Isle of Man Guide

Open:	Mar 29th- Nov 4th 2018: Daily, Regular Departures from Laxey Station
Price:	PRICES FOR 2018 Returns from Douglas to Snaefell £14 Children 5 - 15 HALF PRICE Children under 5 FREE (restrictions apply)
Disabled:	Limited Access, steps
Parking:	Ample

History

Started in 1895, the Snaefell Mountain Railway took just seven months to complete. Running a total of four miles from the village of Laxey to the top of the island's highest mountain, Snaefell at 2,036ft. The electric Snaefell Mountain Railway is the only one in the British Isles. The line is 3 1/2ft gauge covering 5 miles with a steep incline of 1 in 12 running on a 53 chain line. It has a centre line to aid braking.

Location

Laxey:	Start/End Stop
Snaefell Mountain Road (The Bungalow):	Stop
Snaefell Summit:	Start/End Stop

Travelling on the Snaefell Mountain Railway

The most common place to start your ride on the Snaefell Mountain Railway is in Laxey. There the Manx Electric Railway trams from Douglas and Ramsey stop. Laxey is also accessible by bus services from many places around the island. If you come by car then you can park near where the Railways run. There is a half way point for the trams on the Snaefell Mountain Road for those who wish to join the tram there. Parking is also available at this stop known as 'The Bungalow'.

There is only one tram at a time going up or coming down. The ride from Laxey to the summit takes thirty minutes and offers amazing views of Laxey Glens and surrounding countryside. At the top is a cafe and ticket station. Paths are located about the summit where walking is permitted. Sheep often roam free on the mountain, so can be easily encountered. From the top on a clear day it is said one can see the six kingdoms. The kingdom of Scotland, England, Wales, Ireland, Mann and Heaven.

Allow at least one hour for a return trip. One tram goes up and directly one comes down. The tram you came up on will be the tram you go down on unless you manage to catch the one going down straight away before it leaves. Wait at the top till next trams departure is 30 minutes. There are no roads to or from 'The Summit', but there are walking paths to and from 'The Bungalow' and Laxey. The whole trip with wait is an hour and a half. Can be windy and cold even on sunny days, dress warm.

Publications Railways Of The Isle Of Man Beckmann Visual Publishing, VHS Tape, 08 March, 1993 List Price: £14.99 Third Party Price: £6.99 Buy Now More Info Britain's Railway Heritage - Snaefell Centenary - Isle Of Man Railways Green Umbrella Productions, VHS Tape, 01 February, 1999 List Price: £12.99 Used Price: £13.99 Third Party Price: £19.99 Buy Now More Info Manx Trains And Trams [2001] Charles Guard Duke Video, DVD, 19 April, 2004 List Price: £14.99 New Price: £14.99 Used Price: £20.83 Third Party Price: £9.74 Buy Now More Info Rails in the Isle of Man, a Colour Celebration R.Powell Hendry Midland Publishing, Hardcover, 22 April, 1993 ISBN: 1857800095 List Price: £14.99 Used Price: £7.00 Buy Now More Info Isle of Man Railways: A Celebration Richard Kirkman, Peter Van Zeller Raven Books, Board book, June, 1993 ISBN: 0952162407 List Price: £8.95 New Price: £10.94 Used Price: £4.99 Buy Now More Info Railway Track Diagrams: Scotland and the Isle of Man No. 1 (Railway Track Diagrams) John Yonge, Gerold Jacobs Quail Map Co, Paperback, 29 June, 2001 ISBN: 1898319510 List Price: £8.50 Buy Now More Info Manx Railways and Tramways (Sutton's Photographic History of Railways) Edward Gray Sutton Publishing Ltd, Paperback, 12 March, 1998 ISBN: 0750918276 List Price: £10.99 Used Price: £39.25 Buy Now More Info The Railways and Tramways of the Isle of Man Robert Smith, Barry Edwards OPC Railprint, Hardcover, 19 April, 1993 ISBN: 0860935078 List Price: £18.99 Used Price: £27.95 Buy Now More Info