New Haven Neil

Talking of slaves, I have just washed up.... Still rather overcast and windy but 18c isn't too bad. Wood splitting this afternoon I think, more slave labour duties. I like to be a warm slave in the winter!

Yes, most (but not all!) of the staff are very enthusiastic and proud of the railways, and of course their Manx heritage. I have a couple of friends there, and they work there because they really want to, also Andrew Scarffe who is a driver, is also a driving force in the voluntary support movement and is behind many books on the railway and a total fount of knowledge for anything MER. He's driving 14 in this photo. Debs shares office space with the PWay manager and the rolling stock manager in particular, she reports he often has amusing telephone calls with suppliers. Sort of go.....yes, 500V....yes DC.....no, not recently....actually 1893...no 18, not 1993......yes really.....no, daily use......not preserved, just still in use......and so on!

Indeed! That's a cracking photo of 3 down the Ramsey quayside, very rare to see a shot there, especially as it is right down at the bottom - they tend to be up at the top end just after passing over Bowring Road. Thanks for the link. The track is no longer appalling though. Mrs NHN shares office space with the head of PWay, he seems to do a good job!

That's one of the 6 original 1893 trailers too, Dave, allowed out on high days and holidays. We do like sitting at 'The Little Shed' at Dhoon, it is a little sun trap and much improved eats over the previous proprietors. In the past I would have been at Groudle Glen in an operational role on a gala day, so although I miss doing that I do now get the opportunity to see other things!

Morning, 12c and dull again. I have a list.....so better get on with it!

Amongst other things today, it has been the mini-transport festival, so of course the handy to us MER was in fine form, with 8 different car sets in constant action on the 17 mile line. We were in our fave little trackside cafe for an hour so saw a few grind by, including numbers 1 and 2, from 1893. Car 14 is a rare cop too, doesn't often run as she is hand braked only.

Evening orl. Well, Mrs NHN was leading for three quarters of the round.....she was tiring though towards the end and was beaten by the best archer of the group, but was second close behind. The miserable git was second last....11 shooting. He trotted out a lot of excuses. Happy Mrs NHN, which as we know, means happy wife, happy life. This morning we spent an hour or so sitting in our favourite trackside cafe, as it was a mini transport weekend and the Manx Electric had 8 different car sets out, including 1 and 2, 1893 originals, and 14 which I had not seen in electric previously, this is an open car with 'ratchet' brakes (like a traditional tram) and no air brake. They only let the good guys drive it! Photos have appeared elsewhere on social meeja. F1 was interesting, and shook the tree a bit, and some surprises fell out as a result. I'm a bit gutted have to wait about 3 weeks or so for the new bike, demand exceeding expectations apparently.

Morning. 19c so a bit better, dry but overcast, the overcast may make archery difficult with lack of contrast for both aim and spotting (my job) in the trees and dense undergrowth gloom in the glen. The moaner is coming along today so there will be a bit of a grudge going on! Supportive thoughts for Tiggy and family and congrats to the Abels. NHN could have had another hour or two abed this morning, Mrs NHN reporting the same, we did a lot of general running around yesterday, I actually made the mythical 10k steps target with the resultant hip and foot pain. An easy morning then, followed by a picnic lunch handily adjacent to a railway station, then to archery we will go.

Morning, touch dull here, outside 16c and dull too. Orders are not yet issued, there is confusion as to what the day will bring due to conflict of The Big Show aka the Southern Agricultural Show which we would normally go to, but suspect the traffic will be horrendous - new venue, small lane, whole island population likely to be there - and other needs of the domestic variety. Lack of sun and a rather stiff wind has kyboshed the planned kayaking. Pah, as the saying goes.

IIRC Brazil is 5 foot too? Not too big a job to re-gauge inwards for standard though, just axles really on a job like that, plenty space in the US loading gauge!

@jonny777 Our deepest condolences. Supportive thoughts for the process from here on. Been there....

Morning, drizzle but still here, outside much the same. Anyone seen iD? Oh..... Flavio, I think we're used to you having a few days of silence on here, due to workload on occasion. Chris, have a great break, and supportive thoughts to those undergoing times of stress and/or loss. Been there. Old Farts bike club day run out ruined due to said drizzle, so its the cafe in the bright lights of Royal Ramsey for brunch and bullsh!t.

