34theletterbetweenB&D Posted January 25, 2016 Share Posted January 25, 2016 This needs imagination to be preserved in some form. The whole fixed infrastructure thing: circumvent that by discarding it and running the trams on pneumatic tyres with a 'soft' guidance system. GPS will do the job easily on a fixed route, and then they can run on the paving of the Prom; and can also go 'anywhere' to park at night, freeing the valuable real estate for redevelopment. It won't please the 'everything must stay the same forever' brigade, but it might just preserve the appearance of the operation if it does have a future a sa tourist attraction. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Colin_McLeod Posted January 25, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 25, 2016 Or forget the guidance thing altogether and use horse and cart technology where the cart looks like a tram. Similar to the tourist road "trains" in many resorts. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dana Posted January 26, 2016 Share Posted January 26, 2016 We should not only sign the petition but let our non train friends and family know about this as they probably like to ride on unique transport once in a while and get away from the stress of finding car parking at the sea side , with this tram they just park at a car park and ride up and down the sea front. I know my uncle in Windsor UK does so I've let him know about the petition and urged him to sign it . he was quite shocked about the news. Cant they partner with a horse foundation approved by the RSPCA and have people like me who is far away adopt a horse and send some money once a month to help with the upkeep and care for horses .this would defray some of the upkeep costs . charge a reasonable round trip fare like 5 pounds and people wouldn't complain ( i wouldn't ) as it does go for the service . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Chris116 Posted January 26, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 26, 2016 I am due to retire this year and have long planned a trip to IOM for the steam and electric railways plus the horse trams. If the horse trams are scrapped so is my trip! Douglas will be the last place I will holiday if they do not reverse this decision. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold mikes rail Posted January 26, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 26, 2016 It has been stated that a crisis meeting will be held later this week between Douglas council a number of MHz (our version of an mp) and heads of public transport.. No doubt this will give all parties the chance to claim it was not their fault Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Colin_McLeod Posted January 26, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 26, 2016 Mikes Rail. Lets be positive. If they are meeting then that should be a good thing. I was going to give you a "Like" until I read they cynical comment in your last paragraph. (and yes I do have a sense of humour) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pendlerail Posted January 26, 2016 Share Posted January 26, 2016 I am due to retire this year and have long planned a trip to IOM for the steam and electric railways plus the horse trams. If the horse trams are scrapped so is my trip! Douglas will be the last place I will holiday if they do not reverse this decision. I think the horse tram were due to stay closed this year for the works to relocate the lines onto the promenade Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold mikes rail Posted January 26, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 26, 2016 Hi Colin, we can but hope that something can be sorted out as there are a lot of tours booked for the island this year rail wise and the trams were part of the package this could lead to cancellations from tour company's. Pendletail the plan was not to run the trams this year but due to delays on the planing of the promenade revamp Douglas council announced that a full service would run. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
45669 Posted January 26, 2016 Share Posted January 26, 2016 I signed the petition and then e-mailed it to all my railway minded friends urging them to do the same. If enough people indicate that tourism on the whole island could suffer as a result of this, they just might think again. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium New Haven Neil Posted January 26, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 26, 2016 It has been stated that a crisis meeting will be held later this week between Douglas council a number of MHz (our version of an mp) and heads of public transport.. No doubt this will give all parties the chance to claim it was not their fault Never a truer word said in jest. They're MHK's down north though, not MegaHertz..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold mikes rail Posted January 26, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 26, 2016 thanks Neil, ours down south are more switched on you see Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium New Haven Neil Posted January 26, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 26, 2016 thanks Neil, ours down south are more switched on you see Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobby Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 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 I can't see the issue regarding the trams in the centre of the road. In many German cities where the trams do the same they simply have a "block" section of road at each stop and when the tram stops the cars must do the same, everyone then gets on and off safely... They do it on some really busy roads as well... It's not rocket science. Sound more to me that someone just wants rid. BTW there are two different petitions so which do we sign!! (At least the IoM's Gov's thinking is more joined up than the protesters!!) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dana Posted January 31, 2016 Share Posted January 31, 2016 looks like it will be running for this season at least , next year ? http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk//launch.aspx?eid=5700e1f5-32b2-47f7-abad-6007f58fbc8c basically boils down to money in the long run Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcm@gwr Posted January 31, 2016 Share Posted January 31, 2016 I tried to sign the petition, but it keeps asking me to verify, but doesn't give me any way of doing that! Anyone else had that problem? Also, where is the other petition? