http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch.html Having undergone a complete revamp to celebrate its 10th year of educational service, the Manx Telecomputer Bus was unveiled at a special open day on Wednesday 23 January, at the Department of Education’s headquarters in Hill Street, Douglas. Resplendent in its smart new livery and fitted out with 23 of the latest Apple iMac computers and educational software, the bus was admired by the eager crowd of teachers, students, and members of the business community. To mark the beginning of a new era, the ribbon tied around the bus was cut by Chris Hall, Managing Director of the bus’s main sponsor Manx Telecom, and then everyone was invited on board to have a look. Alex Townsend, ICT Advisory Teacher for the Department of Education, said: “We are delighted to be sending the Manx Telecomputer Bus back on the road with its great new look and state-of-the-art technology, which gives teachers around the Island a cutting edge learning aid. The last 10 years have seen the bus mainly used in primary schools, but we now have the equipment and software to appeal to all ages. We hope that in its new guise the bus will become a common sight outside secondary schools too, supporting cross-curricular ICT around the Island.” Manx Telecom’s Marketing Director Andy Bridson added: “We are proud to continue to support the Computer Bus – and indeed to have been involved in such a ground-breaking educational initiative right from the start. As a company deeply committed to the local community and to investing in the sort of world-leading technology that is one of the Island’s key strengths, this exciting project is very close to our hearts.” It was in September 1998 that the Department of Education launched the Manx Telecomputer Bus, with the help of sponsorship from Manx Telecom and Tours Isle of Man – now Protours. Since first hitting the road, it has made hundreds of school visits, involving thousands of children. Just a few of the highlights from its last 10 years of service are: • April 1999: the Manx Telecomputer Bus is used by US database giant Oracle to secretly trial Think.com, the global community for learning • June 1999: students from St Ninian’s and Ballakermeen high schools accompany the bus to the BBC Tomorrow’s World Live Exhibition at Earls Court in London. • June 2003: the bus is runner-up in two prestigious awards – the Vodafone e-Well Being award and the New Statesman New Media award. • October 2003: the bus is nominated for an Isle of Man Newspapers and British Airways CitiExpress Pride in Mann award. • April 2007: a milestone is reached – 30 years on the road, as passenger vehicle and teaching aid alike. • January 2008: John Thornley, pioneer of the Manx Telecomputer Bus, receives an MBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list. Going back still further, the bus actually started life more than 30 years ago. Its first two decades were spent with Isle of Man National Transport, right up until December 27 1997 when, as the last Leyland National in service in the Island, it took enthusiasts on one final round trip. http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch.html#0 0705722c-46a1-4655-835e-fa3e40c13d1e http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch_files/Media/TIM_1387.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch_files/Media/TIM_1387.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Education Minister The Hon Anne Craine MHK, addresses invited guests prior to the all-important ribbon-cutting exercise</p></div></div> http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch.html#1 d5e0ae05-4239-41ba-98b5-1e4152799978 http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch_files/Media/TIM_1394.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch_files/Media/TIM_1394.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Manx Telecom’s Managing Director Chris Hall sums up the contribution of the bus over the last ten years, and looks forward to the future</p></div></div> http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch.html#2 7b26ba05-486e-4cf8-96a6-9ed869c14018 http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch_files/Media/TIM_1400.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch_files/Media/TIM_1400.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Chief Minister Tony Brown along with Sulby School pupils cuts the tape to relaunch the computer bus after its refit</p></div></div> http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch.html#3 d5e67483-d65b-490d-872c-0f903ea4784e http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch_files/Media/TIM_1414.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch_files/Media/TIM_1414.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Chief Minister Tony Brown shakes hands with MT Managing Director Chris Hall, thanking the company for its involvement in the project over the last ten years</p></div></div> http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch.html#4 597a82ec-6053-445a-b009-e9fac62f7b4a http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch_files/Media/TIM_1433.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch_files/Media/TIM_1433.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">The Chief Minister with St.Ninian’s High School ICT teacher Maff Long, along with St.Ninian’s lower school pupils demonstrating their skills with Adobe CS3</p></div></div> http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch.html#5 b58ed9a2-f106-41e2-9e55-c7f9b85e0b8a http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch_files/Media/TIM_1440.