Manx Heritage Transport Festival 2019

A selection of photo's from the Manx Hertige Transport Festival 2019 : -







The driver of the 13:40 sh departure from Ramsey on Thursday asked if any one would like to come up front on nr 32, below the best view on the line.

I very enjoyable first visit to the Isle of Man.
I will add further details and photos in due course.

 

I arrived by plane late Tuesday evening and took a bus to my hotel in Douglas. Buses depart every twenty minutes from the Airport and the fare is either £ 2.70 or £ 3.20 depending where you are staying.

Day 1

Headed to the Steam Railway station to purchase my 5 day Go Explore Card which cost £ 41.00 plus £ 2 activation charge At £ 8.60 per day this is very good value. A return on the Steam Railway is £ 13.40, while at return to Snaefell is £ 16.00. It also is valid on the Groudle Glenn Railway, the Mining railway and the buses.

The first train out of Douglas was Double headed 13 Kisssack and 15 Calendonia ( currently as MNR nr 4 see phot in post 1) and 12 coaches. The dining set was going to Port Erin to pick-up some cruise passengers later in the day.Apart from the slow climb up the 1-65/70 to Port Soderick they made light work of the train to Port Erin. The return was uneventful until the decent to Douglas where we made an emergency stop due to an armchair on the line. The arm chair was seen at the top of the embankment outward.

13 & 15 at Port Erin


I then headed to Derby Castle to catch Tram Car 16 and trailer 54 , (the latter had been out of service since 1971) to Groudle.

On arrival atr Groudle -


I headed across to entrance to Groudle Glen, down a rough track down to the river, followed the signage dow along the track beside the river which was muddy in place, across the bridge and up the otherside to the railway.
Sean Lion was in the platform with a fully loaded train, so I waited for it to return,

Much to my surprise Brown Bear turned up which was out on test, so headed up the line behind her to Sean Lion Rocks Station, which can be seen in the distance in the photo from the train below.


After watching the double header of Sea Lion and Brown Bear depart headed for cafe for refreshment. I then back behind Sea Lion, and had full line trip behind her.
Was hoping to see Otter, and before I left Otter and Brown Bear were postioned outside the shed.

I headed back to the MER Station, and decided to head up the line to Laxey for reccy for tomorrow. I had been recomended to have a ride behind Car 2 and that's what turned up.
Seen here leaving Laxey. I wanted to take the short of the Car just before the pub, but someone turned up late, and stood in the way to record it on his phone.


I headed back to my hotel after a very enjoable first day, and had already decided I would be making a least one further visit to the Island.

 

I've visited the IoM 3 times and have every intention of doing so again at some point. I would recommended it to anyone who has not previously visited. Plenty of transport interest and great scenery. I've always found the staff on all railways friendly and helpful. On the last visit we chatted to a mechanic stanbding by the gate at the Derby and asked if we could enter the yard to take some pictures, and promptly got shown around the whole site and inside the sheds etc.

IoM is easy to get to with convenient flights from most parts of the UK or a nice fast ferry from Liverpool. Easy and cheap to get around using the travel card mentioned above.

 

Day 2 part 1
I arrived at Derby Castle at 9.00 for the 9;10 Parallel run to Laxey of Tunnel Cars 5 & 7. Nr 6 was in place of nr 5 with trailer 59. Car 7 and trailer 59 were full so I boarded nr 6.
Before departure with the new stables under construction to the left and the temporary marque for the horse trams to the right.
On arrival at Laxey I decided on the spur of the momement to join the queue for Snaefell Mountain Railway, contary to advice it go up mid-morning onwards.It was looking clearer in the direction of Snaefell than at Laxey.
I boarded Car 5, sat on the right handside , since that was the best side for the first part of the journey up the Valley. After it crosses the TT course the otherside is best but I would sit on this side on the way down. On arrival at the top it was clear locally on the IOM except towards Laxey and in the distance where is was hazey or cloudy.

Looking down to where the railway crosses the TT course from left to right.

Car nr 5 heading down the moutain.
After some refreshments I headed down in Car nr 1.

On arrival at Laxey, and I boarded Tram Car 33 for Ramsey. I is a lovely scenic ride to Ramsey particularly in an open sided car.
At Ramsey Car 6 and trailer were parked up.

 

My one regret is not having visted the Isle of Man sooner.

 

Day 2 Part 2

After a walk round Ramsey and some liquid refreshment ( The Good Beer Guidge App covers the IOM) I returned to the station where Car 32 was running rounf trailer 61. Somone asked the crew if this was was 13:40 departure. The driver replied itiis the 13:30 ish departure. Just before the we left the driver asked if anyone we like to come up front and I took the oppourtunity. I have seen others upfront and had assumed they knew the driver. I had a very enjoyable scenic ride in glorious weather( this was Thursday when it was in the mid 30's in Southern England and it was a tropical 25 on the IOM) to Laxey, and took numourous photos the best is in post 1, and a further one below : -

Car 32 on arrival at Laxey below

The driver told me he had seen the Mines Railway locos outside, I thanked him , and even though it was no due to open today I went to have a look.

After a visit to the Laxey Wheel where I discovered my National Trust card for free, I had a couple of rides betwen Laxey and Douglas before heading back to my Hotel.


Car 9 and Car 7 in the background both being used for MER Motorman Tasters - Try your hand at driving a tram car.

