After leaving Portugal and arriving in Britain, I spent a few days with my brother Phillip in Poole. Then we flew to the Isle of Man for a 5 day visit. The island is quite compact and has an amazing array of transport for getting around in addition to the usual buses and taxis. In fact, the bus fleet is very modern and the services cover the whole island frequently, but that is not the purpose of this post. Here we're interested in the unusual and historic modes that also entertain visitors.
We bought a 5 day ticket that covered all transport except for taxis and provided automatic entry to all heritage destinations. So we immediately began exploring the fascinating ways of getting around the island. Have a look at what we saw, starting with horse-drawn tram cars on rails! These ran along the long Promenade in Douglas, the capital and largest city on the island. It was a useful and relaxing service that we used quite often and the trams were hired by waving one's hand at designated tram stops along the road.
Here a horse is being hitched to the tram car, and the succeeding photo shows the depot and another horse being readied for service. The vehicles themselves seem to date from the early 20th century and are largely open-air - all right in summer but probably chilly in winter.
Adjacent to the horse-drawn tram depot and stables was the start of the electric tramway where, in effect, the horse is replaced by overhead electric wiring, as shown here. The rolling stock is also a little younger and a mix of interior and open-air seating. Both are a little cramped and crude as the pictures show. The electric version goes faster than the horses and the line runs along much of the island's east coast, linking Douglas with the second largest town, Ramsey. I have a Canadian friend, Doug Ramsey who didn't until I pointed it out know that he had been named after the two largest Manx towns!
And then there's the line that runs from Laxey on the east coast to the top of Snaefell (Snow-fall) at a height of c. 2100 feet. Its rolling stock also looks like that on the east coast electric line, but is at least enclosed, something necessary on a cold island at high altitude.
Then, finally, there's the little steam train that links the electric tram at Laxey with the great Laxey water wheel - a major tourist destination. It is tiny! I'm 50% taller than either the locomotive or the cramped cage of a coach in which passengers are carried the short distance. Still, it was fun, and the line was used in earlier times to ferry ore out from the nearby mine.
Like these period pieces? Let me know.
AS
We bought a 5 day ticket that covered all transport except for taxis and provided automatic entry to all heritage destinations. So we immediately began exploring the fascinating ways of getting around the island. Have a look at what we saw, starting with horse-drawn tram cars on rails! These ran along the long Promenade in Douglas, the capital and largest city on the island. It was a useful and relaxing service that we used quite often and the trams were hired by waving one's hand at designated tram stops along the road.
Here a horse is being hitched to the tram car, and the succeeding photo shows the depot and another horse being readied for service. The vehicles themselves seem to date from the early 20th century and are largely open-air - all right in summer but probably chilly in winter.
Adjacent to the horse-drawn tram depot and stables was the start of the electric tramway where, in effect, the horse is replaced by overhead electric wiring, as shown here. The rolling stock is also a little younger and a mix of interior and open-air seating. Both are a little cramped and crude as the pictures show. The electric version goes faster than the horses and the line runs along much of the island's east coast, linking Douglas with the second largest town, Ramsey. I have a Canadian friend, Doug Ramsey who didn't until I pointed it out know that he had been named after the two largest Manx towns!
Like these period pieces? Let me know.
AS
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