The Douglas Bay Horse Tramway marked a major milestone this week as senior driver Peter Cannon officially began his 50th season working on the historic seafront service.

Peter first joined the team as a tram conductor on July 6, 1975, before progressing to the role of driver the following year. Now, five decades later, he is celebrating half a century of dedicated service on one of the island’s most cherished transport traditions.

‘I was taught to conduct by Reggie Brew – it was one-day training in those days, then you were out on your own,’ he recalled. ‘The following year I was trained to drive by Gussie Craine, mainly, and also Jack Teare. It was a minimum of two weeks of training, then a test with the stables foreman, Steve Strickett. I passed!’

Since then, Peter has become a key figure in the survival and operation of the horse tramway. After being appointed Tramway Operations Supervisor in 1992, he took on responsibility for overseeing both daily operations and maintenance of the historic fleet, often with limited resources.

Jobs ranged from fixing broken seat backs and painting to carrying out essential servicing of the tram running gear – work he continued until the service was transferred to Isle of Man Government ownership in 2016. Since then, he has continued as the tramway’s Senior Driver.

Peter has driven countless trips along the promenade and welcomed many well-known faces onboard, including David Jason, Nigel Mansell, Paul Chuckle, Billy Idol and even Giant Haystacks.

‘I’ve met many well-known people over the past 50 years, but I’ve loved working with all the horses just as much,’ he said. ‘From Robin and Sarah in the early days to Alec now, I’ve never disliked any of them – they all did their best.’

His favourite tramcars? ‘Sunshade 35 and toastrack 41 – the way they drove. Sadly, both are no longer in existence.’

Peter’s 50th season comes as the horse trams officially returned to Douglas Promenade on Thursday for the start of the 2025 summer season. The trams have operated since 1876, making the service one of the oldest surviving horse-drawn tramways in the British Isles.

Originally introduced by Thomas Lightfoot to serve the island’s booming Victorian tourist trade, the trams have become one of the most recognisable sights in Manx tourism, known for the rhythmic clip-clop of hooves and panoramic views of Douglas Bay.

Peter is now looking ahead to another major anniversary – the 150th anniversary of the tramway next year.

‘It’s another great milestone,’ he said. ‘I was conducting on Centenary Day in 1976. The promenades were five deep with people, 20 tramcars in the parade and 50 horses down at the Sea Terminal. It was a great day for the tramway. It’ll be a shame if the track isn’t back to the Sea Terminal for the 150th, but it is what it is.’

Peter’s name now stands alongside the late Michael Crellin as one of the key figures credited with helping preserve the horse trams for future generations.