The plane emerges out of the cloud, the undercarriage brushes the
flag on the top of Castle Rushen and we're here again. Usual routine;
collect the bags, go to the information desk, collect a public
transport timetable and buy a seven-day travel pass. (Why on earth
aren't they eight-day passes to cover the day we leave too? Always
such a bother fiddling about finding coins for the odd day's
travel.)
The walk down to Ronaldsway Halt stretches legs cramped from the
plane. New bench on the platform! Excellent; now we won't have to sit
on the steps of the stile. The sign's been taken down - perhaps it's
being painted? No timetable, and still no shelter. Still it's not
raining so we won't have to huddle under a bush. We could catch the
bus of course but it's not nearly so much fun.
Ronaldsway must be the only international airport served by a narrow
gauge steam train. Bunker first Hutchinson rounds the uphill curve
from Castletown. Hand out to indicate that it should stop; the driver
whistles an acknowledgement. Boarding the train at Ronaldsway is like
starring in a very short film. Everyone leans out and stares as
though passengers with luggage are a rarity. (Perhaps they are.)
Transport enthusiasts eagerly point cameras. The guard bustles down
the platform to help with the suitcases and we have known the fireman
to help as well. A family kindly squeeze up to let us into their
compartment. We have to sit with suitcases on our laps, but we
expected that; no headroom for luggage racks and the space under the
seat is filled with the family's folding pushchair.
On arriving at the terminus in Douglas we pay for the journey we've
just had and then the disappointment starts. No horse trams. What do
you mean they're not running? What are we to do for transport? We
can't carry cases for two miles along the front to Derby Castle and
the idea of being taken to our self-catering cottage in Laxey via
anything other than the MER is unthinkable. It'll have to be the No.
26 bus along the prom. The driver, kindly, tells us where to get off
- he doesn't know we've been here lots of times before and the
information would certainly be helpful to those who don't know;
there's no sign saying 'Derby Castle'.
Watch car 22 and trailer 41 arrive and the crew turn it before
putting the cases on the back of the trailer and pulling down the
shutters to keep them safe. We're off; our holiday's really
begun.
Overnight we've studied the timetable. Hope no-one reading it
believes the times given in the official timetable for the MER; it's
closed beyond Laxey for trackwork. Why the work hasn't been done over
the winter when the railway was scheduled to be closed, is one of the
mysteries of bureaucracy. (And an utter bane for travellers, visitors
and locals alike.)
All the years we've been visiting the Isle of Man and we've never
visited the Curraghs Wildlife Park. We particularly want to see the
Orchid Line - the model railway which only runs on Sundays - and it's
difficult to get to by public transport on Sunday as there are very
few buses each way along that road. Still, this year we've decided to
give it a whirl. No trams to Ramsey so it has to be the bus. On the
way up to the bus stop we admire the Laxey mines railway with its
section of subterranean ride. Having watched it being re-built over
the years, we finally got to ride on it a couple of years ago. Its a
real experience with its cleverly-enclosed carriages and tiny
engines, Ant and Bee (all the jokes about Ant and Dec have already
been made).
Wave at Snaefell Mountain Railway car 4 coming down from its shed
into Laxey Station and then board the No. 3 bus. Nice old-fashioned
bus garage in Ramsey where we change to the No. 5 for Peel. The rain
starts while we're on the bus, but you don't visit the Isle of Man
for the weather; we get out our macs. According to the timetable we
have 2½ or 4½ hours at the park, so we'll see how good it
is before we decide which bus to catch back.
The wildlife park is much better than we expected, with lots to look
at and good use made of the wetland habitat, but this is a travel
diary so we'll leave rhapsodies about penguin, lynx and capybara to
another time. The Orchid Line is fantastic. The best 50p each we've
spent for a long time. It runs for half a mile winding through the
'Amazon Rainforest' and round the children's farm, over small bridges
and even has a tunnel. Wonderful fun.
Could have spent longer at the park, but must keep an eye on the
time. We'll look very silly if we miss the bus. Back on the No. 5 bus
to Douglas via Peel, no horse trams so walk along the promenade, MER
car 22 and trailer 41 home.
Stunning weather. Let's go to Cregneash, we haven't been there for
ages. MER car 19 and trailer 40 into Douglas. Coming down Port Jack
we see the No. 23 bus. We're on time, so hope the bus waits for two
minutes… No, there it goes. Damn; you'd think they could shift
the timetable by five minutes to make the trams and buses connect
wouldn't you? No horse trams running so we have a half-hour wait for
the next bus or a two-mile walk along the front. Nice weather so we
opt for the walk. We're good walkers but this delay means that we'll
have less time in Cregneash.
