Isle of Man Trip

[garrymartin]

Cost me a little bit more than £2.00. I did try costing the trip for myself, but when I worked out the cost of taking the car on the ferry + petrol + cheap hotel + trips it worked out a heck of a lot more than the coach trip is costing which is all-in in a four star hotel on the seafront in Douglas. It was a no-brainer (I think that's the expression young-folk use 8) ).

Rik

I have been reprimanded as it in fact cost £2, 10/- to get a return train and Ferry ticket from Rotherham to Douglas :-[

 

[ge_rik]

[quote author=Tramcar Trev link=topic=299283.msg321866#msg321866 date=1405896860]
And I thought we were mates? You didnt even offer to pack me in your portmanteau.....
[/quote]
Sorry Trev - wheelie suitcase too compact for passengers.
As recompense, I strolled out after we arrived and snapped a couple of pix in the gathering gloom of the Manx Electric Railway tram sheds. Everything had gone to bed for the night by the time we arrived

Power axle assembly on display outside the sheds (unless it dropped off when no-one was looking)


Three-way pointwork leading up to the sheds


One of the posters on the wall of the depot


Hope to get a few more snaps when we travel on the MER on Thurs - IMR tomorrow

Rik
PS - I`ve been trying to respond to the posts on the Blue battery thread but for some reason it won`t let me - I think the internet connection is too slow - Gladys obviously isn`t pedalling fast enough down at the exchange ......

 

[PhilP]

Perhaps data to the IOM travels by the IOM Steam PACKET Company??
(You have to be an IT person to get that one!)

 

[KandNWLR]

Perhaps data to the IOM travels by the IOM Steam PACKET Company??
(You have to be an IT person to get that one!)

Not so IT-ish as you might think. Steam packets were called so because they often carried mail. Just not email, that´s all

 

[trammayo]

I like the pics - it is one place I should visit. The motor looks like one of the original Mather & Platt types - I wonder how many cars (in everyday service) still use those motors?

Perhaps data to the IOM travels by the IOM Steam PACKET Company??
(You have to be an IT person to get that one!)

Inormation is uploaded (or downloaded) in packets?

 

[bobg]

I've never been to IOM (yet), but "Trousers" says she has been twice and both times it was shut, so she had to go round to the back door (Peel).

 

[Fairlie]

I like the pics - it is one place I should visit. The motor looks like one of the original Mather & Platt types - I wonder how many cars (in everyday service) still use those motors?

The motor is indeed one of the original Snaefell line Mather & Platt motors with Gramme ring armatures, museum pieces even a hundred years ago. None are now in use, as they were replaced with second-hand continental equipment some years ago. One complete bogie is on view at the national tramway museum at Crich.

 

[trammayo]

I like the pics - it is one place I should visit. The motor looks like one of the original Mather & Platt types - I wonder how many cars (in everyday service) still use those motors?

The motor is indeed one of the original Snaefell line Mather & Platt motors with Gramme ring armatures, museum pieces even a hundred years ago. None are now in use, as they were replaced with second-hand continental equipment some years ago. One complete bogie is on view at the national tramway museum at Crich.

Thanks for the answer - I'd fogotten about the Snaefell cars!

 

[Northsider]

If the power bogie is at Derby Castle then I assume it is standing on 3' gauge track; the Snaefell line is 3' 6", so this may be off a MER car.

I'll get my anorak!

 

[trammayo]

As the truck is far from complete - about three fifths of it missing in length alone - the most unique aspect of it (which would be a clincher) is missing. That would be the Fell braking system. However, it does seem to be a Snaefell truck.

 

[ge_rik]

Right here we go .........
In the morning we took a trip from Douglas to Port Erin. I started early and went to watch steaming up and shunting operations in the yard. Not a lot happening though.


Until No. 4 - Loch emerged from the shed


We then departed for Port Erin and on arrival was able to watch No. 4 depart


We called in briefly at Castletown on the way back where I managed to snap No. 4 again on her way back to Port Erin


Rik

 

[ge_rik]

...... Whilst at Castletown, I snapped a few lineside images including the IMR`s arrangement operating the home signals (no starters incidentally). On the Down side there`s a windlass


while on the Up side there is a weighted lever


On return to Douglas, an opportunity to travel on the horse tram




To the North end of the promenade ..........

 

[ge_rik]

.... where there was a chance to see some tramcar activities on the MER




Tomorrow, I intend to walk the abandoned line from Douglas to Peel and then take a brief trip on the MER to Groudle Glen

Toodle pip!

Rik

 

[tramcar trev]

I'm suitably impressed.
I was wondering what tyre profile they use, looking at the antique power truck I'd say "worn out".
The Horse tram looks suspiciously like a modified Bachmann toastrack with an animated Schlich horse.....Something to ponder....

 

[pugwash]

If the power bogie is at Derby Castle then I assume it is standing on 3' gauge track; the Snaefell line is 3' 6", so this may be off a MER car.

The powered bogies at Crich (there are 3 or 4) are in the centre of the exhibition hall standing on their own little bits of line so could be any gauge. Sorry, I never thought we were so anoraky to need photos - maybe in another ten years

 

[GHWood]

The power bogie is one half of one of the original Snaefell car bogies, the other half is at Crich. So 3ft 6ins

 

[gregh]

...... Whilst at Castletown, I snapped a few lineside images including the IMR's arrangement operating the home signals (no starters incidentally). On the Down side there's a windlass

Will be waiting to see windlass operated signals on the Peckforton Light Railway.

 

[ge_rik]

[quote author=gregh link=topic=299283.msg322066#msg322066 date=1406069772]
Will be waiting to see windlass operated signals on the Peckforton Light Railway.
[/quote]
Now there`s a thought. I did like the mechanism - simple but effective.

Today`s batch (part 1) - the best laid plans........
Plan A - Hire bike in Douglas, cycle the trackbed to Peel - cycle down to Port Erin - train back to Douglas - THWARTED - Nowhere in Douglas to hire bikes
Plan B - Take tram to Ramsey - Hire bike - Cycle to Peel along MNR trackbed - cycle to Douglas along trackbed - tram to Ramsey - THWARTED - not enough time between first tram and closing time of shop to complete the journey (unless jet-propelled)
Plan C - Walk trackbed from Douglas to Peel - Bus to Castletown / Port Erin - Train back to Douglas - THWARTED - Walked trackbed to Peel but road works and crashed bus as Foxdale meant no buses to Castletown - had to return to Douglas by bus - too late then to get to Port Erin and back by train.

Anyway - shortly off to Groudle Glen for some 2` gauge indulgence - in the meantime......

Pleasant surprise when I called in at Douglas station. Caledonia steaming quietly awaiting the arrival of someone on a driving experience day


Mobile crane exhibited at Union Mills Station. I took a total of 45 pictures of every inch of her. Wish I`d seen this before I made my freelance model (http://riksrailway.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/how-i-constructed-crane-wagon.html )


The overbridge beyond Union Mills Station


Double girder bridges between St Johns and Peel looking back towards St Johns - LH MNR track to Ramsey rising to cross Peel Road, RH track to Peel


Rik

 

[ge_rik]

.... length of rail still visible between St John`s and Peel


Water mill beside track on the approach to Peel


All that remains of the station at Peel - the water tank and a short length of track (on the skew)


Compare this with:

Peel harbour. The site of the station is now where the marina sits. Can`t find an image online but there is more than one of the station taken from roughly this vantage point.


Must dash - food then Groundle Glen!

Rik

 

[bobg]

Lurv the crane!!!