The commuter trains operated once again in practice week and race week in a similar pattern to those operated last year.  Services began with a four-coach train (F.45, F.10, F.54 and F.31) but the saloon was dropped after the first day.  In addition to the mention in the timetable, special leaflets were also produced but sadly not distributed until T.T. week itself by which time a weeks’ worth of commuter services had passed.  The trains were more popular than last year with an average of 40-50 passengers on each morning train, with the evening departures proving even more popular.  One train was however heavily delayed by lineside fires and therefore lost the majority of its passengers to the bus services.  This year, the 12-journey bus tickets and residents’ tickets were also valid and the price was dropped to be in line with the corresponding bus fare.  The tills in the stations were programmed for bus prices for the commuter trains.  It is not known if the exercise will be repeated in 2009.  Otherwise, the usual services over the period were busy with one eight-coach train, but were more akin to the numbers experienced prior to the centenary T.T. last year, figures were encouraging nonetheless.