MARKING of the 125th anniversary of Manx Electric Railway (MER) services to Laxey during the July 24-28 Manx Heritage Transport Festival included trams running ‘as’ Nos. 3, 4, 8 and 24 – four original trams destroyed in the 1930 Laxey shed fire.
The event also featured the return to service of trailers Nos. 37 and 49, following overhaul, and No. 54, following restoration, it having last run in 1971.
It could almost be Isle of Man’s Groudle Glen Railway, but this July 13 picture was taken at Amberley museum in Sussex. Resident ex-Groudle Glen Bagnall 2-4-0T Polar Bear heads a train of ex-Groudle Glen carriages through the woods between Amberley and Brockham station. Groudle Glen Railway’s new Brown Bear effectively replicates Polar Bear back on the Isle of Man. Also in steam for Amberley Rail Group’s annual gala waas Hampshire Narrow Gauge Railway Trust’s Bagnall 0-4-0ST Wendy, currently on loan to the museum, while Amberley’s Bagnall 0-4-0ST Peter undergoes overhaul. ALISTAIR GRIEVE
Celebrations on the Douglas to Port Erin steam line included the 125th anniversary of Beyer, Peacock 2-4-0T No. 8 Fenella entering service and the 140th anniversary of the (long-closed) Manx Northern Railway opening.
Groudle Glen Railway officially launched new-build locos Bagnall ‘Sipat’ 0-4-0ST Otter and Bagnall 2-4-0T Brown Bear (RM August, p4-5) into service on July 28.
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