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Douglas Horse Tramway to close


papagolfjuliet

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Now that's a surprise and sad news. How they lose nearly half a million when they need minimal resources suggests a lot of other costs of the road etc are being dumped on the tramway. This certainly seemed to be the case when they looked at moving it over to widen the road. All the cost was dumped on the tramway rather than it being included in upgrading the highway and promenade!

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Sad to read about the closure of the Douglas Horse Trams - is there a final date yet of the last tram?

 

Can't be much call for three foot gauge horse drawn trams in the preservation scene.  How about moving it all over to Ireland and resurrecting the Fintona Tramway?   

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Oh dear, I am pleased that five of us had a great time there last year. The twin boys had a great time riding along the tracks and got the card with all the horses name stamps and later got a certificate and hat from the tourist board. Although it cost a fortune in fares.

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Indeed.  Local opinion is sharply divided, 50/50.

 

Oh, and we are not any more corrupt than the UK, and are not a tax haven, despite what that woman said the other night - funnily enough she failed to be elected as an MHK (MP) a few months ago...I wonder why.....Mec Vannin member, sort of the Manx National Front - nutters mostly.  Sorry politics, I'm off......

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The cost of moving the track is down to government as part of rebuild of sea front road way there has been a mixed reaction to their plans on this, trams are run by local council not government. I do think it's a bit odd that having stated that they will run in 2016 only a few weeks back they now scrap them. A bit of politics may be behind some of this as not all the plan for the sea front rebuild was liked by Douglas council also they could be trying to push government into paying towards running costs as the"we should not pay for thing used by others on the island" is a regular theme of theirs. As Neil said its 50/50 on keep or scrap trams with locals. I do think it's a shame to see them go and from the tourist point it's one of the first things they see coming of the boat. One problem has been the high cost of fares "for length of journey " does put people of using it at times

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I would have thought its Douglass one distinct and identifiable feature. To do away with it seems folly . However I suppose tourists no longer visit in their droves and the island has moved on as tax haven and finance centre.

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Big mistake and sad loss to scrap this unique & historic service. The covered trams in particular are very historic examples. Always enjoyed visiting the stables & tramway tavern for a pint before riding the wonderful MER.

 

Clip clop!

 

Dava

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Horses aren't cheap to operate but I can't believe the horse trams cost more to run than the Volks Railway in Brighton with all the electrical and mechanical maintenance that requires.  Was there any attempt to find an alternative commercial or community operator? The way the council announced it did rather sound like they'd already made up their minds and then came up with the justification (bit like a lot of the Beeching closures) and I did wonder if this piece of heritage  simply doesn't fit some ghastly image they've got of "The Future Douglas"?  

 

I have signed the petition

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My gut feeling is that it's in the way of somebody's lucrative property deal.

The  problem is that it runs down a very busy road, and the plans to move it onto the promenade are probably expensive better to just scrap it now and not bother moving it.

unless someone has plans for the depot or stables as well 

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Oh yes it is busier! 

 

I'm sure the Strathallan stables/depot/suite will go to make way for yet more crap 'apratments', such is Douglas now.  I could see the writing on the wall the moment the first proposals for the Prom rebuild came out.  Douglas corpy have wanted rid of them for years, and the Government won't pay for them. Alan Bell would lose too much face with an election this September...oops politics, sorry.

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Dispite the location of the track been down the middle of the road no one has been run down if anything the trams help control the speed of the traffic. As for the stables "prime development site" is no doubt on certain people's minds as Neil said more crap apartments which I am sure half of will end up been rented by? Better not say any more or the mods will be knocking at the door!

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I had to laugh when someone was on the radio at lunchtime on Friday saying that it was dangerous for people to be getting on and off the trams in the middle of the road - yet the first scheme for the prom had no traffic control at all and drivers were supposed to just allow folk to walk across the road and 'respect' pedestrians.  Modern planning?  Don't make me laugh.

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Singed  the petition and Also E mailed Mr Christian expressing my disgust and wiping out this Venerable way of Transport after 140 odd years.

 

I make use of the Horse Trams on the occasions I visited the Island, In fact it was one of the reasons that we visited. I was always impress by the way the Island has looked after its heritage (well for the most part) when compared to Ireland but this decision is beyond it really.

 

Lets face it the IOM is not sitting in the MED and needs all the Attractions it has at the moment.

 

Maybe an Banking interpretative center were the stables are, That would be a good draw eh

 

If I ever go again I will look forward to the traffic speeding up and down the prom road. should be good fun or perhaps just stay away from Douglas altogether :(

 

Heres David Christians email addy: Cllr.DChristian@douglas.gov.im

 

Cheers

 

George

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