ellanvannin2010 Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 The trams have operated at a loss since about 1925. There's long term value, and then there's looooooonnnnngggg term value. Not correct I am afraid, the trams made a profit up until the 1960'sThat's not correct. In 1947 there were calls to scrap them as uneconomic. Search old Manx newspapers online and you'll find it. It did not make money every year but made profits up to the 1960's on a regular basis. £3000 in 1962 for instance. They will never make money now though but there is absolutely no need to relay the track, those rails would be good fo decades the amount of traffic they carry, they only hold up traffic when crap car drivers think their tiny car is 20ft wide, the health and safety requirement to move them is in my opinion a red herring. I am sure "grandfather rights" would prevail but it seems to be a common goverment scare tactic to use such excuses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guzzi Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 Time to stop them before making that commitment and spending extra to re-rail. Sell expensive licenses to operate horse drawn carriages, strict timetable, not at rush hour etc etc. Sure there would be clubs and horse owners only too happy to provide such a service. That is, if we must retain some sort of touristy horsey thingy. But that misses the point. Horse drawn carriages are commonplace. A horse drawn tram is almost unique (I think there's another one in Australia) and more to the point it is part of railway heritage. I don't think horse drawn carriages would attract anyone to come here, but I think thousands come for the heritage railways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolley Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 There is an argument that the trams should be placed under the same management as the other railways and probably extended around the quay to the railway station, maybe around the frontage of the sea terminal, to give a continuous rail journey from Port Erin to Ramsey on three different modes. That would be a unique attraction in the world. Douglas Corporation never seem to want to let go though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellanvannin2010 Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 That would be a unique attraction in the world. Douglas Corporation never seem to want to let go though. From what I have always been told the stumbling block has always been the valuation that Douglas Corporation put on the horse trams. The current railway management are keen to aquire it I have been told ( that may not be a good thing of course) They appear to have got a bargain in the new rail though accepting that its only a good deal if you actually need the item Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manxy Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 Just picking up what was mentioned earlier about cars not passing the trams as the drivers couldn't judge the available room - The same thing happens on other roads and where there is no middle line, people are more cautious and where there's a middle line, people seem to drive quicker or are more certain of their road width. If others agree on this, then one answer would be to have a line running alongside the trams. Would a foots length be sufficient from the trams running boards to the line? Secondly, if both tracks are retained, then the seaward parking be moved another 6 foot or so towards the sea. This would also allow additional parking if parked at an angle. Thoughts on this without sarcasm appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piebaps Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 Just picking up what was mentioned earlier about cars not passing the trams as the drivers couldn't judge the available room - The same thing happens on other roads and where there is no middle line, people are more cautious and where there's a middle line, people seem to drive quicker or are more certain of their road width. If others agree on this, then one answer would be to have a line running alongside the trams. Would a foots length be sufficient from the trams running boards to the line? Secondly, if both tracks are retained, then the seaward parking be moved another 6 foot or so towards the sea. This would also allow additional parking if parked at an angle. Thoughts on this without sarcasm appreciated. That is singularly the most significant idea in the history of creation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guzzi Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 Just picking up what was mentioned earlier about cars not passing the trams as the drivers couldn't judge the available room - The same thing happens on other roads and where there is no middle line, people are more cautious and where there's a middle line, people seem to drive quicker or are more certain of their road width. If others agree on this, then one answer would be to have a line running alongside the trams. Would a foots length be sufficient from the trams running boards to the line? Secondly, if both tracks are retained, then the seaward parking be moved another 6 foot or so towards the sea. This would also allow additional parking if parked at an angle. Thoughts on this without sarcasm appreciated. Sounds like a good idea, if the track was kept in the road. Might also address the Corporation's objection to singling the line & keeping it in the road, by giving a guide on how much space to leave either side of the tram. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monasqueen Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 I like it. I tried suggesting this sort of idea years ago - put a white (or other coloured) line all the way along the Prom on each side of the tram tracks, showing the required clearance. Not only would people be able to judge their clearances better when over (under)taking, but it would show delivery people and others who need to double park how much room they need to leave spare, and... it would show drivers how far away from the tram tracks they need to stop at traffic lights or in traffic queues, to allow horses to overtake them. It's not rocket science, and it would work, but no-one wanted to buy it. Too much trouble, I think. Hope you have better luck than I did, Manxy. It would solve any perceived problem over keeping the tracks where they are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolley Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 If you can't judge the width of your vehicle without a white line, I suggest you need a white stick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moghrey Mie Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 http://www.alibaba.com/showroom/rickshaws-for-sale.html Let's have a free for all and get a bit of variety in our transport system! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kopek Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 Guzzi... ''But that misses the point. Horse drawn carriages are commonplace. A horse drawn tram is almost unique''. In some places, Tourists are commonplace, here, they are unique! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sick Moon Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 Just picking up what was mentioned earlier about cars not passing the trams as the drivers couldn't judge the available room - The same thing happens on other roads and where there is no middle line, people are more cautious and where there's a middle line, people seem to drive quicker or are more certain of their road width. If others agree on this, then one answer would be to have a line running alongside the trams. Would a foots length be sufficient from the trams running boards to the line? Secondly, if both tracks are retained, then the seaward parking be moved another 6 foot or so towards the sea. This would also allow additional parking if parked at an angle. Thoughts on this without sarcasm appreciated. I just snorted a foot long white line but I still can't negotiate my inner vehicle past your rambling tram. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldmanxfella Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 http://www.alibaba.com/showroom/rickshaws-for-sale.html Let's have a free for all and get a bit of variety in our transport system! If only the Victorians had invented electric rickshaws! Then we'd be preserving them and spending millions to keep them going. As Albert says above. The Victorians and the Edwardians (and the Asians now) binned anything that's past its useful application and moved on. It's called progress. It was all built to serve an application, once that application changes its time to move on. Nobody invests into ancient clunking old bollocks when progress has given us much better solutions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manxy Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 Just picking up what was mentioned earlier about cars not passing the trams as the drivers couldn't judge the available room - The same thing happens on other roads and where there is no middle line, people are more cautious and where there's a middle line, people seem to drive quicker or are more certain of their road width. If others agree on this, then one answer would be to have a line running alongside the trams. Would a foots length be sufficient from the trams running boards to the line? Secondly, if both tracks are retained, then the seaward parking be moved another 6 foot or so towards the sea. This would also allow additional parking if parked at an angle. Thoughts on this without sarcasm appreciated. I just snorted a foot long white line but I still can't negotiate my inner vehicle past your rambling tram. Although it's unlikely that you'll ever try to act normal, maybe once in a while you could just piss off somewhere! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sick Moon Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 Aah, fuck it, I'll just plough straight into it........... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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