Ramsey pier tram visits section of restored pier

THE Hibberd 4wDM locomotive and small bogie carriage, supplied as a pair in 1937 (Hibberd works Nos. 2027 and 2028) to operate the 3ft gauge Queens Pier Tramway in Ramsey, Isle of Man, returned to a 150 yard section of the pier on

July 19. Latterly displayed in Jurby Transport Museum, the loco and coach visited the pier as static exhibits for the July 22 official reopening, by Isle of Man’s

Governor General, of the first section of the pier to be restored.

This is thought to be the first time the vehicles had been on the pier since September 9, 1981 when the tramway closed, the pier closing to the public in June 1991.

They returned to the Jurby museum a few days after the ceremony. No start date for the second pier restoration phase is yet available.

CLIFF THOMAS VALE of Rheidol Railway 2-6-2T No. 7 pulls away from Aberystwyth with a fully booked train on July 28. The line did not operate during 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic but since reopening on May 24, traffic has been excellent. With carriages fitted with screens to maintain social distancing, capacity has been reduced but trains have regularly been fully booked in advance. On this day the first three of four timetabled trains had sold out by 12.00.