Transportation

[Alan T]

This is the high speed ferry from Liverpool docking at Douglas, Isle of Man, last Easter. Clearly the technology used by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company has moved on a little.

The gentleman with a gull on his head is Sir William Hillary, 1771-1847, who founded Britain's Royal National Lifeboat Institution. One of his other contributions to marine safety is the 'tower of refuge' just visible on the reef at the right hand edge, which he built having witnessed numerous wrecks on the rocks in the bay.

[Alan T]

These gentleman are taking a break from restringing the overhead wires and greasing the points/switches, ready for the summer season on the Snaefell Mountain Railway to the top of the Isle's highest summit. It links with the rest of the Manx Electric Railway system, running scenically along the east coast since 1893, with much of the original rolling stock.

The branch uses rack & pinion propulsion, visible in the middle of the tracks on the hill at the back, for the steepest bits of the ascent to the summit at 2036ft.

See http://www.gov.im/tourism/activities...s/snaefell.xml

The famous mountain section of the TT motorcycle race course crosses the railway at this point.

[Bynx]

Nice pics and info Alan. Is that your pet seagull sitting for the pic? Nice touch.