They might be tucked away for the winter, but the Isle of Man’s trams have been busy making waves across the UK.

The Manx Electric Railway and the island’s wider heritage transport scene have scooped two national titles at the 2025 British Trams Online Tram of the Year Awards, beating competition from big names including Blackpool and Manchester.

Heritage Tram of the Year went to Manx Electric Railway Trailer 50, a vehicle with serious history.

The tram returned to service last year for the first time since 1978 following an extensive restoration by a dedicated team of volunteers and Isle of Man Railways staff.

Their hard work clearly paid off, with the public voting Trailer 50 as the UK’s top heritage tram.

The island’s Manx Heritage Transport Festival also claimed top honours, winning Event of the Year by only four votes.

The festival, a highlight of the island’s summer calendar, brings together vintage trams, trains, and transport enthusiasts for a weekend full of nostalgia, noise, and plenty of photo opportunities.

Decided entirely by public vote, the awards were hailed as a special achievement by the Manx Electric Railway team, who thanked everyone who took part.

The recognition continues a proud tradition, with the MER now winning Heritage Tram of the Year for the fifth time.

Looking ahead, 2026 promises to be another milestone year for the island’s vintage transport.

The next Manx Heritage Transport Festival, scheduled from July 28 to August 2, will celebrate two major anniversaries: 150 years of the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway and 50 years since the nationalisation of the island’s buses.

For more information on the MER, the festival, and the island’s heritage transport, visit www.iombusandrail.im/heritage.