No. 1 bus from Lord Street. A real shame they knocked down the old
bus station. It could have been done up to look stylish and was much
more passenger friendly then this huddle of bus shelters. For a
start, passengers with luggage could wait under cover without either
them or their cases getting wet. Can't do it now; we've tried.
Anyway, bus to Cregneash. Waved to the fairies at Fairy Bridge of
course, and tried to spot the steam train. It's running, but it's
away in front of us, so we don't see it. Over an hour's bus journey
to Cregneash, but with interesting things to look at from the top of
the double decker. Last time we went there we caught the train to
Port Erin and walked up the hill, but we didn't get much time there
doing it that way.
Glorious weather, really interesting exhibits and demonstrations and
tantalising cloud effects so an excellent day for photography. But! -
this is a travel diary so, once again, we resume on the bus. The No.
1 bus turns round at Calf Sound so we decided to take it down the
hill and back up again, just for the ride. Good job we hadn't
factored in a visit to the Sound; the fog was so dense that we could
barely see the café.
Unscheduled stop at Port St Mary where, despite the timetable listing
it as through to Douglas, we had to change onto another No. 1 bus. No
wait, but we didn't get such good seats. Deposited safely in Douglas
but, no horse trams and no bus, so another two-mile route march along
the front to get back to the MER. Car 22 and trailer 41 home.
Peel today. No tram to Ramsey so have to catch the No. 3 bus,
changing onto the No. 5. Would normally have walked through the town
from the tram station to the bus garage. However the bus connexion
times were a little tight so we didn't visit Ramsey town at all this
year and we usually do our shopping there.
Bus to Peel watching out for signs of the old Manx Northern Railway
on the way. Much of the track is still walkable and the viaduct piers
in Glen Mooar still stand like sentinels forty years after the line
closed. The views are tremendous.
Spent the day at Peel, visiting the castle and wandering about the
town. Have seen the House of Manannan and the smokeries before so
gave them a miss this year. Bumped into a couple of visitors whom
we'd met on the flight over. They were seething about the public
transport timetable. Unlike us they didn't know there was no MER
service from Ramsey, no-one at the information desk had told them and
there was no errata slip in the timetable they'd been given. They'd
sat on Ramsey station for an hour the previous evening, waiting for
something to happen. Then they'd given up and called a taxi. Not a
lot we could say really; they had a valid point - lots of valid
points in fact.
The bus stop has been moved further out of town, away from the bus
garage - another splendid purpose-built building still going strong -
which means a bit more of a puff up the hill when we're tired from
wandering around the castle. Still, it's not too far. Decided to
catch the No. 4 bus to Douglas via Foxdale which we haven't seen for
ages. School bus, so full and noisy, but the pupils are not the
hooligans they would be across.
Perhaps they've started the horse trams early? No. Sigh. Another
two-mile plod along Douglas front to the MER. Car 22 and trailer 41
home.
Another stunning day. The island is certainly showing off its best
weather this week. Caught Snaefell Mountain Railway car 1 up the
mountain today. They've introduced commentary since the last time we
rode on the cars, and it was excellent. Pitched exactly right; enough
information to be interesting with pauses to give passengers time to
chat. Very good indeed.
Walked down. Should have liked to do the splendid walk along the
spine to North Barrule and down into Ramsey, or to have taken the
footpath down to Glen Mona but… no trams from Ramsey, so it'll
have to be the miners' trail back through Agneash. From the summit of
Snaefell to the sea - a lovely walk, although I'm not sure I could do
it the other way around!
As we had some of the day left, and had not yet been on the MER - one
ride a day is essential for holiday enjoyment - decided to walk up to
South Cape, take the penultimate Douglas car (car 22 and trailer 41)
to Eskadale, and the last Laxey car (car 19 and trailer 40) back.
Lovely ride, as usual. There's nothing to beat sitting on the trailer
in the fresh air watching the world go by (and saving your feet).
Another boiling hot day and we wanted to visit some of our
favourite walks: round Maughold Head for example, or down to Port
Cornaa, or the short walk from Crowcreen to Ballajora, or even
Cashtel yn Ard, but we couldn't do any of them. No trams from Ramsey
and the bus goes nowhere near them.
Did the best we could with the Douglas to Laxey section; there are
some nice walks there too, if fewer because it's more suburban.
