We're an independent charity

Douglas Bay Tramway Heritage Trust is an Isle of Man charity helping to promote the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway, to conserve its heritage and to develop the attraction and experience for passengers and visitors.

We provide grants and purchase items to help advance education and heritage in relation to the Horse Tramway, its draught horses and its historic tramcars.  Some of the ways in which education and heritage can be 'advanced' in the context of the operation of an historic horse tramway are set out below.

If you have an appropriate initiative or project idea to implement in the Isle of Man that might benefit from our financial assistance, please get in touch with us by emailing admin@horsetram.im.

Our aims and objectives

The day-to-day upkeep and welfare of the tram horses and operation and maintenance of the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway are publicly funded by the Isle of Man Government in support of the Island's heritage and tourism offering.

The Heritage Trust raises separate charitable funds to support complementary education, heritage conservation and development initiatives. Our aims and objectives are to help:

• increase public interest in and knowledge about the Horse Tramway and the use of horses as working animals in transport, industry and agriculture;

• maintain and develop the experience and learning opportunities for passengers and visitors with both the operation of the Horse Tramway and the participation of Tram Horses in traditional draught horse events and activities;

• conserve for public benefit items connected with the Horse Tramway which are of historical, architectural, engineering, scientific or cultural value;

• make the operation of the Horse Tramway as a heritage transport service sustainable for the longer term through increased appreciation, visitor appeal, use and revenue.

If you support our aims and objectives and would like to help with a donation, please visit our Make a Donation page for information on how you can donate.

Advancing education and heritage

The continuing operation of the Horse Tramway and its associated transport stables allows the public to experience, first hand, the real-life workings of the earliest form of urban mass-public transit system:  the horse-drawn urban street tramway. 

The public are able to:

• travel on Victorian & Edwardian era horse-drawn tramcars in an urban street environment;

• access and explore the still-in-use historic transport stables;

• meet and interact with a large number of draught horses;

• view interpreted tramway artefacts on display;

• see traditional crafts and skills being applied and demonstrated;

• learn about the history and operation of the Horse Tramway, the development of the horse-drawn tramcar and the use of horses as working animals.

It also helps to preserve the traditional crafts and skills necessary for the operation of a horse tramway with vintage wooden-bodied tramcars and for the care and working of heavy draught horses.

The participation of the Tram Horses in traditional draught horse events and activities like agricultural shows and field ploughing serves to further educate the public about specific draught horse breeds and their handling, historical uses and conservation.

Initiatives supported by us

Recent initiatives supported by the Heritage Trust include:

• this online information website

• free visitor guide leaflets

• individual Tram Horse profile information panels for the Stables

• Clydesdale and Shire Horse breed information panels for the Stables

• exercise and training saddles

• promotional materials for the Tramway & Tram Horses when attending agricultural shows and events

• horse cooler rugs

• leaflet holders and dispensers

• telescopic horse height measure

• directional signage for the Stables 

What makes a Heritage Railway?

A 'heritage railway' is a railway or tramway that:

• preserves, re-creates or simulates a railway or tramway of the past, or

• demonstrates or operates historical or special types of motive power or rolling stock

and is used exclusively or primarily for tourist, educational or recreational purposes.

Motive power and rolling stock used on heritage railways are often original and of historic value in their own right.

Most heritage railways make use of historical railway or tramway sites and formations.

Some heritage railways provide a viable alternative local public transit option, thereby helping to reduce road vehicle use in particular areas.

Most heritage railways are operated as visitor attractions and educational experiences, preserving transport and industrial heritage, often requiring financial and other assistance from support groups, volunteer workers, individual benefactors, associated charity organisations and grant-giving bodies.

Douglas Bay Horse Tramway is unusual in that it is still publicly owned, operated and funded by the Isle of Man Government, with additional support provided by volunteers and an associated charity body.