Swing Vandalized

The childrens playground in Kirk Michael has suffered the attention of a vandal. An infant swing has been torn apart and ripped of its chains. It was a wonderful summers day with the sun shinning. What a contrast.

Bride August 2009

A visit to Bride in the summer sunshine, and it was quiet. Not like the old days when ther bin lorries used to que up to get through the village. I wandered around and saw a couple going to the cafe, a man on a bicycle, a van and a lorry. No pedestrians at all. As I say it was quiet, just the place to go for some lunch. But do watch out for the occasional lorry.

Steam Train Port Erin 10/8/2009 No. 12 "Hutchinson"

It is truly hard to beat the sight of a steam powered locomotive powering out of a station at the head of a train. To think that this was all happening in the days before electric power or the internal combustion engine. Before the steam locomotive man could only move as fast as a horse.
Good to look at, but a real time travel experience to travel on too.
In my description for the video on manxtube.com I said that this scene has hardly changed in a century, well obviously I can only say that in a general sense, as I have no idea if No. 12 worked this line when new.

Port Erin Walkabout August 2009

It was wet and dull, but with the forecast of better to come that I set off for a look around Port Erin. I like Port Erin, I live on the same island but almost never go there. I guess it is tucked away in a corner. Anyhow the rain had stopped and I enjoyed a stroll along Bridson Street. The Commissioners offices looked very smart. Where did they used to be? Just shows how rarely I go there.
One of the best parts of Port Erin is the way that the Steam Railway comes right into the heart of the village. I was in time for the rain departing for Douglas, so have made a separate video of this.
A visit to Ken Quine, Ironmonger and hardware proved the staff to be both friendly and helpful. The refreshments at the cafe at the Railway Station are highly recommeded.
Sadly I didn't have time for a visit to the Steam museum, that will have to wait.

Water Wheel At St John's Mill

It was great to be able to visit the old mill (all refurbished these days as a charity centre) and see the restored wheel in action. A walk around the outside having drawn a blank I went in and turning left there it was. I had not realised that the wheel was inside the building. I did not know what the power was used for, thinking that it drove looms perhaps. I was wrong, it was used to hammer the woolen cloth.

There is a full write up by Rebecca Richardson of Isle of Man Newspapers here