Watch as The Douglas Horse Trams Return For 2025

Summer is on the horizon, and you know what that means: the Douglas horse trams are back in action!

Yes, the much-loved, slightly controversial, and undeniably charming attraction returned to the promenade yesterday (Thursday), marking the start of the 2025 season.

Since 1876, these noble steeds have been ferrying people up and down the prom, making them the oldest surviving horse-drawn tram services in the British Isles.

That’s a long time to be providing transport, but somehow, they still don’t run the full length of the promenade. But hey, that’s life.

Originally launched by Thomas Lightfoot to cash in on the island’s Victorian tourist boom, the horse trams have since cemented themselves as a Manx institution.

They’re up there with Laxey Wheel, saying ‘traa dy liooar’ to everything, and arguing about whether chips and cheese should come with gravy (they should).

Now operated by Isle of Man Transport as part of the heritage railway network, the trams remain a hit with both locals and tourists.

There’s just something about that clip-clop of hooves and the gentle rolling of the tram that signals the arrival of sunnier days—until it inevitably starts raining five minutes later.

So, while they might not take you all the way down the prom, they’ll still take you some of the way, and that’s better than nothing.

Welcome back, horse trams. We’ve missed you!