There's mentions of Go Explore cards not being accepted on some buses, and Go Travel cards being accepted on most things. Given that I'm planning on going on the railways and trams, and using regular buses but not heritage ones – except possibly the Douglas shuttles on the Tuesday – is the normal (3 day) Go Explore card the best option for two nights?
Go Explore tickets are not fully valid on the Hullad Oie night buses. These buses are double the usual fare and so Go Explore ticket holders have to pay a top up. The top up is 1x the usual fare. They are valid on the X3 which runs express over the Mountain Road to/from Ramsey. I highly recommend it, and the 17.05 is usually a double decker.
Go Explore tickets are also not valid on dining trains.
The 3-day Go Explore ticket is sold on a smartcard, which costs £2. I'd say it is your best option. You can buy the ticket on arrival at the Welcome Centre in the Sea Terminal.
I'm due to get to Liverpool Lime Street at 09:04 for an 11:15 sailing and leaving at 18:43, having arrived at the ferry terminal at 17:45; that should be comfortably enough time to walk all the way (without delays), but how much better is walking from / to James Street? If it isn't enough time on the return leg, an excess to the off-peak single would be ~£20, so not a great loss.
It is about a 30 minute walk from Lime Street to the new ferry terminal in Liverpool. There is a footbridge from Prince's Dock over to the ferry terminal and this doesn't (or didn't) show up on Google Maps' walking route.
Going out you've got plenty of time, and the walk is downhill.
Coming back, 58 minutes would be very tight. 1745 is the arrival time for the ferry, not disembarkation time. This can add 10-15 minutes or so and, unless you are travelling with a small rucksack, you will then also need to wait for your luggage to be delivered to the baggage carousel. At busy times they are very hot on making people check in larger bags and suitcases.
There is a shuttle bus from the ferry terminal to Lime Street if you don't fancy the walk, the bus goes from right outside.
If you're going to take the train, the Tithebarn Street/Old Hall Street entrance to Moorfields is the closest to the new ferry terminal. If you use James Street, be aware that the passageway from platform level up to the Water Street entrance is very steep.
Is the Isle of Man (Steam) Railway reliable enough to trust getting to Douglas for 14:05 for a 15:00 sailing?
Check-in for foot passengers closes 25 minutes before departure, so 14.35. It is about a ten minute walk from the railway station to the Sea Terminal. It
should be OK but it depends on your risk appetite really.
Timekeeping is good for a heritage railway, but there can be delays on busy days. They will also hold trains if pre-booked coach parties are delayed for whatever reason. The trains cross at Castletown station and if one train is delayed then the other one just has to wait for it.
The trains (and trams) all track on findmybus.im so you will be able to make a judgment call on the day. There's a bus stop right outside both Port Erin and Castletown stations, should you decide to bail.
Is one side particularly more scenic than the other for any of the railways?
Steam Railway: I prefer the sea side purely because of the view over the bay as the train goes along the cliffs at Keristal. Otherwise it doesn't really matter, and the carriages are small enough to be able to see out of both sides anyway.
Snaefell: right hand side going up, left hand side coming down. But you may well not get a choice. The Snaefell trams are very very busy and you may not even get on your first choice of tram on a busy day, especially going up.
MER: sea side, but again the carriages are small enough that you get a good view out of either side, especially if you're on a toastrack trailer.
Unfortunately I found timekeeping on the Steam Railway poor. Hanging around for late coach parties. Perhaps I was unlucky?
Unlucky, I'd say. But yes, if a pre-booked coach party is held up then they will usually hold the train for them to arrive.
The coach parties tend to be more of an annoyance on the Snaefell tram, it's not uncommon for an entire timetabled departure to be reserved for one coach party. Everyone else just has to wait in the queue.
