The Merchant's Railway was created to transfer stone from the Tophill quarries to Castletown's waterfront. This was originally done using horses, but the method was deemed cruel. After gaining an Act of Parliament in 1825, the railway track was constructed and opened in 1826. it used the unusual gauge of . The route of the railway led from Priory Corner, around Verne Hill to the Freeman's Incline. From this point the stone would be sent downwards to the Castletown to be shipped. The traffic on the railway began to decline with the introduction of traction engines and motor vehicles. During
World War I, the stone industry temporarily ceased. The Merchant's Railway was closed in 1939. It has been calculated that during the railway's use, approximately 704.93672 tons of stone travelled down the incline. The route of the railway in now a public footpath and has become a popular walk. The route was included in the
BBC TV series
Railway Walks presented by
Julia Bradbury, where it was used as a continuation of the
Rodwell Trail. The walk was included in the book accompanying the series and a picture of Bradbury standing on the incline was used for the cover. ==References==