Horse-drawn tram of bay the Douglas one

The horse-drawn tram of the Baie Douglas is the horse-drawn company of Tramway which carries on its activity with Douglas, the capital of the island of Man.

History

Horse-drawn means of transport are considered in Douglas in the Années 1870 per Thomas Lightfoot, an engineer of Sheffield, in order to benefit from the rise of the Tourisme on the island of Man during the time victorienne. After having obtained Act off Tynwald, Lightfoot builds the first single circuit line at the beginning of the summer 1876 which then connects Iron Pier to Burnt Mill Hill (now Summerhill). It is inspected on August 7th of the same year per J. Garrow, the person in charge of the roads, and seems to have transported passengers as from this day by the first driver which seems to be Jack Davies originating in Onchan. In December, the line, which functions throughout the year, is prolonged until The Piers along the walks Loch and Harris.

The January 6th 1882, Thomas Lightfoot off sells his tram with the Isle Man Tramways Ltd. which then takes its current aspect with double track connecting the castle of Derby to Victoria Pier. In 1894, the line is again sold with what will become off the Isle Man Tramways and Electric Power Co.Ltd. Because of the bankruptcy of the Dumbells' Bank in February 1900, the Douglas Corporation buys the tram for the sum of: 50000 pounds sterling. The January 2nd 1902, the company of tram uses 33 cars of tram and more than 60 horses.

During the 20th century, this horse-drawn tram thus survived many changes and évènements : electrification under consideration at the beginning of its exploitation but definitively abandoned in 1908, First World War, appearance of the Bus on the walk in 1926, introduction of an estival service exclusively (from May to the end of September) starting from the November 2nd 1927, Second world war when the line is sold and its cars stored with the castle of Derby between 1939 and May 1946.

At the time of its 80e, 100e and 125e (the August 7th 2001) birthdays, a parade formed by the whole of the cars and the horses traverses the totality of the line. During the winter 1999 - 2000, most of the stables going back to 1896 were rebuilt and increased with fifteen new boxings for horses.

Characteristics

Its way follows the coastal walk of long Douglas 2,8 kilometers, between the southern terminus of Victoria Pier and the northern terminus of the castle of Derby, constituting the southern end of the electric Railroad mannois.

The rails have a spacing of 3 feet (914 millimetres). The company adds up 23 traditional trams and 45 horses, the latter carrying out three return tickets per day. During the winter period where the tram does not function, the horses which during the tourist season are placed in Douglas boxings, are put at the green in various Pâturage S of the island.

The tram was in particular borrowed by the Reine Elizabeth II, the Reine Mother, the Princesse Anne, the Princesse Margaret and the Duc of Edinburgh.

The company, one of the rare companies of horse-drawn trams in activity in the world and the only remaining one with the the United Kingdom, are the property and are exploited by the Council of the district the Douglas one.

Appendices

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