I wrote a blog about the buses on the Isle of Man a few months ago. Little did I think that I would still be going on about them now. The industrial dispute is still on going and the bendy buses are here. You can catch up on my other blogs about the Isle of Man bus situation here and here .
Well, a couple of bendy buses have arrived on the island and are currently being trialled, or tested as I would call it around various places. I've not witnessed any myself but the buses have been seen around the Ballakermeen area probably to the alarm of normal motorist. There's a couple of photographs doing the rounds of the internet showing bendy buses in action and also stationary.
While this bus might not be stuck according the Department of Culture Community and Leisure, I'm sure the driver wasn't just examining the hedge, it was probably just a wrong turn and happened during half term so no harm done.
More concerning is this one taken by Isle of Man Newspapers of an articulated bus passing Castle Rushen. The front of the bus is overhanging nearly the whole pavement with the wheel against the kerb. There isn't much room for pedestrians. Although as they plan to use these vehicles on school bus routes I'm not quite sure why they would need to pass through the centre of Castletown. I'm sure even todays generation X-boxers can manage to get from the Glue Plot to the school under their own steam.
This picture is from JC Images although it might be from his private stock, shows the top of Railway Hill in action. I do hope this wasn't grounding out while rounding the corner.
They look so cute in their natural environment.
Updated bus blog here.
The face of Douglas has slowly changed over the years. The latest landmark to go is HMP Douglas. It's not far from my work and over the last couple of months this correctional institution has been reduced to a cleared site and one final building. I always like the distinctive red brick and tiled main building which was visible beyond the high wall although demolition of this wall revealed there was less red brick than one imagined.
I've heard several people say that the old prison should have been preserved but I can't say I favoured that. What would you do with an old prison? We have a couple of castles which served the same sort of purpose. I can only hope the site isn't sold on for flats to be built.
HMP Douglas, well all that is left of it.
Something else of old Douglas will also soon disappear. The lift to the Cunningham Holiday Camp. The very early holiday camp was situated on what is now an office park off Victoria Road, opposite a well known shop. It can be a steep climb from sea level up to the site of the camp and a lift was installed. The nearest modern equivalent I can think of is a ski lift. The Cunningham lift was a continually moving set of bucket seats that were fixed sideways to a belt, the seats flipping over and underneath when it reached the top.
This is something that I think should be preserved. I became aware of the lift a few years ago when I saw it through shrubbery whilst going up Switzerland Road from Douglas Promenade to Victoria Road. If you're looking for this road, it's can be found on the junction between the Hydro Hotel and Promenade T-Shirts. It brings you out opposite the old prison site. Manx National Heritage only appear to want to high light things where a cafe and interpretation centre can be built. It's a shame. I've included a couple of photos and I think you can just about make out the lift in one of them. The other one shows the entrance to the lift.
The grand entrance to Camp Cunningham
