History & Heritage

Founded by Yorkshire-born engineer Thomas Lightfoot in 1876, Douglas Bay Horse Tramway is the oldest horse-drawn passenger tramway to remain in service anywhere in the World.

The Horse Tramway provides both an unique visitor experience and a heritage transport service along the busy seafront promenades of Douglas, capital of the Isle of Man, a self-governing British Crown dependency in the Irish Sea between the United Kingdom and Ireland.

The Tramway retains fourteen of its original Victorian and Edwardian tramcars with which to operate the service, a selection of open-sided roofed and un-roofed cross-bench cars, enclosed saloons and a double-decker.

Originally built between 1883 and 1913, these historic tramcars afford today's visitors the opportunity to experience the first form of mass urban public transit pre-dating the arrival of electric trams across the World.

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Tramway History

Tramway Stables & Trammers

The Tramway's original stables complex dating back to 1877 is a listed building and still used today to accommodate and care for the large team of draught horses during the Tramway operating season. The Tramway Stables are located off Queen's Promenade at the junction with Summer Hill.

Guided tours of the stables are available on selected dates throughout the season led by knowledgeable volunteer guides.

Visitors can explore the stables, meet the Clydesdale, Shire and Cob draught horses, learn about their lives and discover the hidden story of the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway.

Clydesdales, Shires and large Cobs are well suited to pulling horse trams with their immense power, large hooves and generally good temperament. 

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Tramway Stables
Tram Horses

Tramway Operation

The Horse Tramway was operated by its founder Thomas Lightfoot for only six years before being sold in 1882 to The Isle of Man Tramways Ltd, a company formed by three local businessmen.  In 1894 it was sold on again to the Douglas & Laxey Coast Electric Tramway Company Ltd, renamed The Isle of Man Tramways & Electric Power Company Ltd, which went into receivership in 1900. 

The local government Douglas City Council (formerly Douglas Corporation) bought the Horse Tramway from the receiver in 1902 and operated it until the end of the 2015 season.

The Horse Tramway was taken over by the Isle of Man Government in 2016 and is now operated as a heritage transport service and visitor attraction by Isle of Man Railways (part of the Department of Infrastructure), with additional support from volunteers and the third sector.

For timetable, fare, special event and service information, visit the Isle of Man Railways website.

The small retail shops within the Tramway Stables and the Tramcar Depot are also run by Isle of Man Railways.

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Tramway History
Along the Route

21st Century Renaissance

Significant investment has been made by the Isle of Man Government in the development of the Horse Tramway as a heritage visitor attraction, including:

• the upgrade of track between Derby Castle and Broadway;

• a replacement tramcar storage depot at Strathallan with replica historical facade;

• half of the retained tramcars restored and refurbished;

• the stabling facilities at Summer Hill part-refurbished and enhanced as a visitor experience; and

• 21st Century amenities provided for both staff and the visiting public.

Further development of the attraction in due course will hopefully include reinstating tram track from Broadway to the Sea Terminal, and public access to interpreted displays within the new tramcar depot.

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Historic Tramcars
Tramcar Depot