Jurby Transport Museum has been open for several years, but my first visit was a few weeks ago. It's not the easiest place to get to, especially on a Sunday which is the normal opening day. With a car available though, this time we could do the Groudle and head up to the airfield at the top left of the island. It was worth the trip.
Housed in a hanger, it's stuffed with interesting exhibits in various stages of restoration. There are a lot of buses and road vehicles obviously and you might not consider these remarkable, but all are worth a look, even if it's not obvious why at first. Labelling is good for a start and the volunteers are very helpful.
In one corner is a very well laid out display of Manx airlines and other small bits of memorabilia. It surrounds a OO gauge model under construction which will be a crowd pleaser one day.
Tucked away in the back are one of the highlights for me, pleasure boats from Onchan Park.
Both a 2 and 4 seater boat are on show. These tiny motor boats were available for hire. They are in reasonable condition although the petrol(?) engines aren't in them at the moment but stood beside them. A quick bit of measuring puts the 2-seater a 9ft long - a bit small for a 1/12th scale model, but I am looking at possibilities. I've detail pictures if anyone needs them.
The most amazing thing on show, and only just as it's currently tucked away on top of the toilets, is a prototype monorail designed by Peel Engineering. I knew this had been designed after reading the excellent history of the company, but didn't realise anything was ever built. If I'm honest, it looks a bit crude - more like something I could build in a shed - but I'm probably missing something. Restoration is possible, but in a new display in dedicated to the company which I'm told is on the way.
Free to enter, if you like transport, well worth a visit.
1 comment:
Those boats seem to have been in use until fairly recently. Their plastic replacements have a certain charm of their own.
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