26th Milestone is a corner on the primary A18 Mountain Road in the parish of Lezayre in the Isle of Man between the 25th and 27th Milestone the road-side milestone markers used for the Isle of Man TT Races. The right-hand corner was renamed 'Joey's' in honour of Joey Dunlop, a 26 time winner of the Isle of Man TT motorcycle races.
This corner and the steep up-hill section of the primary A18 Mountain Road was part of the Highland Course and Four Inch Course used for the Gordon Bennett Trial and Tourist Trophy automobile car races held in the Isle of Man between 1904 and 1911. Also, the 26th Milestone is part of the Snaefell Mountain Course used since 1911 for the Isle of Man TT and Manx Grand Prix Races.
The Mountain Road was developed in the mid-19th century from a number of pre-existing roads and bridle paths. This included the building of a number of sheep-gates including the East Mountain Gate, the Beinn-y-Phott sheep-gate and Keppel Gate. The primary A18 Mountain Road section road from Keppel Gate to Park Lewellyn is a product of the Disaforesting Commission of 1860 which includes the distinctive road embankments and road grading. A small-size metal milestone from the period of James Garrow as Isle of Man Surveyor-General was situated at the 26th Milestone as the 13th milestone road marker on the primary A18 Mountain Road.
A serious incident occurred at the 26th Milestone during the 2007 Isle of Man TT Races. An accident on lap 5 of the Senior TT race resulted in the death of competitor Marc Ramsbotham riding a Suzuki. Two spectators, Dean Jackob and Gregory Kenzig were also killed and TT Race marshals, Hilary Musson and Janice Phillips were injured.
The Isle of Man Constabulary investigation into the deaths led to the arrest of marshall on the suspicion of manslaughter, although the individual was later released without charge. Further safety work was carried-out at the 26th Milestone for the 2007 Manx Grand Prix with the removal of part of a grass bank and a new race marshals shelter created by the Isle of Man Department of Transport. During the winter of 2007, the 26th Milestone road-side marker, the A18 Mountain Road metal 13th milestone and Mountain Course marker board were also removed from the site.
Famous quotes containing the word milestone:
“Every milestone of a firstborn is scrutinized, photographed, recorded, replayed, and retold by doting parents to admiring relatives and disinterested friends. . . . While subsequent children will strive to keep pace with siblings a few years their senior, the firstborn will always have a seemingly Herculean task of emulating his adult parents.”
—Marianne E. Neifert (20th century)