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch_files/Media/TIM_1440.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">President of Tynwald Noel Cringle MHK discussing ICT with pupils from Rushen School, who had made the trip to Douglas from Port Erin</p></div></div> http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch.html#6 76cd0578-338e-4081-b5c0-918459b59dda http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch_files/Media/TIM_1452.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch_files/Media/TIM_1452.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Chief Minister Tony Brown, MT MD Chris Hall, Education Minister Anne Craine and Department Member Alwyn Collister on board the bus</p></div></div> http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch.html#7 03167c08-d126-4ec2-b249-e9f4c99f84a5 http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch_files/Media/TIM_1466.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch_files/Media/TIM_1466.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Giving young people Freedom to Flourish... A line up of the Island’s Chief Minister Tony Brown, Education Minister Anne Craine, Chris Hall and President of Tynwald Noel Cringle</p></div></div> http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch.html#8 6bed2898-0cef-4bf9-83b3-892a163aaf18 http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch_files/Media/TIM_1477.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch_files/Media/TIM_1477.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Rushen pupils being given advice about Apple’s Keynote program, by the Computer Bus man</p></div></div> http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch.html#9 041a6f7c-faad-4733-8a09-1834fb5c1ae9 http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch_files/Media/TIM_1448.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch_files/Media/TIM_1448.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">A rather good shot through one of the windows showing Sulby School pupils and Chief Minister Mr Tony Brown</p></div></div> http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch.html#10 d97c5c98-09da-4e3a-994d-08c20cff1d4a http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch_files/Media/TIM_1432-1.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch_files/Media/TIM_1432-1.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">The Chief Minister with St.Ninian’s High School ICT teacher Maff Long, along with St.Ninian’s lower school pupils demonstrating their skills with Adobe CS3</p></div></div> http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch.html#11 01f5ebf5-3563-43aa-836f-0e2e5f3b12c8 http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch_files/Media/TIM_1421.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch_files/Media/TIM_1421.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">A Sulby School Year 2 pupil explaining his use of Photoshop to President of Tynwald Noel Cringle MHK</p></div></div> http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch.html#12 88ca7f90-fc4e-4f39-b3b3-7f341b4c5f7d http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch_files/Media/TIM_1483.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch_files/Media/TIM_1483.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Unique picture of the computer bus parked (the wrong way round) in Hill Street Douglas, outside St.George’s Court -  part of which is the head office of the Department of Education</p></div></div> http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch.html#13 f2b65a84-e02c-4e20-a127-5a36ebb088cf http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch_files/Media/TIM_1469.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch_files/Media/TIM_1469.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Manx Telecom Managing Director Chris Hall talking to President of Tynwald Noel Cringle MHK</p></div></div> http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch.html#14 23757707-06d7-4936-b75e-96df863a1584 http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch_files/Media/IMG_0061.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch_files/Media/IMG_0061.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Sulby school pupil editing video footage shot the previous week about the story of Florence Nightingale</p></div></div> http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch.html#15 638fbcf1-1de1-4442-bc48-46e73af0796e http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch_files/Media/IMG_0072.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch_files/Media/IMG_0072.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Another view of Rushen pupils being given advice about Apple’s Keynote program, by the Computer Bus man</p></div></div> http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch.html#16 8fe2129b-6f2a-475f-9b71-30909ca9abea http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch_files/Media/IMG_0062.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch_files/Media/IMG_0062.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">The computer bus man working one of the wireless mouses of the superb iMacs on board the refurbished bus</p></div></div> http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch.html#17 6a8b1ec2-29df-46ad-b633-ba657dc1a3b7 http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch_files/Media/IMG_0053.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.computerbus.com/Computerbus/2008_Relaunch_files/Media/IMG_0053.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Sulby school pupil using iCanAnimate on board the computer bus during the launch</p></div></div>