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by Mark Found
Looks very similar to the electric railway, but upon closer
inspection there are crucial differences. The gauge, for a
start. Both the steam and electric railways are 3', but the
mountain railway is 3' 6", and this is to accommodate the
Fell rail in between the running tracks.
Originally the builders of the line were going to install
a "Fell Incline Railway System", but test conducted elsewhere
revealed that an electric tramcar was capable of climbing
an incline of 1 in 9. Not bad, so they never installed the
Fell system on the cars, and the centre rail is now used for
braking purposes.
The other obvious difference is the power pick up. The electric
railway uses a traditional trolley pick up, with a small wheel
pressed against cables stretched between poles, and, when
it was first built, the mountain railway used a similar system.
However, strong winds on the mountain kept blowing the wheel
off, so another method had to be devised.
Each car is fitted with two bow collectors, one at each
end. The overhead cable is deliberately left drooping between
the posts. At any given time the cable, due to the spacing
between the poles is resting on one of the bow collectors.
Not a bad trick, uh?
I did visit the Isle of Man a few years ago to meet an old
mate, and we went up the mountain railway. Unfortunately,
on that occasion, the mist came in and when we reached the
summit we were unable to see anything. Typical of my luck
for exactly the same thing to happen this time!
I did, though, manage to bag a cab ride back down in the
company of John, the driver, who knows the line inside out
and proved very good company.
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.
Booklets
:"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
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