New Issue: Buses and Horse Trams (IOM)

This is a new issue from the Isle of Man, which is about Manx Heritage Transport.

It marks the 150th anniversary of the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway as well as the 50th anniversary of Isle of Man National Transport.

The Isle of Man Stamps & Coins website doesn't tell us very much, but the WOPA website helpfully has more information. It tells us: "Buses & Horse Trams celebrates two landmark anniversaries in the Isle of Man’s transport story, bringing together the 150th anniversary of the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway and the 50th anniversary of the nationalisation of the Island’s bus services in a single commemorative stamp issue.

"The Douglas Bay Horse Tramway, established in 1876, is the world’s oldest continuously operating horse drawn tramway and remains one of the Isle of Man’s most distinctive heritage transport experiences. Running along Douglas Promenade, it has evolved through periods of expansion, wartime interruption and modern preservation, while retaining its unique character and connection to the Island’s tourism history.

"Bus travel on the Island reflects more than a century of development, from early charabanc excursions in the early 1900s through to the formation of National Transport in 1976 and today’s Bus Vannin network. This modern system continues to serve communities across the Island, reflecting decades of change and innovation in public transport.

"This stamp issue brings together six designs showcasing both buses and horse trams across different eras. From historic tramway scenes to modern bus liveries, each stamp highlights a moment in the evolution of public transport on the Isle of Man, reflecting the vehicles, routes and services that have shaped Island life."

Isle of Man stamps have often celebrated buses, and here are some examples:

1999

2015

2019

2022

I can only find one issue for the tramway and that is for the centenary in 1976:

There was also a 23p definitive stamp issued:

But while these subjects have been used for Isle of Man stamps several times, these are very important anniversaries. So what do I think about them?

Design Quality - It's all based on photography which I think works quite well here as the photographs tell a story. The Douglas Bay Horse Tramway is obviously a century older than the bus network so there are older photographs that have been used and these are very effective. The photographs show how travel has changed but in some ways stayed the same. People are still using these services. 8/10

Theme/Subject Choice - The Isle of Man has often shown buses on stamps, maybe too often. However, these are important anniversaries and it makes sense to celebrate them. I like the fact that two anniversaries and two different kinds of transport are being celebrated in the same set. 8/10

Historical and Cultural Relevance - The anniversaries are of historical importance especially the 150th anniversary of the Tramway. 8/10

Innovation and Creativity - The stamps tell a story of how transport has changed over the years with "now and then" photographs and in that sense they are quite creative, but there are nothing that stands out and says these are very different or exceptionally creative. 7/10

Collectability - I imagine there are people who specialise in transport on stamps. But will these make more of an impression than so many other stamps on this theme? The anniversaries should make them more significant especially to people with a connection to the Isle of Man. 7/10

Personal Appeal - I am very interested in buses, and I also think it's a good idea to celebrate two anniversaries in one issue. Unlike the older stamps that just concentrated on buses, these are unusual because they have the horse tramway as well. The mix of old and new photographs works well. 8/10  Overall Score: 46/60