Groudle Lane Lhoan Groudal | |
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The Manx Electric Railway Co., Ltd. | |
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General information | |
Location | King Edward Road Onchan, Isle of Man |
Coordinates | 54.177384°N 4.426501°W Pole No. 107-108 |
Owned by | Isle of Man Government Department of Infrastructure |
Line(s) | Manx Electric Railway |
Platforms | Ground Level |
Tracks | Two Running Lines |
Construction | |
Structure type | Bus Shelter |
History | |
Opened | 1894 |
Groudle Lane halt (Manx: stadd Lhoan Groudal) (sometimes referred to as "Groudle Cottages" or "Groudle Village" in literature) is a request stop on the Manx Electric Railway on the Isle of Man, located below the line's first summit on the descent into the nearby valley of the same name.
This halt serves the nearby holiday cottages in the Groudle Glen valley and provides an alternative access stop for the Groudle Glen Railway on the other side of the valley. It is serviced by a modern bus-type shelter which was installed in 1999 in line with the management policy of the era. This shelter provides a dual purpose, as a limited bus route also operates on the road that runs parallel to the tram line formation. When the shelter was installed a short section of lineside was faced with tarmacadam to allow access to it, and advertisements for both railways appear therein.
On foot, the request stop is located at the junction of the King Edward Road (that which parallels the railway) and the Groudle Lane, from which it gains its name. The lane runs (one-way towards the railway) commencing at Groudle Road in the local village of Onchan near to the King Edward Bay Golf Club which was once known as Howstrake Golf Club, given its close proximity to the area; it was renamed in the early 1990s to reflect its newly found status as a more up-market club upon completion of the club house and restaurant.
The primary purpose of the halt is to serve the holiday village which was first established in the late 1970s across the road from the halt in the valley; the basic bungalows are of basic chalet construction. Since this time, the top close (cul-de-sac) of bungalows have been modified for residential use whilst the more popular bungalows towards the beach area are retained for letting purposes and remain in regular use by tourists and visitors to the island. There is also a larger detached house above the holiday village known as "Settler's Hollow", once home to the complex's owners and operators, which commands views over the glen and narrow gauge railway. The road which gives access to the development is a public one, which gives car access to the beach and its own car park. It was once a pack-horse lane, and today forms part of the island's Raad Ny Foillan coastal footpath. The stony beach is a popular destination with locals, and was once also accessible from the nearby holiday camp on the adjacent headland.
Onchan is a large village in the parish of Onchan on the Isle of Man. It is at the north end of Douglas Bay. Administratively a district, it has the second largest population of settlements on the island, after Douglas, with which it forms a conurbation.
The Manx Electric Railway is an electric interurban tramway connecting Douglas, Laxey and Ramsey in the Isle of Man. It connects with the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway at its southern terminus at Derby Castle at the northern end of the promenade in Douglas, and with the Snaefell Mountain Railway at Laxey. Many visitors take an excursion on the trams. It is the oldest electric tram line in the world whose original rolling stock is still in service.
The Snaefell Mountain Railway is an electric mountain railway on the Isle of Man in Europe. It joins the village of Laxey with the summit of Snaefell, at 2,036 feet (621 m) above sea level the highest point on the island. It connects with the Manx Electric Railway (MER) in Laxey. The line is 5 miles (8 km) long, is built to 3 ft 6 in gauge and uses a Fell Incline Railway System centre rail for braking on the steep gradients. It is electrified using overhead wires at 550 volts direct current, with bow collectors.
Groudle, or Groudle Glen, a glen on the outskirts of Onchan on the Isle of Man, is formed in a valley leading to the sea at the small port of the same name. It is one of the officially-listed Manx National Glens.
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Groudle Glen station is the first mandatory stopping point and major station on the Manx Electric Railway which serves the village of Groudle Glen in the Isle of Man, and is situated between Groudle Lane and Eskadale on the route to Laxey and Ramsey.
Howstrake Camp halt is a stop on the Manx Electric Railway on the Isle of Man located at the line's first summit on the climb from the terminus, before descending into the nearby valley.
Dhoon Glen Halt is an intermediate stopping place on the northern section of the Manx Electric Railway in the Isle of Man. It is not to be confused with Dhoon Halt, which is the next halt, about 600 metres to the north.
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Far End Halt is a stopping place on the Manx Electric Railway on the Isle of Man and is located on the climb towards the line's first summit.
Eskadale Halt is an intermediate request stop on the east coast route of the Manx Electric Railway on the Isle of Man.
Ballamenagh Halt is a request stop on the Manx Electric Railway on the Isle of Man.
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