Shed visits

Another highlight for the week is the chance to visit the sheds around the island. Areas usually off-limits to visitors. 

I started at Laxey, with the Manx Electric Railway shed at Laxey. While the main running shed is at Derby Castle in Douglas, there's a lot of interesting stock here. The PW team operates out of Laxey, and some of the really oddball cars live here. 

Next up, was the Snaefell railway shed. It's much smaller than the MER operation, but still interesting. To be honest, I've been there before, and not much changes, except for the length of 5" gauge track. 

This was for a 1/8th scale tramcar to operate. I've met the builder in the past at a Crich tramway museum event. When he retired and decided to have a go at a model engineering project, his first thought was a MER car. A friend recommended a Snaefell car instead, as the design is a lot simpler - and this turned out to be the case. Mind you, he's nearly finished MER No.1 now. 

Of course, there has to be a trip to the steam shed. 

Again, little has changed in two years. Things have moved around a bit, but the railcars look the same as ever. Green diesel 21 is still in bits - the body on blocks in the bus depot car park, and the bogies in the shed. 

The biggest change is the arrival of a couple of Bord na Móna diesels. These are perfect second-hand purchases. Still operational, and the right gauge. All the railway people need to do, is fit suitable Manx couplings, a job in hand right now. 

The final benefit of the tour, is the chance to take photos of locos preparing to take a train out, from the signal box steps. That coal is not the best!