| The Manx Electric Railway was unlike many other railways of the British Isles of its time was quite a maverick by 19th century standards, with a 3 foot gauge and overhead electricity supply for motor bogie traction. The line began only fourteen years since the first demonstration of electric traction at the Berlin Exhibition of 1879. |
| The History of the Line |
| In the late 19th century the usual form of transport between Douglas and the northern towns were small coastal sailing craft, plying between Douglas, Laxey and Ramsey harbours. The only other form of transport was horse and cart, but the island's roads were little more than dirt tracks. The carriers of the time were unreliable and the services they provided were very poor indeed. The residents of Ramsey were eventually connected to Douglas by railway with the opening of the Manx Northern Railway but the journey went to the west of the island via St Johns in order to reach Ramsey. This caused utter disappointment to the residents of Laxey, a busy lead mining village a several miles north of Douglas. Narrow gauge wagon ways took the lead ore from the mines to the harbour, where it was shipped to destinations in Great Britain. The opening of a railway from Laxey would not unduly improve the lead ore shipments but it would improve the communications and travel between Laxey and Douglas. |
| Several schemes were prepared for a railway and with help financed through a local Manx banker the Douglas and Laxey Coast Electric Tramway was born. The railway did not always use the MER title but started with the name Douglas and Laxey Coast Electric Tramway. The company was to be known later as the Isle of Man Tramways and Electric Power Company Ltd. At first the railway planned to use a tram-like power car hauling two trailers but soon the use of one power and one trailing car was to become the norm. The line reached out from Douglas at first only reaching Groudle Glen and later to Laxey. |
| On July 28 1894 the electric line to Laxey was opened, and the undertaking came under the ownership of the IOM Tramways & Electric Power Co. Ltd., a syndicate which was later to acquire the Douglas promenade horse tramway, and also constructed the Upper Douglas cable tramway. |
| In 1895 an independent group planned to build a five-mile steep-gradient tramway from Laxey to Snaefell. The electric line was to be known as the Snaefell Mountain Railway Association. It used the slightly wider gauge of 3'-6'' (1067mm) with a centre rail for braking assistance. This extra rail was to become to be known as the Fell patent rail. Work on the line began on 4th January 1895 and was completed to its terminus just 30ft below the 2,036ft summit in just six months. By hiring a steam locomotive (Caledonia) from the Manx Northern Railway the work was completed much faster than was first expected. A temporary rail was laid in order for the 3ft gauge loco to use the out of gauge trackwork and it has been commented upon that the temporary rail was later used as the Fell rail. Services began on August 21st of the same to the summit. In the following year the Tramway Company purchased the Snaefell line, but retained the unusual sized gauge. Today the line still operates on the original gauge of 3'-6''. |
| In 1897 the continuation of the line to Ramsey began and the Tramway Company hired the steam locomotive Caledonia to help in building the line. To visitors to the MER Centenary celebrations encountered a steam loco on the tramway, who did not know of the working arrangements while building the line would no doubt be confused to the appearance of steam traction on the electric line. To celebrate the line's centenary without recognising the importance of a steam loco used in building the extension to Ramsey would have been seen as outrageous to the dedicated MER historian. |
| The years, which followed were occupied with the construction of the winding ten mile line from Laxey to Ramsey. The first passenger car reached Ballure, which was situated on the outskirts of Ramsey, on August 5 l898. Work continued on the small section of line into the town to the present terminus, known as Ramsey (Plaza), which is 17 miles from Douglas. It was in pouring rain on July 22 1899, when the station was officially opened, amid the celebrations by the residents and the company employees. |
| Like other Manx businesses the line depended upon the stable condition of Dumbell's bank to continue in service, but when the bank became insolvent in 1900 many of the businesses on the island went into bankruptcy. As a result of the failure of Dumbell's Bank, one of the Island's leading finance houses the IoM Tramways & Electric Power Co. Ltd. declared bankruptcy. The Borough's Municipal Council bought the cable and horse tramlines in Douglas following the collapse of the bank. A new company, the Manx Electric Railway Co. Ltd. took over the electric tramway in November 1902. |
| Prior to the failure of the bank maintenance of the line had been poor, but with new owners improvements were done and the line improved throughout. From a single-track railway, the lines soon were double tracked throughout and services increased, freight services also were developed and the company became a pioneer in developing bogie freight cars. |
| With the outset of the First World War the company revenue dropped considerably and took a while after the hostilities to improve. A further disaster was the fire at the Laxey car shed in 1930. It destroyed 4 power cars and seven trailer cars. They were power cars: 3, 4, 8 and 24. The destroyed trailer cars were: 34, 35, 38, 39, 40, 41 and 44. Trailer car 60 was also damaged by the fire but was rebuilt by the MER. Replacements for cars 40, 41 and 44 were built by the English Electric Company. The car shed was replaced by a metal structure supplied by W.H. Smith & Co (Whitchurch) Ltd. |
| Again the company was hit by the results of the next war and poor tourist figures in the 1950s had a bad effect on operations. The company was taken over by the Manx Government then sold over to the Manx Electric Railway Company, as was the steam railway. Again in the 1970s the line was threatened, services cut and then taken over again by the Manx Government and operated as a tourist railway, as was the steam railway. Since the Manx Government intervention the line has been improved and celebrated its centenary in style. We can reiterate and say the MER is a maverick among todays railways. Different in their attitude to stay in business by maintaining the best fleet of antique railway vehicles in the world. No new vehicles purchased since 1930, only repairs and rebuilds. |
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| Quocunque Jeceris Stabit |
| The Manx National Crest and motto symbolises the struggle of the MER and its fight to maintain its status when other tramways through the country were closing in the 1950s. The English translation being: Whichever way you may throw it, it will stand. |
| For detailed information of MER power & trailing cars please |
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