© Geoff’s Rail Diaries 2011 We  - eleven members of the SRS - travelled by rail to Liverpool, arriving in plenty of time for our ferry sailing - the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company’s “Seacat” service. It’s a great improvement on its predecessor, taking just 2½ hours. The horse tram in Douglas soon got us to our hotel - and the day was still young(ish)... A small group set off for the Steam Railway. At first joining them, I decided to "leg it" while they waited for the horse tram. (This decision was repeated several times during the week - and I got there first every time). Douglas station is a shadow of its former self (I’ve seen the photos). The former carriage sheds and signal box are separated from the platforms by the road leading into the bus depot, of all things. (A cautious inspection revealed lines of disused passenger stock in the carriage shed, with other odds and ends. Rumour has it that a locomotive is somewhere in the back of the shed, though I could not see it through the broken glass) My first sight of a moving Manx train - No 1, the celebrant "Sutherland" rumbled bunker first past the steam shed and works into the station with a train from Port Erin. I decided to try an action shot of its departure, and set off into the country looking for a viewpoint. I suppose it would have helped if I had taken the map... Nevertheless, a fair shot of No 1 leaving, then "Caledonia" approaching Douglas made a good start to the trip.