From 2009 the railway had adopted a letter-coded timetable system with “R” being the standard four trains in each direction each day as previously, with a variety of other codes ranging from “S” with a six train service to “T” covering the commuter trains in T.T. week and “U” for evening services commonly operated on a Thursday in peak season.  This pattern established itself over the following decade and has now become standard practice.

The monthly Commuter Club trains (which first operated during the centenary T.T. in 2007) were designated as timetable “C” supplementing the days’ services and an experimental “V” schedule operated some years with a further “W” schedule being a shuttle service between Castletown and Port Erin when the Billown Circuit is closed and buses cannot easily serve the south of the island.  

Finally, timetable “X” appeared from time to time, for which a separately published timetable was issued usually in connection with Rush Hour when an intense service was provided, notably during the 2013 event when no less than twenty two train movements with seven locomotives was in place on Easter Saturday making for a memorable day. By the end of the decade a pattern was established, generally between March and November.

This is an established pattern that has continued to see use through until the present day although the core now consists of the  “R” and  “S” schedules with only four evening (“U”) trains operating in the 2026 season as nighttime trains focus largely on the dining train.  If you can assist filling in any of the blanks in this archive we will be delighted to hear from you.