OK, thanks to the good offices of 'Trackshack' John Boyes, a group of us were invited to run at a rather extensive railway belonging to a good friend of his, an elderly gent (and a gent he is indeed) who we will just refer to as Nev, 'somewhere' in the west of the Isle of Man. 

 

In fact there are 3 railways really, a 45mm gauge out and back line laid to mainline standards, a 32mm Darjeeling & Himalayan line (I jest not....) with reversals (or zig-zags, if you wish) to climb an incredible hillside, which joins on to another circular 32mm gauge line, which must be 100 yards or so run.

 

Some of the group at the terminus of the 45mm.  The Darj terminus is end on, by the guy in the bush hat and Nev in the white jacket.

The train is decending the 1 in 50 to the terminus, this was the max train the VoR would pull up the gradient, and boy did she chuff!

 

The middle section of the 45mm line......long, n'est pas? the terminus is in the tress at the back.

Far end of the 45mm line!

Trains just sort of....disappear into the distance.  Superb.

On to the Darj now.....some mixed motive power.  Unfortunately the Garratt's didn't run on the day, flat radio batteries.  The Polar Bear is cute!