Snaefell, Isle Of Man Week 72 14th September 2012
                 
The transport timetable suggested we could reach Snaefell and back in a day from Ballasalla.

We started at Ballasall railway station with one of those multi trip special ticket thingoes.

 
And a half hour later were stepping off the train in Douglas.
 
No 4. The G. H. Wood.

Some of you will recognise the type of loco. We saw one (The Pender?) in Mosi, the museum in Manchester, with its innards exposed.

 
A quick walk and we caught a horse tram.

The horse has been brought from the far end to this end so it can pull the tram back along Douglas promenade. About 20 minutes.

 
A dull day really along the promenade but we've been watching the webcam at The Bungalow (near the summit) and it looked clear.
 
Still some tourists around despite the cold.
 
The clock face shows the time of next electric tram departure.

No real clock in sight so the punters don't know its late.

This is the Manx Electric Railway which runs from Douglas through Laxey to Ramsey.

 
We hadn't bargained for high winds causing disruption to the Snaefell Mountain Railway. With a bit of help from friendly station mistress at Laxey we joined a coach party and are only a half hour late.

The line on the hillside on the right is the tram line.

 
Not steep enough for rack and pinion. But steep enough for extra braking.
 
Snaefell Mountain Railway trams at the summit.

It looks like its grown a bit since I was young and is now 2036 ft high.

Just high enough to be recognised as a mountain.

 
Looking North towards Ramsey.

The name Snaefell shows its Norse (Viking) origins.

There's a mixture of names on the island.

Laxey, where we changed trams, is derived from the Norse for salmon (Laksaa).

 
It was still a bit draughty on the summit.

Just after this we were nearly blown away. Literally.

 
We walked down to The Bungalow, where the tram line crosses the mountain road.

Tram driver agreed to pick us up.

 
We got back to Laxey with moments to spare.

This is the Manx Electric Railway tram to take us back to Douglas.

 
Bremach. An Italian built 4wd truck based on Iveco mechanicals.

A good candidate for motorhome conversion.

 
Looking back towards Groudle Glen.
 
An early memory of the Isle Of Man is transport timetables that don't quite meet.

The horse tram left just as we arrived. We couldn't wait for the next one as we would then miss the steam train.

We walked along Douglas promenade, stopping only for the occasional photograph.

 
The short cut was along the main street.
 
Eventually to the steam train station.

At least 10 minutes to spare.

 
10 minutes to take a photograph.
 
Windows that open so people like us can take photos.
 
Thence back to Ballasalla.

No gates. Just common sense to suggest that waiting for the train to leave before crossing the line.

The train line was completed around 1874. The electric and horse trams are from the same era.

  
Peel and Glen Rushen, Isle Of Man Week 73 16th - 18th September 2012
 
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