This was part of the 140th Anniversary celebrations for the Douglas Bay Horse Trams. This was the first time for many years that they'd had two horses pulling a tram. Normally the trams are pulled by a single horse. Apparently they worked for ages to get William and Douglas to work together as a team.
And I believe the horse-drawn trams have now been withdrawn along Douglas seafront. Sad because they were a big attraction. I've been on them several times
Hi Richard, fortunately you are mistaken. At the beginning of this year Douglas Corporation suddenly announced that they were closing the tramway as they were no longer prepared to fund it. There was an outcry. The Manx Government eventually stepped in and the trams were saved (for now anyway) and Isle of Man Railways are now the operators.
However, all is not being saved. The tramway stables are being/have been sold off. The plan allegedly is to moved the stables into the horse-tram depot. To this end I know that some of the 'surplus' horse trams have been sold off.
There is also the intention to single track the line, with passing places; to ease traffic congestion! I don't know the latest in the saga, there were also suggestions of moving the track from the roadway to the pavement and cutting back the running length.
Anyway, they ran this summer, full length, double tracked and celebrated their 140th anniversary.
Comments
This was part of the 140th Anniversary celebrations for the Douglas Bay Horse Trams. This was the first time for many years that they'd had two horses pulling a tram. Normally the trams are pulled by a single horse. Apparently they worked for ages to get William and Douglas to work together as a team.
And I believe the horse-drawn trams have now been withdrawn along Douglas seafront. Sad because they were a big attraction. I've been on them several times
Hi Richard, fortunately you are mistaken. At the beginning of this year Douglas Corporation suddenly announced that they were closing the tramway as they were no longer prepared to fund it. There was an outcry. The Manx Government eventually stepped in and the trams were saved (for now anyway) and Isle of Man Railways are now the operators.
However, all is not being saved. The tramway stables are being/have been sold off. The plan allegedly is to moved the stables into the horse-tram depot. To this end I know that some of the 'surplus' horse trams have been sold off.
There is also the intention to single track the line, with passing places; to ease traffic congestion! I don't know the latest in the saga, there were also suggestions of moving the track from the roadway to the pavement and cutting back the running length.
Anyway, they ran this summer, full length, double tracked and celebrated their 140th anniversary.