Isle of Man Steam Railway - ‘Manx Heritage Transport Festival 2024’

The Isle of Man is a unique oddity of the British Isles. Recognised as a Crown Dependency but not deemed part of the UK, this quirky Island showcases many attractions, each with their own character and charm. For such a small settlement, there are no less than three major railway networks, the most famous of which being the three-foot gauge steam railway opened in 1873. With its own fleet of bespoke locomotives, the Isle of Man Railway, together with the Manx Northern Railway, operated trains out of Douglas to Peel, Port Erin, Ramsey, St Johns and Foxdale for decades, covering over forty-six miles of track. However, traffic had dwindled by the end of 1960s and all but one route was closed, the sole survivor being the Port Erin line via Ballasalla, Castletown and Colby. Nationalised in 1978, this fifteen and-a-half mile stretch continues to delight tourists as well as provide a valuable transport link for the Manx people. Even one hundred and fifty-years later, Isle of Man steam engines are still running in revenue-earning service.

The railway celebrated its 150th anniversary last summer, as the original line from Douglas to Peel commenced running on 1st July 1873. A week-long programme of special events was held, coinciding with the Island’s ‘Manx Heritage Transport Festival’ from Tuesday 30th July to Sunday 4th August. This year saw the 150th anniversary of the Port Erin line which, as the only section still operational, featured a huge range of festivities. One of the original engines ordered for the route, No.4 ‘Loch’, would see regular traffic. Her non-operational sister No.5 ‘Mona’, would be on static display at various points throughout the week. Trains would be supplemented by younger locomotives such as No.11 ‘Maitland’ of 1905 and No.13 ‘Kissack’ of 1910. Furthermore, No.1 ‘Sutherland’, the Island’s very first locomotive and No.6 ‘Peveril’, sister to ‘Loch’ and ‘Mona’, could be seen on display inside Port Erin Railway Museum. The one-off Dubs 0-6-0T ‘Caledonia’, built for the Manx Northern Railway in 1885, would also be out and about on photo charter duty. With such a vast array of events and a wide spectrum of locomotives in service, how could I pass over the opportunity to visit the Isle of Man for the very first time!

My trip began on Monday 29th July, the day before the official start of the festival. ‘Caledonia’ had been requested for private photo charter courtesy of the Isle of Man 50 Group. A Manx Northern consist was specially arranged, consisting of Saloon No.F31, a G1 goods van, the Cleminson coach and the Foxdale coach. Tuesday 30th July saw the event kick off proper, with No.4 ‘Loch’ bearing an anniversary headboard and running a non-stop service to Port Erin, where she would be lined up alongside ‘Mona’ and ‘Maitland’. Thursday 1st August was the actual anniversary day, seeing ‘Loch’, ‘Maitland’ and ‘Kissack’ all in steam, double-heading and banking several services. ‘Loch’ and ‘Kissack’ also hauled an evening Pie and Mash special to Castletown and return. Saturday 3rd August saw trains operating to the original 1874 timetable. One service even carried the Island’s Lieutenant Governor Sir John Lorimer on board to commemorate the railway’s landmark milestone. With all of this and much more besides, this year’s ‘Manx Heritage Transport Festival’ looked set to be the biggest and best yet!

I visited from Monday 29th July to Friday 2nd August, taking in the railway on all five days of my trip. Blessedly, the Isle of Man’s famous lucky fairies had graced most of the week with warm sunshine, creating beautiful conditions for filming. Thanks to the generosity of organiser Ian Hastie, I was also able to take part in an afternoon session with ‘Caledonia’ on the Manx Northern consist, as I was unable to stay for the public charter on Saturday evening. Trains ran to time and the railway was bustling with activity. Although not featured here, I also took an excellent tour of Douglas sheds as well as a ride behind No.13 ‘Kissack’.

The full lineup consisted of:

Beyer Peacock IOM 2-4-0T No.1 ‘Sutherland’ (on static display)
Beyer Peacock IOM 2-4-0T No.4 ‘Loch’
Beyer Peacock IOM 2-4-0T No.5 ‘Mona’ (on static display)
Beyer Peacock IOM 2-4-0T No.6 Peveril’ (on static display)
Beyer Peacock IOM 2-4-0T No.11 ‘Maitland’
Beyer Peacock IOM 2-4-0T No.13 ‘Kissack’
Dubs 0-6-0T MNR No.4 ‘Caledonia’ (on photo charters)

I hope you all enjoy the video. The staff of the Isle of Man Steam Railway could not have been more helpful, supportive and accommodating during my visit. Huge thanks to everybody who I met during my time at the festival and to Ian Hastie of the Isle of Man 50 Group for allowing me to take part in the photo charter. This little anomaly is a must-see for any rail enthusiast. Check us out on Instagram at   / secondvalvesteam   for behind-the-scenes images and updates. Feel free to comment and subscribe!