Isle of Man Railway
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The Isle of Man Railway (IOMR) is a steam-operated heritage railway connecting Douglas with Castletown and Port Erin on the Isle of Man. The line is built to 3-foot (914 mm) gauge and is 15.3 miles (24.6 km) long.
History
The line from Douglas to Port Erin is the last remaining part of the former 46-mile (74-km) system owned by the Isle of Man Railway Company, formed in 1870. Its first line, from Douglas to Peel, was opened in 1873, and was followed by the Port Erin line in 1874. A railway museum in Port Erin shows some of the history of the Manx railways.
The Isle of Man Steam Railway is owned and operated by Isle of Man Transport, a department of the Isle of Man Government.
The line described
From Douglas station the line climbs heavily for a few miles and then runs down heavy gradients towards Ballasalla, with interesting sea-cliff views to the east. After Ballasalla the line runs on relatively flat land. Travellers can see views of Bradda Head and Milner's Tower on the stretch from Castletown to Port Erin. Port Erin station has a cafe providing refreshments. The majority of the line runs through countryside, with only small stretches being close to built-up areas.
Many people start or end their journey in Port Erin, a Victorian sea-side resort, or in Castletown, the ancient capital of the Isle of Man.
Recent developments
In recent years the Manx government commissioned a study to see if it would be worthwhile to operate commuter services to help relieve the road traffic congestion in and around Douglas, the capital of the Isle of Man. The result of the study was a recommendation against such development. Nevertheless almost the entire line has been relaid in the first few years of this century. Additionally most of the numerous level crossings have been converted from manual to automatic operation.
Railway Stations
See also
- Transport on the Isle of Man
- Heritage railways in the Isle of Man
- List of British Narrow Gauge Railways
- Worsley Works produces kits of IoMR rolling stock
External links
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