ISLE of Man Railways is offering residents an alternative way to travel into town to do their Christmas shopping this year.

The Department of Community, Culture, and Leisure is running the Christmas Shopping Express on the steam railway for the festive season.

Passengers can avoid traffic and associated parking problems and travel through the picturesque countryside instead.

All train tickets also include free use on all bus services within the lower Douglas area for the day of travel.

Minister David Cretney MHK said: "Isle of Man Railways really are pulling out all the stops this Christmas, providing Santa Trains to Castletown for Santa’s Grotto and the Christmas Market, and now offering the option to leave your car at home and ride the Christmas Shopping Express.

"With Christmas shopping done for another year a journey home on the steam railway is a great way to end the day."

Trains will depart from Port Erin and Castletown and will stop at the main stops along the line. The train will stop at request stops if a clear signal is made.

They will operate on the first three Saturdays and the first two Sundays of December.

Trains will depart Port Erin at 9.30am and 1.30pm.

Trains will depart from Castletown at 9.52am, 10.52am, 11.52am, 1.52pm and 2.52pm.

Returning trains depart from Douglas at 11.50am, 1.50pm, 2.50pm, 3.50pm, 4.50pm, 5.35pm and 6.35pm.

Tickets can be obtained on the day from the main stations. Standard fares apply with no concessions.