As a former long term resident of the island, I’m hugely pleased to see the positive response from this report - it’s quite unusual for the island, where the lack of any system of political parties means issues such as the value of rail infrastructure is continually revisited by an unfocused government, leaving it always one report away from annihilation.
I agree with Tetchytyke - I see far more possibility for commuter service on the existing steam railway - the Douglas station is close to offices and no more than ten minutes from the shopping street. The stations in outlying towns are relatively central (Castletown is a bit far from the square, but actually close to a lot of the housing), and the travel times, even on the steam schedule are not all that different from the several-times-an-hour bus. But the road is busy, and rail would avoid queues into Douglas at busy times.
The report suggests two modern trains a day on the electric railway and proposes 88 passengers to make it viable - but this would need huge capital expense. Would people really be able to organise their working day around two trains each way a day? The existing terminus of the electric railway is nowhere near the town. Because of the ludicrous decision to leave the horse trams in the middle of the road when the prom was done up, any extension into the town down the horse tram lines would get stuck in the same traffic jam as the bus (even if it was technically possible to get an electric tram down there). I can’t see how the speeds would ever make this a viable commuting option.
Perhaps running a guaranteed horse tram connection before and after each tram for a summer and advertising this in the electric railway timetable (and advertising it to locals) might enable them to identify if there is any modal switch potential market for joining the routes. I confess my ‘rail enthusiasm’ didn’t extend to horse haulage, and despite owning a property within 100 yards of it, I’ve never actually been on one, partly because the timetable always seemed a bit vague!
I agree with Tetchytyke - I see far more possibility for commuter service on the existing steam railway - the Douglas station is close to offices and no more than ten minutes from the shopping street. The stations in outlying towns are relatively central (Castletown is a bit far from the square, but actually close to a lot of the housing), and the travel times, even on the steam schedule are not all that different from the several-times-an-hour bus. But the road is busy, and rail would avoid queues into Douglas at busy times.
The report suggests two modern trains a day on the electric railway and proposes 88 passengers to make it viable - but this would need huge capital expense. Would people really be able to organise their working day around two trains each way a day? The existing terminus of the electric railway is nowhere near the town. Because of the ludicrous decision to leave the horse trams in the middle of the road when the prom was done up, any extension into the town down the horse tram lines would get stuck in the same traffic jam as the bus (even if it was technically possible to get an electric tram down there). I can’t see how the speeds would ever make this a viable commuting option.
Perhaps running a guaranteed horse tram connection before and after each tram for a summer and advertising this in the electric railway timetable (and advertising it to locals) might enable them to identify if there is any modal switch potential market for joining the routes. I confess my ‘rail enthusiasm’ didn’t extend to horse haulage, and despite owning a property within 100 yards of it, I’ve never actually been on one, partly because the timetable always seemed a bit vague!
