View From The Top

[curiouswombat]

We are having some very nice weather at the moment. When my sister organised a church outing, yesterday, for afternoon tea in the cafe at the top of our only mountain, it might have been expected to be the only cloudy day in the week - but no! The sun shone!

My sister and I, and Dawn, our new minister, decided to travel from Douglas to the station at Laxey, where you get onto the Snaefell Mountain Railway 'trams', on the even older Manx Electric Railway, so more or less making a day of it.

So there are a lot of photos under the cut of the views from the top, one or two people, the Snaefell Mountain Railway - and a couple of odd notices I came across as we waited to change trams...



Jackie, Dawn and I travelled to Laxey in what we called 'the toast-rack' as children - the open car of an Manx Electric Railway tram. You can tell it was a warm day - Jackie and I have travelled on 'the tram' many times and know how cold it can be in the toast-racks! The MER opened in 1893 (apparently making it the first overhead-wire-powered electric railway in the world - or so Wikipedia says - it must be close to that anyway) - and some of the tram cars are actually that old - the one we travelled on was a little more modern - built about 1910!.



Taking pictures on the climb from sea-level to 2,036 feet above it is not an easy option as the tram has windows and it shakes and rattles - and anyway, I like to just look sometimes. But this is what the views from the top are like, as you see the whole island spread below you;









The line you can see on the lower hill-side in that ones is the line we came up.

Here is another picture, showing a tram coming up -



And here is one of the trams -



The mountain railway opened in 1895 - the trams are powered by the overhead electric wire, like the MER ones, but are helped to climb up the five mile route from the bottom of the valley by having a 3rd rail to engage an early type of rack and pinion system.

The silver line snaking away in that picture is the mountain road - famously part of the TT course, and one of my favourite bits of road.

I just love these two pictures - some people walked up the mountain rather than taking the tram - including 3 year old Baby B with her dad in the second one - and there is something very Sound of Music about these pictures -





And after we all had admired the views and chatted, we had a very satisfying afternoon tea - here is my sister, on the right, with three of our church friends -



When we got to Laxey we had to wait about 20 minutes for the tram back to Douglas. Dawn and I popped into the small church beside the station; but I didn't take any pictures inside it - actually I was more taken with two notices in the porch -



You have to read that first one carefully to see exactly what is going on - and it made me smile particularly as our own organist is on maternity leave - but we never thought of doing this! And the second one just made me smile -



Not a notice you often see in church!




Today was a special service in church, and I have photos, but I'll share them in a day or two.

Oh - and an enormous hurrah! of joy and relief for Andy Murray.

Comments

[shirebound]

there is something very Sound of Music about these pictures

There is! What a beautiful day you had.

[mrowe.livejournal.com]

What a wonderful view:)

*basks in equally nice weather*

[petzipellepingo.livejournal.com]

That is indeed a very nice view.

[diebirchen.livejournal.com]

Okay, explain the sense of toast racks to me beyond the visual charm, please! I lived in England for a year, Pinner/Middlesex, to be exact, so I know toast racks. Whyyyyyy?!?!?!?!?!? It makes the toast get cold right away so that the butter won't melt when spread. Toast in a stack to preserve warmth makes far more sense, to my mind. Yes? No? Maybe?

[nutmeg3.livejournal.com]

I'm always saying how beautiful your island is, but it's so true that I can't help it. The fourth shot is my favorite (and would be a perfect fit for "lines").

[engarian.livejournal.com]

I always love seeing pictures of your wonderful island and the tram! What a fantastic way to get around. I'm so totally in love. Your eating group seems quite nice and your sister looks so very kind. Thanks for sharing these :-)

- Erulisse (one L)

[clodia-metelli.livejournal.com]

Your blue, blue views! I always love your landscapes; they're gorgeous. Have to laugh at the "please come and play the organ for us!" sign too, that's rather cunning.

[chaotic-binky.livejournal.com]

What lovely scenery!

[zanthinegirl.livejournal.com]

what a fun trip! It looks like a gorgeous day; I'm a little jealous!

Also hee! at the toast rack!

[estelcontar1.livejournal.com]

The view is beautiful but this time I only have eyes for that charming tram.

Your sister looks as if she was enjoying herself.

[slaymesoftly.livejournal.com]

What a lovely way to spend the day!

[lindahoyland.livejournal.com]

It looks lovely.

[pondhopper.livejournal.com]

Oh my what beautiful views. That's a very special railway you have and I love it that it's called the toast rack.
:)
I so want to visit your island!
One day...

[kazzy-cee.livejournal.com]

What glorious views!! Hope you were smothered in sunscreen!

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

You really had a lovely day for a mountaintop expedition. Very beautiful photos.

And congrats to Andy Murray! I didn't get to see the entire match but caught the end. Very exciting.

[(Anonymous)]

Beautiful scenery!

I can see why you would call it the toast rack, it looks already to take it's load of toast for a ride!

Your tram cars are very similar to the little trams that take tourists around San Diego, except not on the rails, we have the Tijuana Trolley, oops, pardon me the San Diego Trolley for that !

What a cheeky way to get some one to play for them!

Huggs,
Lynda

[bojojoti.livejournal.com]

Very Sound of Music! Such glorious views.

[dalmeny]

Appreciated this, thank you.

[the-winterwitch.livejournal.com]

afternoon tea in the cafe at the top of our only mountain
What a splendid idea! How lucky for you to have so beautiful weather. The shots are lovely - such a cool train! And the view is indeed spectacular. I had just finished the Silmarillion when I first saw the pictures, and immediately thought that this could easily be the view from the Meneltarma... or from somewhere closte to "New Imladris", too. (I've already read the new chapters and immensely enjoyed myself; review will take a little.)

The notes are great, but I'm afraid I didn't get the first one, or wouldn't without your comment, no matter how carefully I read it.