Extracted From Manx Steam Railway News

The form of the new timetables is generally similar to last year’s, with the outer page of 27th May to 7th September timetable attractively printed in old-fashioned type, following Lord Ailsa’s desire to emphasize the “Victorian” aspect of the railway. The Writer still hankers after the old style, as seen in our “reproduction” timetable advertised in Sales Counter, as he considers this easier to read and understand. The practice of including Sunday trains in the one table, which proliferates the notes so detested by passengers, should be looked at again as not being authentically in period. In the above review services on the South Line have been described as going through to Port Erin. In fact, passengers will be conveyed by bus south of Castletown until repairs to the trackbed (damaged by the laying of the gas main last year), are carried out to permit the railcars to be used.

For a fortnight from Monday, 21st August, G.M. Jarand had charge of Castletown Station. For the 1967 season, this had been the terminus of the South line, an enhanced status which nevertheless one hopes will not be repeated in 1968. It was an interesting fortnight but not a straightforward one, since the day I commenced was the day of the incident at Union Mills which caused delays and cancellations during the succeeding ten days.  The situation would have been much worse but for the sterling work of the diesel set which put in many extra services in remarkable time. Nonetheless, the visitor travels on the I.M.R. principally because of the unique steam traction and many-a-time disappointment was expressed, to me when the diesel drew into the station. I was able to commence ticket sales at Castletown, and clearly this was a service which had been missed during the previous weeks, at any rate to judge by the ticket returns during the period. Unlike the Peel line, there was no new printing of tickets and the old stock was reissued. On one particular day sales were boosted by an order for “one of each”; the purchaser informed me that Ballasalla, the other manned station on the line, had M.N.R. tickets among its stock, surely quite a stray in time and place. Many passengers went out of their way to discuss the Railway and ways of improving it. There was much praise for the courtesy of the staff. Without exception, however, comment was made on the complete lack of publicity. The haste in opening in 1967 gave little time for advertising; in 1968 there must be a vast increase in publicity 'of all forms. There is not only the need for the more sophisticated forms, such as radio, but also for the more basic ones. A simple but essential requirement by way or example is for signs to the station - every station - because few of them are easy to find. The most important is in Douglas itself, where the Station is surely in one of the most inaccessible parts of the town.Special bus services operated between Port Erin, Port St. Mary and Castletown in connection with all South Line services. As an interim measure, this was successful for travellers from Douglas but few visitors staying in the south knew of its existence. T he re-opening of the line through to Port Erin would bring about a considerable increase in South Line carryings and resuscitate the busiest train on the system - the 4.00pm ex-Port Erin.  1967 saw steps in the right direction towards creating a new market for the Railway, in the form of “all-in” fares which include both travel and meal at destination. The offering by the Railway of an entire day out can create an entirely fresh source of traffic. There would appear to be room for joint promotion with other attractions; one possibly which comes to mind is the Wild Life Park; extra traffic here would help offset traffic lost by the closure of Glen There are many such possibilities; to mention one in the South, the bus: company runs a service from Port Erin Station to the Sound, the beauty spot opposite the Calf of Man. This service is well patronised by visitors staying in the South, but is unknown to the Douglas visitor. There might be room here for a publicised throughout fare from Douglas to The Sound. Even if only a few extra passengers are tempted on to the railway, every one is an extra fare.

G.M. Jarand