Six Douglas horse trams were sold at an auction at Murray’s Saleroom in Douglas on Saturday for a combined total of £9,200.
The trams had been deemed surplus to requirements by Douglas Borough Council, and were said to be in need of renovation.
The decision to sell the trams sparked anger from the Friends of Douglas Bay Horse Tramway and the Manx Electric Railway Society (MERS), who bought one of the trams in the auction.
The Friends of the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway described the decision as ‘disappointing’ and said it hoped transport museums across the UK would show an interest in buying them rather than them ‘becoming back-garden sheds’.
The MERS said: ‘The auction occurred very swiftly. If purchased the trams will need to be removed by September 30. There appears to be an element of indecent haste here.’
At Saturday’s auction, lot one, the number 28 horse tram, a winter saloon, had a starting bid of £1,800 and was sold for £2,800.
Bidding started for lot two, the number 33 tram, a bulkhead crossbench, at £750 with it eventually going for £1,200.
Lot three, the number 34 tram, another bulkhead crossbench, was sold for £1,300 after bidding started at £800.
The number 37 tram, lot four, another Bulkhead Crossbench, was bought by Health Minister and Keys candidate Howard Quayle, for £1,100, after bidding had started at 800.
Lot five, tram number 39, a Toastrack, was bought by the Manx Electric Railway Society for £1,800.
Lot six, the number 40 tram was sold for £1,000, the same price bidding started at, with the buyer unknown.
MERS secretary Julian Nutter said after the auction: ‘Our committee concluded last week that we should do all we could to prevent the loss of at least one car.
‘We decided to try to save the saloon using money which we had set aside for our annual advertising on the horse trams. We were outbid on the saloon but managed to buy number 39, so if our information as to the purchaser of number 37 is correct at least two cars will stay in the island.
‘Douglas Borough Council was paid its pieces of silver for this hastily arranged auction which appears to have been organised in order to get the deed done after Tynwald had been dissolved and before the next election.’
l Turn to page 17 and read how Douglas’s historic horse tram stables have also been up for sale sparking more outrage from the Friends of the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway and MERS.