Just a couple of pictures taken on recent cycle rides along the old railway track between Peel and Douglas . Most of the track is a tree lined rough trail but this one section in the lower photo is paved for access to properties. This spot is approx. 5 miles to the sea from either direction and the two hills in the background are Greeba and Slieau Ruy. There is a brass plate with the name Slieau Ruy [ Red Mountain ] stamped on it and fastened to my front door.....but that's another story .! The old railway line follows the Central Valley which runs across the centre of the Island; it is so low lying that a rise in sea level of only a few feet would result in the Isle of Man becoming the Isles of Man 
Just a picture from the hundreds I have taken on my bike rides. The picture shows an old station just outside Douglas, slowly reverting back to nature. The old arched bridge, just visible in the background, carries the main Douglas/Peel road.....all hi tech stuff, eh ! When I used to work in Douglas sometimes I used to travel by train along this line ....rattle, rattle , bounce , bounce at a full 20 mph.....mind you, the same trains had been in service since the 1890's and there is still one running on the South line. They ripped the West and North lines up some years ago .
This picture reminds me of the only fatal accident to occur on the Isle of Man Railway. The Stationmaster at Union Mills, where I took this picture, a certain Mr Hogg, somehow fell in the front of an approaching train coming into the station. This happened a long time ago , probably in the 1920's .....but not too sure about that. Not a very interesting fact, but not a bad record for a transport system over 100 years old .
