and runs about fifteen and a half miles from Douglas.
- - Douglas-Horse-Tramway-IOM-P1490246. A horse tram on Douglas promenade. The tramway has run along this seafront since the Victorian resort boom and survived repeated proposals to close it.
- - Douglas-Horse-Tramway-IOM-P1500043. A horse tram on Douglas promenade. The tramway is a working service rather than a heritage operation, running along the seafront in season.
- - Peel Road petrol station, Douglas. The petrol station on Peel Road, Douglas. Road transport is what ended the island's western and northern railway lines in the twentieth century.
- - Kissak leaves Port Erin. Locomotive No. 13 Kissack leaving Port Erin. Kissack is one of the Beyer, Peacock locomotives that have worked the Manx line since the nineteenth century.
- - Isle of Man - Manx Electric Railway. The Manx Electric Railway. Built from 1893, it is the longest narrow gauge vintage electric railway in the British Isles and still uses Victorian and Edwardian cars.
- - Manx Electric Railway (July 2019). The Manx Electric Railway in July 2019. The railway's original 1893 cars, numbers 1 and 2, remain in service alongside later Victorian and Edwardian stock.
- - Isle of Man Steam Railway (July 2019). The Isle of Man Steam Railway in July 2019. The line to Port Erin is worked by Beyer Peacock locomotives dating from the 1870s onward, some of the oldest steam locomotives in regular service anywhere.
- - Port Erin railway museum. Locomotive No. 6 Peveril at the Port Erin Railway Museum. The museum holds the Isle of Man Railway's historic locomotives and rolling stock at the southern terminus of the steam line.
- - The Great Laxey Wheel from the Snaefell Mountain Railway. The Great Laxey Wheel seen from the Snaefell Mountain Railway. The mountain line has run since 1895 and is the only electric mountain railway in the British Isles.
- - 'Gotcha Oscar One'. A police vehicle at Farrants Way, Castletown. The Isle of Man runs its own constabulary as part of its self-government.
- - Winter Saloon No. 22 on the Manx Electric Railway. Manx Electric Railway winter saloon No. 22 at Derby Castle, Douglas. The winter saloons are enclosed cars built for year-round service on the exposed northern line.
- - IOM Glen Walks: Groudle Glen. A walk through Groudle Glen. The glen carries the Groudle Glen Railway, a two foot gauge line opened in 1896 to carry Victorian visitors to a headland zoo of sea lions and polar bears.
- - THE SIX GREAT RAILWAY WONDERS OF THE ISLE OF MAN. A survey of the island's railway lines. The surviving network comprises the Steam Railway, the Manx Electric Railway, the Snaefell Mountain Railway, the Douglas Horse Tramway, the Groudle Glen Railway and the Great Laxey Mine Railway.
- - Summer Steam on the Isle of Man. 1870s to move the holiday traffic landed at Douglas by the Steam Packet, which had been running since 1830.
- - NATS Railcar (38). The National Air Traffic Services railcar on the Snaefell Mountain Railway. NATS maintains equipment at the summit, and the railcar is one of the least seen vehicles on the island.
- - NATS Railcar (64). The NATS railcar on the Snaefell Mountain Railway. The summit carries air traffic control equipment, so the tourist line doubles as a service route.
- - NATS Railcar (21). The NATS railcar on the Snaefell Mountain Railway. Its normal work is carrying engineers and equipment to the air traffic installation at the summit.
- - NATS Railcar interior (2). Inside the NATS railcar on the Snaefell Mountain Railway. The vehicle is a working service car rather than a passenger one.
- - Isle of Man and its railways, English subtitles. An overview of the island's railways. The island retains a steam railway to Port Erin, the Manx Electric Railway to Ramsey, the Snaefell Mountain Railway and the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway, all Victorian and all still operating.
- - Another Waterwheel Manx Electric Railway Isle of Man. A waterwheel beside the Manx Electric Railway. Water power drove the island's mines and mills before electricity, and the MER itself was originally supplied from its own generating station.
- - Snaefell Driving with the Snaefell Mountain Tramway 39. Climbing Snaefell on the Snaefell Mountain Railway. Snaefell takes its name from the Old Norse for snow mountain and is the island's highest point.
- - Yellow house at the junction of Station Place and Station Road. A house at the junction of Station Place and Station Road in Peel (Purt ny hInshey). The street names survive from the railway to Peel, which closed in 1968.
- - Laxey mines Railway and Wheel Sat 17th Sept. The Laxey Mines Railway and the Great Laxey Wheel. The wheel was built in 1854 to pump water out of the mine the railway served.
- - Manx Electric Railway and the Snaefell Mountain Tramway IOM August 2022. The Manx Electric Railway and the Snaefell Mountain Railway. The Snaefell line has operated since 1895, runs about five miles to the island's summit and is the only electric mountain railway in the British Isles.
- - Isle of Man Railways celebrate anniversaries, steam 150 - electric 130 years. The island's railways marking 150 years of steam and 130 of electric traction. The Steam Railway dates from the 1870s and the Manx Electric Railway from 1893.
- - 4K ASMR ELECTRIC TRAIN RIDE FROM LAXEY TO DOUGLAS 🇮🇲. A tram ride from Laxey to Douglas on the Manx Electric Railway. The line hugs the coast on the run south from Laxey, passing Groudle and Onchan Head.
- - Ballaglass Halt. 's northern section serves a string of glen halts built to bring Victorian visitors to the wooded ravines.
- - Great Laxey Mines Railway. The Great Laxey Mine Railway. The narrow gauge line served the Great Laxey Mines and has been partly restored to run again on its original route.
- - Douglas Derby Castle. Derby Castle station in Douglas on the Manx Electric Railway. The terminus links the electric line north with the horse tramway along the promenade.
