Isle of Wight, England

Another official card I received not so long ago...to knock on wood, but ever since i had put the trains on my wishlist, a number of really considerate people had chosen exactly that for me! Thank you!

GB-163219

The Isle of Wight Steam Railway is a heritage railway, passing through 5½ miles of unspoiled countryside from Smallbrook Junction to Wootton station, through the small village of Havenstreet, where the line has a station, headquarters and a depot. At Smallbrook Junction, the steam railway connects with the Island Line.

is owned and operated by the Isle of Wight Railway Co. Ltd. and run largely by volunteers. Services are operated on most days from June to September, together with Sundays in April, May, and October and public holidays. The railway is popular with tourists, attracting people to its original steam locomotive and railway cafe.

The railway has several steam locomotives and a small series of diesel shunters, four of which have had notable careers on the island.

Apart from the standard definitives with the Queen, here is one very lovely stamp, issued in 2007 in a set of 6 Grand Prix stamps, with this one featuring Stirling Moss, 1957 Vanwall 2.5L.
As for the Queen Elizabeth definitives, they come from this year's mini sheet of 12 stamps.

The Needles, England

A very interesting place i must say...

The Needles is a row of three distinctive stacks of chalk that rise out of the sea off the western extremity of the Isle of Wight close to Alum Bay. A lighthouse has has stood at the western end of the formation since 1859.
The formation takes its name from the former fourth needle-shaped pillar called Lot's Wife that used to stand in its midst until it collapsed in a storm in 1764. The remaining rocks are all short and squat and not at all needle-like, but the name has stuck.
The Needles pointed shape is a result of their unusual geology.