The Isle of Man has a rich transport history that stretches back well over a century. Steam railways arrived on the island in 1873, running between Douglas and Port Erin in the south. Electric trams followed in 1893 and served as the main way people got around for decades. Buses didn’t become a significant part of island life until the mid-20th century, when they gradually took over as the primary mode of public transport.
The first bus services were run by the Manxland Bus Co Limited alongside several smaller, independent operators. By 1976, the Isle of Man government had taken over the entire transport operation. Buses under government control carried National Transport logos and wore a livery that was predominantly red with white trim — a colour scheme that had already been seen in various forms under the earlier Road Services banner.
The photos in this collection were taken in 1970, 1971, and 1972 — a window of time that captured the island’s bus fleet before major changes reshaped it. Douglas, the island’s capital and main hub, appears repeatedly in these images. Its streets, promenade, and harbour provided the backdrop for many of the daily routes these vehicles ran.
The AEC Regent was one of the most recognisable buses on the island during this era. Douglas Corporation operated a number of them, each with its own identifying number. They could be spotted all across Douglas — climbing Prospect Hill, waiting at the Clock Tower, rounding the harbour, and heading out to Douglas Head. Horse trams still shared the streets with these motor buses, a striking combination that made Douglas unlike almost anywhere else in the British Isles.
Road Services vehicles operated alongside the Corporation fleet, covering routes that stretched beyond Douglas into the wider island. These included Leyland PD2s and other types that ventured out to towns and villages like St. Johns, Laxey, Ballaugh, Port Erin, and Ramsey. The terrain varied sharply — from flat coastal promenades to steep rural roads — and the buses handled all of it.
The Douglas promenade — known locally as the Prom — was a central artery for bus movement. Regents and Leyland PD2s alike made regular passes along it, often with the bay and Sea Terminal visible in the background. The Inner Harbour provided another familiar setting, where buses turned or paused near the waterfront before continuing their routes.
Horse trams continued to run along the seafront alongside the motor buses, and several photos capture both modes of transport in the same frame. Regent No.64 shares Loch Prom with a horse tram. The Sea Terminal appears with Regent No.65 and Saloon Horse Tram No.1. These scenes were not staged — they were everyday street life on the Isle of Man in the early 1970s.
Outside of Douglas, Road Services routes reached into some of the island’s more remote corners. The Olympic No.53 navigated the Bradda Head road near Port Erin, a route with dramatic coastal scenery. The Falcon — another Road Services vehicle — crossed the Manx Electric Railway line at Bellevue near Ramsey, while Road Services Falcon No.29 appeared at the quiet village of Maughold.
Not every vehicle in these photos was part of the main Corporation or Road Services fleets. Private and contractor-owned vehicles also appear — including a former Douglas Leyland Comet photographed in use with Parkinson Contractors, and a Bedford OB operated by Highlander Coaches. These smaller operators filled gaps that the main services didn’t always cover.
The fleet also included AEC Regal IVs and Reliances, adding further variety to what was already a diverse mix of vehicle types on a small island. Over the following years, second-hand buses from mainland England were brought in to supplement and eventually replace many of these older vehicles. Leyland Atlanteans came from operators including Merseyside PTE, Portsmouth Transit, SELNEC, and Tyne & Wear PTE. Leyland Olympians arrived from Devon General, Dublin Bus, and Stagecoach, while Leyland Lynxes were sourced from Halton Transport.
By 1972, the last year represented in this photo set, the fleet visible on Douglas streets still carried the familiar look of the early 1970s. Regents continued to operate out of Derby Castle and the Sea Terminal. The Thorneycroft No.13 served routes as far out as Ballaugh. The ex-Douglas Leyland Comet KMN518 appeared again in a separate 1972 photograph, having passed out of Corporation service into further use.
Buses were still painted that way (or very similar) until quite recently. Only these new buses were not painted. We probably started slowly circling the drain with that cost cutting measure.