Caught the first car, No. 22 with trailer 41, out and alighted at
Baldromma to walk over the hill. Crossed the road at Ballagawne,
waving at car 19 and trailer 40 as it passed, and walked down to
Garwick for a picnic lunch. Puffed back up to Ballagawne and caught
car 22 and trailer 41 to Howstrake. There's very little left of the
camp, but the view from the pavement is better than that from either
the road or the railway.
Walked down the road, through Groudle village and back up to Lime
Kiln Halt on the Groudle Glen Railway; 'the only line which goes Up
to the sea'. Another good ride, but another railway which is only
open on Sunday. If you're on holiday from Saturday to Saturday you
have to choose between the GGR and the Orchid Line, who both only run
on Sunday and you can't see the Saturday-running Laxey Mines Railway
at all. Understandable if they're relying on volunteers, but a pity
from the visitors' point of view. They do open bank holidays too
though, which is useful.
Continued the walk to look around Lonan Old Church - anyone with any
liking at all for historic sites would like it - and then picked up
car 22 at Ballameanagh. Too hot for walking really, so cooled down in
the breeze on trailer 41.
Raining this morning so decided to visit the Manx Museum in
Douglas. Again we're on time and see the No. 23 bus when car 19 - no
trailer today - is coming down Port Jack. And we also see the bus
disappear seconds before we arrive at Derby Castle. Still no horse
trams so we have a half-hour wait for the next bus or a two-mile walk
along the front, this time in the pouring rain. Could have waited in
the tram shelter provided - shame they pulled down the wonderful iron
canopy - but there's no shelter at the bus stop at all.
Unwilling to hang around Derby Castle in the rain for half an hour,
we don macs and walk. Would have alighted from the horse trams at the
Gaiety Theatre to cut inland, but shank's pony did the distance more
slowly. We get soaked.
Try not to drip and steam too much in shops and probably finish
drying off when walking round the museum. Not raining now, and can't
be bothered to sort out the vagaries of the buses so another lengthy
walk back to Derby Castle for car 22 home. Pity really; both cars 9
and 6 had been in use, but car 22 was brought out again for the final
run.
Last day. Haul the cases the mile from the self-catering cottage
in Laxey to the tram station. Buses 3C and 13 used to run through Old
Laxey, which was really convenient, but now only run on school/week
days. Even with cases on wheels, it's heavy going uphill along Glen
Road.
Caught the first tram, car 22 and trailer 41, to Douglas with the
luggage once again loaded onto the back of the trailer. The driver
knows we can't walk the length of the front with cases and there are
still no horse trams so does the best he can to arrive on time.
People waiting at the bus stop at Port Jack - yes!, we haven't missed
it! Dive across the road, narrowly avoiding getting squashed by a car
- would a pedestrian crossing be a good idea here? - and wave our
thanks to the MER crew. The No. 23 bus arrives and we stagger aboard.
A ride on the horse tram is our usual farewell to Douglas front, but
at least we're not sitting on our cases at Derby Castle for half an
hour.
Off at the railway station - the bus driver helps with the cases,
which is nice of him - and then we sit in the sun and wait for the
train. There used to be a good travel gift shop on the station (next
to the loos!) but it closed some years ago. Pity.
Eventually the platform opens and we load everything in to one of the
compartments. The guard is extremely helpful, although at first
rather confused that we want to go to Port Erin and then back to
Ronaldsway. We explain that our flight is in the evening and we have
to vacate our cottage by ten o'clock in the morning, so a ride on the
vintage transport is one of the few enjoyable things we can do while
lugging luggage around.
Lovely ride again hauled by Hutchinson and, too soon, arrive at Port
Erin. We have an hour here and had intended to split it into two half
hours while we took it in turns to watch the cases. No need. Again
the guard came to our rescue and locked the cases in 'our'
compartment on the train. Had a wander around Port Erin and a very
quick look in the Railway Museum at the end of the platform; made a
mental note to come back and look more thoroughly at the museum next
time.
Back to the train and, like royalty, 'our' compartment is unlocked
for us. The guard also unlocks the other side or, as he said, we
won't be able to get out at Ronaldsway. (I hadn't thought of that!)
Compartment fills up at Castletown, but only a squash for a short way
before willing hands help us down at Ronaldsway Halt. As the trains
pass at Ballasalla we wait to see the down train, Loch, and wave it
through before towing the cases the half mile to the airport.
A wonderful holiday, but we'll make sure the MER is running to
Ramsey and the horse trams are out before booking again.
