The Season

Easter period trains started the season between 7th and 12th April inclusive with the main season running from 6th May to 27th September with no trains on Saturdays and extra service operating Sundays to Thursdays across July & August only.  This was the first year since the government had taken control of the railway that Easter Week services were offered.

Services continued to operate six days a week at this time, but in the December sitting of the Tynwald Court the Board were asked to consider running seven days a week including Saturdays, for the first time.  It would not come to pass for another three years, but the seed was planted.

Passenger Transport Board members identified the value of the railway to the visitor in their commitment to provide further Vintage Transport Weekends which had proved popular in recent years; not so across the board, as Noel Cringle M.H.K. suggested the railway should be closed!

Having occupied the premises including goods shed at Castletown for several years, Campamarina Limited announced their intention to vacate all premises on concentrate their efforts at Port St. Mary which had been similarly leased (the latter would continue until the end of 1989).

June saw a "first" for the railway when a wedding train was chartered using the Bar Set of saloons; the year also saw the reintroduction of the Carnival Special after an absence of several years, illustrating the type of initiative being trialled to raise the profile of the railway at this time.