Isle of Man Steam Railway

Wednesday, 18th September 2019

Again, today we are collected by John with his coach and are driven the opposite way down the promenade to Douglas Railway Station.

This 3 ft narrow gauge railway is 15.3 miles long, and is all that remains of the more extensive 46 mile network that originally serviced Peel, Ramsey and Foxdale.

The steam-hauled journey passes old-fashioned fishing ports and small towns on its way from Douglas to Port Erin.

The railway is Manx government owned and still uses the original rolling stock and locomotives.

At Port Erin I visited the Steam Railway Museum.

From Ramsey we travel by coach to The Sound with views of the Calf of Man. Here we see and hear seals in the sea and basking on the Calf of Man.

The coach then takes us on to the town of Castletown. Castletown is the former capital of the Isle of Man.

Castletown has a castle called Castle Rushen. This is a very well preserved castle, built by a Norse king in 1265, then fortified and added to by successive rulers between the 13th and 16th centuries.The castle has been used as a fortress, a residence for the Kings and Lords of Mann, the site of a mint and then a prison.

Robert the Bruce captured the castle three times.

We then visit the Old House of Keys. Owned by the Manx National Heritage it is a museum. A private guided tour takes place and the tourees take part in an actor-led, re-enactment of the government meetings including a debate and vote.