jmolly Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 Some pictures of the Isle of Man Railway taken in 1983. 1. County Donegal Railcars 2. Frames of No. 7 'Tynwald' - Now relocated to Castletown station 3. Frames of No. 7 'Tynwald' with F.46 Metropolitan Guard's Composite (1913) 4. No. 4 'Loch' 5. No. 4 'Loch' heading towards Douglas 6. No. 4 'Loch' & No. 11 'Maitland' passing at Ballasalla 7. No. 11 'Maitland' 8. No. 4 'Loch' Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hughes Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 Nice! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickinwestwales Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 Spot on !! -thats my next trainspotting weekend sorted ATB Nick Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnd Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 Changed a bit since then, h&s a bit more to the front but not a lot. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmolly Posted May 6, 2012 Author Share Posted May 6, 2012 They have a few more operative locomotives now as well! Well worth a visit (although I am biased as I grew up with them). The first picture was taken in 2010 and is No. 12 'Hutchinson' heading towards Port Erin The second is from 1993 and shows No. 4 'Loch' on the Manx Electric Railway at Dhoon Quarry. This was as part of a special event celebrating 100 years since the opening of the first section of the Manx Electric Railway. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hughes Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 Changed a bit since then, h&s a bit more to the front but not a lot. But at least the dreaded HSE apparently doesn't exist on the Island - nor do the strange rules about 25mph maximum speeds which so limit many of the mainland's lines. At times I almost feel that there might as well be a man walking in front with a red flag! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmolly Posted May 8, 2012 Author Share Posted May 8, 2012 But at least the dreaded HSE apparently doesn't exist on the Island - nor do the strange rules about 25mph maximum speeds which so limit many of the mainland's lines. At times I almost feel that there might as well be a man walking in front with a red flag! I believe that the line is subject to a 25mph speed limit. Not sure that you would want to go much faster than that over these lines though... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hughes Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 I believe that the line is subject to a 25mph speed limit. Not sure that you would want to go much faster than that over these lines though... They were apparently recently advertising for a diesel unit for Douglas commuter services with a requirement to run at 50, and I'm darned sure that I've been on Douglas-bound trains doing well over 25! The 3' gauge needn't be a problem at those speeds - I believe the Greeks had diesel units cleared for 70 on the meter gauge.. The Manx Electric is another matter... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmolly Posted May 8, 2012 Author Share Posted May 8, 2012 They were apparently recently advertising for a diesel unit for Douglas commuter services with a requirement to run at 50, and I'm darned sure that I've been on Douglas-bound trains doing well over 25! The 3' gauge needn't be a problem at those speeds - I believe the Greeks had diesel units cleared for 70 on the meter gauge.. The Manx Electric is another matter... They certainly have looked at purchasing a diesel unit but they stated that this was to replace 'Viking' rather than run commuter services (at least that is what was reported in the papers). I think the 25mph limit may come from the installation of auotmatic crossings which have been set for 25mph. I stand to be corrected though! I have heard that they could comfortably run at 40mph. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hughes Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Given the morning traffic into Douglas I think that any transfer to rail would be a serious advantage; I suspect that more than one version of the story is circulating! Setting the crossings to 25mph doesn't mean that that's the line-speed, of course; at least the track's now in decent condition, unlike its condition a few years back, when you could see rail-ends lift while the train was moving and the main guarantee of gauge was the turn growing between and outside the rails! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike morley Posted May 27, 2012 Share Posted May 27, 2012 The design speed of the IoM Railway is 50(ish) and a combination of high-quality track - courtesy of the IRIS scheme - and comparatively young, gung-ho crews means the kind of speeds I would never have dreamed possible of elderly, narrow-gauge engines are frequently attained. A couple of years ago I found myself shadowing a Douglas-bound train across Colby Levels, where the track is fairly straight while the road sine-waves from side to side. I was doing 60 and was barely keeping pace with the train. PS. There are several level crossings on Colby Levels. 25mph? Yeah, sure! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
asmay2002 Posted May 27, 2012 Share Posted May 27, 2012 But at least the dreaded HSE apparently doesn't exist on the Island - nor do the strange rules about 25mph maximum speeds which so limit many of the mainland's lines. What's strange about the 25MPH limit? If you apply for a light railway order to run your railway with a 25MPH limit that's what you get. That's been the same since 1896. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike morley Posted May 27, 2012 Share Posted May 27, 2012 The Isle of Man is not part of the UK. Light Railway Orders do not apply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hughes Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 The design speed of the IoM Railway is 50(ish) and a combination of high-quality track - courtesy of the IRIS scheme - and comparatively young, gung-ho crews means the kind of speeds I would never have dreamed possible of elderly, narrow-gauge engines are frequently attained. A couple of years ago I found myself shadowing a Douglas-bound train across Colby Levels, where the track is fairly straight while the road sine-waves from side to side. I was doing 60 and was barely keeping pace with the train. PS. There are several level crossings on Colby Levels. 25mph? Yeah, sure! That's certainly been my experience too; interesting how well the locos seem to ride at that sort of speed. But I wouldn't care to see the Manx Electric try the same speeds... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
asmay2002 Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 The Isle of Man is not part of the UK. Light Railway Orders do not apply John Hughes post referred to the mainland NOT the IoM. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hughes Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 John Hughes post referred to the mainland NOT the IoM. Well, inasmuch as I pointed out that the rules don't apply to the Island it did! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmolly Posted May 31, 2012 Author Share Posted May 31, 2012 The design speed of the IoM Railway is 50(ish) and a combination of high-quality track - courtesy of the IRIS scheme - and comparatively young, gung-ho crews means the kind of speeds I would never have dreamed possible of elderly, narrow-gauge engines are frequently attained. A couple of years ago I found myself shadowing a Douglas-bound train across Colby Levels, where the track is fairly straight while the road sine-waves from side to side. I was doing 60 and was barely keeping pace with the train. PS. There are several level crossings on Colby Levels. 25mph? Yeah, sure! tut tut! The road speed limit through Colby is only 30mph! As I said I could be wrong but the 25 mph speed limit was discussed on the IOM Steam Railway Appreciation Society Website. Whether such a limit is enforced I could not comment but I suppose it could also be to do with trying to preserve the life of the components. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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