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnd Posted January 31, 2016 Share Posted January 31, 2016 Just got the I O M 2016 holiday booklet and its mentioned there for 2016 "A Journey Through Time " pages 12 & 13. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshall5 Posted January 31, 2016 Share Posted January 31, 2016 Quite true. Until Douglas Corporation made the unilateral decision to terminate the service a week last Thursday everyone expected it to be running in 2016 and advertised it accordingly. Fortunately 'the penny seems to have dropped' over the last few days and things are looking more encouraging but the thorny problem is IF the trams run this year who is going to make up the 260k shortfall. Apart from the public outcry the prospect of losing the income from several pre-booked tour groups seems be making the 'powers that be' think again. Ray. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCB Posted February 29, 2016 Share Posted February 29, 2016 It seems to me that the problem is the trams have always been there and no one appreciates that there are issues and expenses to be met. £250K projected shortfall is no small amount. In the Local authority I was involved with £250K was a 5% increase in council tax. The Council is doing exactly the right thing, stop services right now and gauge the reaction, from local voters. If as it seems that the opinion is divided 50/50 then the only real option is to close unless a substantial ongoing revenue stream from outside the authority can be found. As it is a Horse tramway I don't for a moment suppose there will be the support. Of course had they had the foresight to introduce steam trams the situation could be much better, greatly reduced running costs, for one thing, and if the "Steam Trams" were actually battery powered with suitable steam special effects, sort of Timothy Hackworth meets Stephen Spielberg..., Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobby Posted February 29, 2016 Share Posted February 29, 2016 If it just affected the local council and community then your logic is spot on, but it doesn't, it's a Tourist Attraction and part of the whole Island's set of attractions so should be (at least) part funded by the Island's Government and it should not be just down to Douglas Council whether it stays open or not, it goes way beyond their remit Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
runs as required Posted February 29, 2016 Share Posted February 29, 2016 Another "Dark Thought": Are you all being prepared for the removal of a lot of much loved features in the way of a Privatised urban environment? It sounds sounds like you've been invaded by the New Urbanists (post #2) A Horse tramway would be the essential ingredient for a new Manx Disneyworld - collecting together the islands best known attractions, such as a half sized Laxey Wheel for example. This way everyone makes money and no one pays taxes! dh Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshall5 Posted February 29, 2016 Share Posted February 29, 2016 A Manx Disneyworld - eh? You could demolish Castle Rushen and build "affordable housing" for the 15,000 'new residents' our Government wants to attract, just an inflatable half size castle would do to replace it. Even our MHKs and other civic leaders could get a job there - the Chief Minister could play Mickey Mouse and the leader of Douglas Council could be Dumbo - great idea DH! Ray. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshall5 Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 Pleased to report that the Douglas horsetrams WILL operate this year as part of Isle of Man Heritage Railways. There will have to be some cost cutting so the trams will not operate every day but the 'season' will be longer than in recent years. What happens next year depends on the outcome of the plans to rebuild the Prom. So please come and ride on them while you can - the more who do the more secure the horse tramway's future will be. Ray. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butler Henderson Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 More details http://www.britishtramsonline.co.uk/news/?p=14175 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Buttell Posted August 7, 2016 Share Posted August 7, 2016 Happily the tramway celebrated its 140th birthday today, in fine style, with a cavalcade of nine trams along the promenade. It's future is secure in the short term (three years) after take over by the government operated Heritage Railways, who seem to be going all out to make it work, and have already slashed the silly figures quoted for running the service by the Douglas Corporation. There is a good website set up by the Friends of Douglas Bay Horse Tramway at http://www.friendsofdbht.org where you can keep in touch with events and of course the official Heritage Railways website at rail.im Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshall5 Posted August 13, 2016 Share Posted August 13, 2016 First the good news - the Douglas Bay Tramway will continue to be operated by IoM Railways throughout the 2017/8 seasons. Ridership is well up (figures of 60% have been mentioned but I cannot confirm this) and running expenses are down. Tynwald has recently voted against terminating the line at the war memorial and it will continue to run the full length of the Prom to the Sea Terminal when the roadway is reconstructed.Now the bad news - Douglas Corporation (the owners) have, today, announced that surplus trams and equipment will be auctioned off on Sat. 27th Aug. i.e. in just 2 weeks! According to the 8.00 news it will include 6 trams (in need of restoration), one being a 'winter' car and one a 'bulkhead' car. The auction will be held by Murrays http://chrystalsauctions.im/next.php?sale=20160827m but, as yet, no catalogue or list has been issued. Indecent haste by Douglas Corpy (IMHO).If anyone has contacts with credible organizations who may be interested it may be worth contacting the auctioneers ASAP.Ray. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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