Steam 125


Steam 125 was a series of events held in 1998 to mark the 125th anniversary of the Isle of Man Railway opening its first route from Douglas to Peel the railway ran a large number of special events. Most notable was the return to service of the original steam locomotive No. 1 "Sutherland" which hauled special services all year, including excursions on the Manx Electric Railway; other highlights included night trains, arranged photography sessions, slide and film shows, unusual tram trips, and visiting locomotives on the Groudle Glen Railway and many more. This was the last of the "big" railway events on the island, which had begun with the "Year of Railways" in 1993 to mark the centenary of the Manx Electric Railway. Although there are still annual events periods on the island these are now a very half-hearted affair and do not bring the enthusiasts as they once did.

Events

Following the successful pattern established with 1993's Year Of Railways the biggest draw of the events periods centered on the return to service of the railway's first locomotive dating from 1873 and this was commemorated by a public re-commissioning followed by a special train to Port Erin. Included in the array of varied events elsewhere on the island's railway network were:-
This series of special events on the island's railways proved to be the last significant period of events held, with the galas gradually becoming less significant and held over a shorter period of time, as management policies changed into the new millennium.