Just caught up on line with the UndergrounD programme. Oh my oh my...Siddy.....

One is very much older than the other - and its not the sphyg!

Nice photos Douglas - I do like an electric railway/railroad.

@polybear I's a tram loco, battery powered, double ended. Its purpose was to move building materials and detritus along a garden that must be getting on for 300 yards long. He also has a little single cylinder diesel, Lister engine, but we didn't have that out on that day. Nick is a clever lad, holds several engineering patents, and builds everything himself. Stupidly, he lets the NHN's play with his toys!

This one's dead flat but does have the old Great Central line at the bottom of the (enormous) garden! There's also a 45mm garden railway....

Ah, like this, Jamie?

We bought a bungalow in our mid-40's when we moved here as Mrs NHN has a knee injury which we knew was going to cause her issues later in life. Little did we know my hips would fall apart first, and then I would have a nasty foot injury, so we are very thankful we did so. Moving from a rambling large end terrace in the north-east to a 2 bed (small) bungalow with a decent garden on Fraggle Rock was shocking, it cost 50% more than the old house brought - back to having a mortgage again, now thankfully paid off. No regrets though.

I have an aged but NHS approved one!

It is exactly that sort of response which causes my BP to be high in the surgery! Then I worry about it, which causes....yup! Always fine at home, away from white coats and stressy behaviours.

Morning, 'summer' is back on Fraggle Rock, 14c, windy and showers. Pah. I have fallen foul of folk on here before with opinions of (some) teachers, it would seem they can be....variable...in skill. I think I just got a bad lot, there were only a handful of what I may term successful teachers at the Grammar-Technical School wot I attended, and my results in their lessons were good. Others, 'less so', my results likewise, including abject failure in one subject, taught by a person with a PhD but no professional experience. Talking to friend's kids now, it would appear teaching standards have improved out of all recognition, so maybe we're all right! No sleight to those on here who taught, but my experience of school was horrendous. FE however, opened a different world to me, and I returned for more in my late 30's to an equally good experience. Tony, Indian domestic model motorbikes now seem have a sort of Sari-guard grid covering the sides of back wheel, the UK imports don't have it. I don't know if this is an option in India or compulsory. As for Polybear's CCM Spitfire, oh yes please....but you could buy three Enfields for the price of one of those! Thus it would remain a dream for me too, but in practice my dodgy hips and foot probably would rule it out on grounds of pain anyway.

Chuckinitdarn again, 16mm so far, garden is watered anyway. I seem to have emptied my piggy bank on a new Royal Enfield (bike, not gun). Just a little 350 Meteor (inappropriate name, it is certainly not fast!) cruiser that makes riding with the various broken bits of my skeleton easier. Cheap as chips for what it is, their quality has taken a leap into the 21st century, it's nothing like the old Indian Enfield Bullets, which could be, er, of dubious quality.

Hi Tom, that's looking really good mate! Needs the third rail though for sure. Ian's mention of Hilda sidings - I have just started a 7mm Harton E10, Judith Edge job - oh-oh, looks like a mini layout appearing....

A) was a Consultant, so no hope, they're bullet proof. B ) well, I cannot confirm nor deny....... Morning world, 16c currently, showers last night on the rock have left a fresher feel at last - more today though which is a shame, going to look at a bike this morning.....smaller and more knackered NHN compatible. Another Hitch-Hikers Guide fan here, I first heard it on an LP, then got the boxed set of tapes of the radio show. The film was dire IMHO. That's just not Marvin. (noted the real Marvin has a cameo appearance). Dads Army I think was OK, if of its time. My Dad was in the Home Guard for the early part of the war before eventually becoming a Wavy-Navy Lieutenant (E), he reckoned Dads Army was totally true to life. The Navy Lark was compulsory Sunday lunchtime listening, or whatever was on at the time, Goons, etc. We had Blaster Bates do a show at college, he was hilarious - I have several of the LP's in my vinyl collection.