Manx Electric Railway

Gauge: 3ft (915mm)

The Manx Electric Railway is a 17 mile double track line with overhead electrification, extending north from Douglas along the east coast of the Isle of Man. Much of the line is built alongside the public roads but with lengthy sections away from the roads especially north of Laxey.

Services usually operate throughout the year with a greatly increased frequency in summer.

At Derby Castle there is connection with the Douglas Horse Trams: gauge 3ft (915mm); at Groudle Glen with the Groudle Glen Railway: 1ft 11½in (600mm) and at Laxey with the 3ft 6in (1.06m) gauge Snaefell Mountain Railway and the Great Laxey Mines Railway with a gauge of 19in (490mm).

There are a number of additional stops not shown

The first section of the line, from Douglas (Derby Castle) to Groudle Glen, opened in 1893, the line reaching Laxey in 1894 and Ramsey in 1899. The first part of the line was built by the Douglas Bay Estates Ltd. By 1894 the tramway had been acquired by the Douglas & Laxey Electric Tramway Co Ltd, which changed its name to the Isle of Man Tramways & Electric Power Co Ltd in the same year.

This company went into liquidation in 1900 as a consequence of the failure of Dumbells Bank. The Manx Electric Railway was sold by the liquidator to the newly formed Manx Electric Railway Co Ltd which took over the services in 1902. By the late 1950’s the Manx Electric Railway Co. Ltd. was itself in financial difficulties, and the company and its assets were acquired by the Isle of Man Government in 1957.

The Manx Electric Railway has had a total of 34 motor cars, of which 27 survive today in some shape or form. These are often used with non-powered trailer cars.