by Mark Found

For me, this proved to be the highlight of our trip to the island, maybe this railway demonstrates what a bunch of blokes can do if they put their minds to it.

The Groudle Glen Railway was built by a Victorian entrepreneur, and took it's passengers along a wooded glen and round a cliff top to a small zoo, where sea lions and polar bears were displayed. It ran for years, but finally closed down in 1963.

The Isle of Man Steam Railway Supporters Association was a group of men that provided voluntary assistance on the steam railway until the government took it over in the early eighties. I expect you can see this potent mix of idle men and an overgrown railway coming to the boil. Am I right? Of course I am.

This group of men went that one stage further than most of us, and instead of just talking about it actually got on with the job of cutting back the weeds, repairing the drains and all the other myriad of jobs that go into making a railway run again. And all of this without any access to the railway from the road other than by foot. It's a lovely railway, and a great tale, and I'm unable to do justice to both here, so let me recommend a superb booklet written by Tony Beard, details at the bottom of this page.

Trainspotting.links (will open in a new window)

Oakwood Press
make high quality videos, and have several on this subject.
Isle of Man
has its' own website for tourists, and very good it is too.
Isle of Man Transport Heritage
this has links to all the railway websites

www.iomguide.com/transportation

very good website, and has lots of useful links

Books

loads on this subject, but I really enjoy "The Railways and Tramways of the Isle of Man" by Barry Edwards and published by OPC. Great pictures and well written text.

Booklet: "The Groudle Glen Railway" Only just a booklet rather than a book, this is an excellent read by Tony Beard, one of the motivational forces behind the railway. Details from : 29 Hawarden Avenue, Douglas, Isle of Man IM1 4BP