'I got behind the wheel to celebrate 50 years of Manx buses - and loved every minute'

It was a stunning Friday evening when I ventured north to Jurby to cover a special celebration marking 50 years since the nationalisation of the Isle of Man’s bus service.

The welcome reception formed part of this year’s Manx Transport Festival and celebrated five decades of public bus services being operated under government ownership.

On 1 October 1976, the Isle of Man Government brought together the two main operators of the time – Douglas Corporation’s municipal bus service and Isle of Man Road Services – to form Isle of Man National Transport.

The move followed concerns over the financial pressures facing the separate operators, ageing fleets and the need for a more coordinated public transport network across the island.

Looking back, it sounds like a rather sensible idea.

While there are sometimes questions over driver disputes and the reliability of certain routes, I think we are fortunate to have a comprehensive public bus network on the island, particularly when you consider the fares and the number of communities it serves.

But there was another reason I was particularly pleased to be at Jurby: thanks to the volunteers and staff at the Isle of Man Transport Museum, I was being given the chance to drive a bus.

Not just sit in the driver’s seat. Actually drive one.

After watching the Mayor of Douglas take the wheel first, it was my turn to lead a cavalcade around Jurby Motordrome.

With around 15 souls on board, I would be lying if I said I was not a little nervous.

Thankfully, nobody was injured, lost or accidentally deposited somewhere around the circuit.

In fact, I loved every minute of it.

However, I now have a new-found empathy for bus drivers. Trying to concentrate while passengers are chatting behind you and the bell is repeatedly ringing is not quite as straightforward as it looks.

For a brief moment, I was genuinely stressed, although it was also a brilliant experience and one I will not forget in a hurry.

After safely handing the bus back to its rightful driver, I headed to Peel and made a beeline for the Millers’ T’Ale, where I enjoyed a well-earned pint and told anyone willing to listen about my brief career behind the wheel.

Perhaps it is best that I stick to journalism. Although some may say I’m not all that good at this!