Display celebrates steam railway extension and MGP

The exhibition features a model of the No 16 locomotive Mannin

A new exhibition celebrating 150 years of the southern branch of the Isle of Man Steam Railway has been opened.

The display at the Rushen Heritage Centre marks the anniversary of the line, which opened from Douglas to Peel in 1873, being extended to Port Erin.

The "double-header" exhibition at the centre, which is run by members of Rushen Heritage Trust, also features a display to coincide with this year's Manx Grand Prix (MGP).

Curator Ali Graham said there were "some wonderful old photographs" to view and "many fascinating stories to discover" in both aspects of the exhibition.

A Honda K4 350 racing bike on loan from Bob Simmons is also on display

The display features archive photographs and stories about the railway, and a model of its most powerful locomotive, No 16 Mannin.

The line had "played a major role in transforming the village into the tourist destination it became", Ms Graham said.

As a follow-on to a similar display in 2023, the stories of several local MGP competitors have been included in the second half of the exhibition.

Ms Graham said while the previous display had focused on a "small group of local riders", there were "so many more that we wanted to include".

"When planning this year's season of exhibitions, it was an obvious choice to revisit the MGP and look back at those who weren't featured last year," she said.

They included Tony Duncan, Derek Ennett, Dan Sayle, Nigel Beattie, and Richard 'Milky' Quayle.

The latest display will be on show at the Rushen Heritage Centre, on Bridson Street in Port Erin, until 24 August.

The centre is open between 10:00 and 16:00 from Tuesday to Saturday.