Rail transport in the Isle of Man


See also Transport in the Isle of Man.
The Isle of Man has a rich transport heritage and boasts the largest narrow-gauge railway network in the British Isles with several historic railways and tramways still in operation. These operate largely to what is known as "Manx Standard Gauge" and together they comprise about of Victorian railways and tramways. The Isle of Man Railway Museum in Port Erin allows people to find out more about the history of the Manx railways, and was until 1998 accompanied by a similar museum in Ramsey, which was dedicated to the history of the electric line, but this was closed and converted into a youth club. The steam railway to the south of the island, electric to the north and mountain line to the summit of Snaefell, the island's only mountain, are all government-owned, and operated under the title Isle of Man Railways, as a division of the island's Department of Infrastructure. The lines at Groudle Glen and Curraghs Wildlife Park are both privately owned but open to the public.

Lines

The lines listed in the table are or have been open to the general public. Most lines have "Manx Standard Gauge" of.
NameStartEndGaugeNotes
Isle of Man Railway1873Peel line closed 1969
Manx Northern Railway18791905Taken over by the Isle of Man Railway in 1905. Last tracks used 1969.
Foxdale Railway18861905Taken over by the Isle of Man Railway in 1905.
Snaefell Mountain Railway1895-
Groudle Glen Railway1896No service 1962 to 1983
Manx Electric Railway1893-
Douglas Bay Horse Tramway1876-
Great Laxey Mine Railway1877
2004
1929
Former mine railway, reopened in 2004 as a tourist heritage railway
Upper Douglas Cable Tramway18961929-
Douglas Southern Electric Tramway or Marine Drive railway18961939-
Douglas Head Funicular Railway or Douglas Head Inclined Railway19001954Passenger incline railway
Port Soderick Cliff Lift18961939First Falcon Cliff Lift sold to Port Soderick and re-erected there in 1896
Laxey Browside Tramway18901906
Queen's Pier Tramway, Ramsey18821971Restoration works under way
The Orchid Line, Wildlife Park, Ballaugh1992VariousMiniature railway

There have been various other railways on the Isle of Man that have never been open for public transport, such as in the various mines around the island. Among these are/were:
About fifty other minor tramways, in the various mines, quarries and sand pits, or on RAF gunnery lines, existed on the island.