- - Manx Electric Railway - Part 1. The Manx Electric Railway, part one. The line runs seventeen miles from Douglas to Ramsey (Rhumsaa) by way of Laxey, where it connects with the Snaefell Mountain Railway.
- - Dave. Manx Electric & Groudle Glen Railway 2015. The Manx Electric Railway and the Groudle Glen Railway. Groudle was built in 1896 for the holiday trade and is worked by volunteers today.
- - Imr-pass-ctown. Locomotive No. 4 Loch passing No. 13 Kissack at Castletown station during the shortened 2021 season, when Covid restrictions cut the timetable. Loch is one of the oldest working locomotives on the line.
- - CAB RIDE DRIVERS EYE VIEW OF THE MANX ELECTRIC RAILWAY FROM RAMSEY TO LAXEY ON THE ISLE OF MAN. A driver's eye cab ride on the Manx Electric Railway from Ramsey to Laxey. The line was built between 1893 and 1899 and is described as the oldest electric tram line in the world still running its original rolling stock.
- - Isle of Man Steam Railway (July 2025) #rail200. The Isle of Man Steam Railway in July 2025. The railway was built to carry the steamer traffic that the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, founded in 1830, brought into Douglas.
- - IS IT WORTH A VISIT? 2 DAYS ON THE ISLE OF MAN. Two days on the island from a transport enthusiast's perspective. The island's railway network is the densest survival of Victorian narrow gauge transport anywhere in the British Isles.
- - Electric Tramcars No. 1 and 2 of the Manx Electric Railway. Manx Electric Railway tramcars 1 and 2, built in 1893. Their continued service is the basis for the claim, made by the island's tourism body, that this is the oldest electric tram line in the world still running its original rolling stock.
- - Isle of Man Steam Railway: Loco No. 4 Loch facing towards Douglas in April 2025. Steam locomotive number 4, Loch, on the Isle of Man Steam Railway in April 2025. Loch was built by Beyer Peacock in 1874 and is among the oldest locomotives in regular service anywhere.
- - Isle Of Man Steam Railway July 2025. The Isle of Man Steam Railway in July 2025. The line is worked by Beyer Peacock locomotives built between the 1870s and the 1920s.
- - Dhoon Glen Walk | Waterfall, Ruins & Beach Adventure (Isle of Man Vicar). A walk down Dhoon Glen to the beach. The Manx Electric Railway stops at Dhoon Glen halt, one of several glens the line was built to bring visitors to.
- - Manx Electric Railway (July 2025) #rail200. The Manx Electric Railway in July 2025. The line's oldest cars date from 1893, the year the first section opened between Douglas and Groudle.
- - Wickham railcar. A Wickham railcar on the island in 2025. Small permanent-way vehicles like this maintain the line between service trains.
- - Manx tram, Brummie Bus. Manx Electric Railway tram No. 22 alongside a preserved Birmingham bus, 2025. The island runs its historic transport as a working system rather than a static collection.
- - Dolphin Isle of Man. A rail vehicle on the island in 2025. The Isle of Man operates steam, electric and horse traction as scheduled public transport, which no other jurisdiction of its size does.
- - Ginger on the Doglas horse tramway. A tram horse named Ginger on the Douglas horse tramway, 2025. The horses work short shifts and are retired to the Home of Rest for Old Horses on the island.
- - Brown Bear Isle of Man. A rail vehicle on the island in 2025. The Manx network's survival owes much to government ownership taken up when commercial operation failed.
- - Isle of Man Walk 4K - Douglas to Port Soderick Beach via Douglas Head & Marine Drive 🇮🇲. A walk from Douglas to Port Soderick beach by way of Douglas Head and Marine Drive. Marine Drive was a Victorian cliff toll road and carried its own electric tramway until the 1930s.
- - 3 Days of The Manx Electric Railways + Douglas Horse Tramway. Three days on the Manx Electric Railway and the Douglas Horse Tramway. The horse tramway along Douglas promenade is described by the island's tourism body as the world's oldest horse-drawn tramway.
- - A Cab Ride Down The Snaefell Mountain Railway.. 1895, climbs about five miles to the summit of Snaefell (Sniaull), and is the only electric mountain railway in the British Isles.
- - Ride the Manx Electric Rwy from Douglas to Laxey on the Isle of Man. Riding the Manx Electric Railway from Douglas to Laxey. The line was built between 1893 and 1899 and retains its original Victorian and Edwardian cars.
- - Manx Electric Railway- full length cab view, Ramsey to Douglas. Discover the history behind the MER. A full cab view of the Manx Electric Railway from Ramsey to Douglas, with the line's history. The MER opened in stages between 1893 and 1899 and is the longest narrow gauge vintage electric railway in the British Isles.
- - Isle of Man Steam Railway - Friday 10th April 2026. The Isle of Man Steam Railway in April 2026. The railway operates a seasonal service from Douglas to Port Erin through the south of the island.
- - Isle of Man Transport Festival July 2025 Manx Electric Railway. The Manx Electric Railway during the 2025 Isle of Man Transport Festival. The festival brings the island's steam, electric and horse-drawn services together in one week.
- - Manx Electric Railway Tram No. 20. 's tourism body.
- - Isle of Man Steam Railway 'Manx Heritage Transport Festival' 2026. The Isle of Man Steam Railway during the 2026 Manx Heritage Transport Festival. The festival runs the island's steam, electric and horse-drawn lines together, most of them Victorian and all still in service.
- - Manx Electric Railway (July & August 2026). The Manx Electric Railway in the summer of 2026. The line runs from Derby Castle at Douglas to Laxey and on to Ramsey, roughly seventeen miles of narrow gauge electric tramway.