The House Tram was only operating as far as Switzerland Road due to the rebuiding of the Promenade.

 

Day 3

Headed to the Steam Railway for a ride to Castletown, slightly diferent shot of Caledonia just about to depart.



After a quick visit to Castletown including Castle Rushen, returned to the Station , and noticed the adacent pub The Sidings Inn had a sign which said 12 pumps ( claims to have the most pumps back to Castletown. It woulkd be rude not to visit so went in for a quick pintof a local beer. Returned to Douglas behind Caledonia where the loco was changed for nr 12 Hutchinson and headed back to Castleton where I changed trains to 13 Kissack to take me back to Douglas.
With the main event today being the " Tunnel Vision Photography Evening" featuring all all Tunnel Car 5, 6 ( as lost Car nr 8), 7 ( as lost car nr 4) and Car 9 pm the MER, I had a return to Laxey before having an early dinner at the Port Jack Chippy.
Note : - Standard fares or a Go Travel card applied for this event.



Car nr 9 having just returned with the mail van. Cars 9 and 7 left in Parallel to Laxey.


Cars 8 and 9 at Laxey.

All 4 Tunnel cars at Laxey. 2nr have tram seats, while the others have longitudinal bench seats.

Photo's 1 and 3 in post 1 were taken on this evening.



All 4 cars at Bulgham.


Tunnel cars 9 and 7 as 4 headed backed to Douglas in Parallel, but I decided to ride in Car nr 1 which had arrived.

The other two tunnel cars would follow us.

Another very enjoyable but long day( Arrived back in Derby Castle at 10.30pm.)
Thanks to all the railway Staff and volunteers.

 

A most enjoyable read & some great photos, thanks for sharing. Must get myself over to the Island!

Ben

 

Day 4
After days of glorious sun, a cloudy morning with rain date afternoon, Today was just going to be the Isle of Man Steam Railway, I had considered visting Great Laxey Mine Railway which was due to be open today, but I would taken up to much time I would be attending the Staged Photograpy at Douglas stage in the evening.

Caledonia was again hauling the first departure of the day, so I changed trains at Castletown and returned to Douglas behind nr 12 Hutchinson. 13 Kissack ( Apparently referred to as 12a by some of the railway staff) took over and I headed to Port Erin behind her. This time I had sufficient time to visit the Railway Museum before the return.Nr 6 Peveril and nr 16 Mannin ( pictured below) on display.The later is the most powerful member of the fleet and due to be overhauled.

I then returned to Castletown hauled by Kissack, and waited for Hutchinson to arrive from Douglas.


I travelled to Port Erin and thethen back to Douglas behind Hutchinson. I had a break from the railway to walk round Douglas, have some dinner before returning to the station for the evening photography.
This featured nr 7 Fenella and nr 15 Caledonia . We had to a doubled headed departure followed by two parallel departures using the former Peel line ( now the Peel siding) and the line to Port Erin. A selection of photos below : -





Followed by a BBQ under the canopy,
Thanks to all the railway Staff and volunteers.

 

Day 5

The last day of the event and due to be last day on the Island, everything had gone as planned, and the weather had be excellant apart from a few hours on Saturday afternoon but all was about to change.
I had planned to have a lie ( it was Sunday) and take the 11:50 due to hauled by Fenella to Ronaldsway Halt ( one of the guards calls it Ronaldsway International to catch my flight to Gatwick, At 10.00am I received a text, follwed by an email from EasyJet that my flight had been cancelled making reference to distruption the previous day ( Airtrafick control problems) with the alternative flight being Monday Evening ( No option of the Sunday evening or Monday morning flights) so having looking and dismissing alterntaive option decided to acception the flight and for them to provide me a hotel ( including allowance for Evening meal and Breakfast).After leaving my luggage in store with the Premier Inn to collect later to take to the Best Western) I headed to the station on a wet morning to catch the special hauled by Fenella (banked by Caledonia as far as Port Soderick ) to Port Erin and back. We were greeted by dancers at Port Erin.



On arrival at Douglas I headed off to collect my luggage and check into my new hotel, then managed to catch the last MER train - nr 5 to Laxey, where a waited for one back to Douglas.
No one got in the way of this departure shot : -

My original plan had been to ride behind at least one of each type of Car. I had bettered that having travelled behind 1,2,5,6,7,9,16,20, 32 & 33. Only 16 and 22 of those operating at the festival remained ( The only one not seen were 19 & 21).
22 arrived and I headed back to Douglas behind here followed by a ride on the horse tram and then back to my hotel to plan for my additional day.

Day 6
Since my 5 day Go Explore pass had expired I purchased an all day Bus ticket for £ 7.00 and vistied, Peel, Peel Castle then to Castle Town on a lovely sunny day.Collected my luggage, had evening meal and headed to the airport. The Flight departed late due to late incoming flight. The first atempt at Landing at Gatwick was aborted due to another plane on the runaway ! Finally touched down at 10.45pm and arrived home 55 minutes later ( included 5min waiting for luggage and 5min for a taxi.


A very enjoyable holiday on the Isle of Man. It has a lot to offer with 3 steam railways, 2 electric railways and a horse tram , plus other hertige atractions and great scenery.

I looking to return in 2023 which is the 150th anniversary of the opening of the Peel Line.