The replacement tram depot at Strathallan is taking shape.
Demolition of the old depot, which dated back to 1902 and was described by the Infrastructure Minister Ray Harmer in Tynwald as ’literally falling apart’, took place in December 2018.
A £1.5m project is seeing it replaced with a new depot that will closely resemble the original, at least from the front.
Registered building consent (18/00306/CON) and a planning application (18/00305/GB) for the Strathallan depot were approved by the planning committee in July last year.
A spokesman for the Department of Infrastructure said the project is on budget and will be delivered within the approved budget.
The facade of the building will be based on the original with 12 roller-shuttered doors, a parapet and mouldings. There will be room to accommodate 13 horse tramcars.
In the west wing of the tram shed there will be the main staff facilities.
In the east wing there will be an indoor ticket sales area and washrooms for passengers, as well as a space for a possible cafe or tearoom in the future which in the meantime will be used to store five MER tramcars.
Offices on the first floor will be used by engineering staff.
While the new depot is being constructed, horse tram cars are being stored in a temporary marquee nearby.
Planning consent (19/00186/B) for that was granted in April last year on the condition that the marquee is removed by April 2020, by which time the replacement depot is due to have been completed.
In 2017, planning approval was obtained to build a temporary tram shed and stabling facilities for the tram horses on the Summerland site.
But this was later deemed unaffordable and a revised plan for stabling only was later abandoned too.
The historic horse stables on Tramway Terrace were subsequently acquired by the government and have since been placed on the protected buildings register.