This article needs additional citations for verification .(January 2024) |
This article details each of the lines operated by the Isle of Man Railway, including the original line to Peel in the west, opened in 1873, followed by the Port Erin line the following year (which is still fully operational today), as well as the Manx Northern Railway's line between St John's and Ramsey and the Foxdale Railway's line between St John's and Foxdale. (The last two of these were independent companies bought out in 1905 by the Isle of Man Railway Company.)
Point | Coordinates (Links to map resources) | OS Grid Ref | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Douglas | 54°08′52″N4°29′10″W / 54.1478°N 4.4861°W | SC3764575314 | |
Port Soderick | 54°07′35″N4°32′18″W / 54.1265°N 4.5384°W | SC3423673010 | |
Santon | 54°07′06″N4°35′03″W / 54.1182°N 4.5841°W | SC3112772254 | |
Ballasalla | 54°05′46″N4°37′44″W / 54.0961°N 4.6288°W | SC2801969908 | |
Ronaldsway | 54°05′17″N4°38′33″W / 54.0881°N 4.6425°W | SC2718769047 | |
Castletown | 54°04′43″N4°38′56″W / 54.0787°N 4.6488°W | SC2669468040 | |
Ballabeg | 54°05′28″N4°40′26″W / 54.0911°N 4.6739°W | SC2514769459 | |
Colby | 54°05′40″N4°42′15″W / 54.0944°N 4.7042°W | SC2318269905 | |
The Level | 54°05′29″N4°43′16″W / 54.0914°N 4.7211°W | SC2206169608 | |
Port St Mary | 54°04′52″N4°44′35″W / 54.081°N 4.743°W | SC2058568508 | |
Port Erin | 54°05′06″N4°45′29″W / 54.085°N 4.758°W | SC1962168991 |
Isle of Man Railway | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Port Erin line | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The line to Port Erin was the second to be opened by the railway company, in 1874: one year after the shorter line to Peel had been opened. This line's construction involved considerably more civil engineering work than the relatively straightforward westerly line, including two major rock cuttings on the climb out of Douglas railway station at "The Nunnery" and Keristal. The story goes that the work nearly bankrupted the contractors, and the second cutting was completed on a much smaller budget, resulting in it being far narrower than the first, something that is apparent when travelling today. On the approach to Santon the line reaches its summit, and the remaining outward leg of the journey is spent descending or on the flat. The southern section runs through farmland, and has several farm crossings, some of which were staffed. This is shown by stone structures for crossing keepers, but these were all made redundant in 2001 with the introduction of automated barriers. There are many smaller crossings also giving local farmers access to fields. The principal stations on the south line which remain open today are as listed to the right; of these, Santon, Ronaldsway Halt, Ballabeg and Colby Level remain as request stops only, whilst all service trains stop at the other stations listed. In the past there have been other request stops at Ballacostain between Port Soderick and Santon, which served the rifle range used by pupils from King William's College near Castletown. In recent years a new overbridge was installed at Meary Veg in 2001 as part of an island-wide sewerage system. On the climb out of Douglas a farm named Lough Ned operated for a short time in the 1980s as a small wildlife park, and the railway served this with a ground-level platform. [1]
Point | Coordinates (Links to map resources) | OS Grid Ref | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Peel | 54°13′19″N4°41′51″W / 54.2219°N 4.6974°W | SC2416584063 | |
Knockaloe railway station and branch line | 54°12′20″N4°42′14″W / 54.2055°N 4.7038°W | SC2367882255 | |
Knockaloe Internment Camp | 54°12′19″N4°42′17″W / 54.2054°N 4.7046°W | SC2362882240 | |
St John's | 54°12′04″N4°38′29″W / 54.2012°N 4.6415°W | SC2772281623 | |
Ballacraine | 54°11′55″N4°37′57″W / 54.1986°N 4.6325°W | SC2830081313 | |
Crosby | 54°10′55″N4°33′58″W / 54.182°N 4.566°W | SC3256879306 | |
Union Mills | 54°10′08″N4°31′12″W / 54.169°N 4.52°W | SC3551777752 | |
Braddan Bridge § Railway halt | 54°09′41″N4°30′20″W / 54.1615°N 4.5056°W | SC36507686 | |
Quarterbridge Crossing | 54°09′21″N4°30′06″W / 54.1558°N 4.5017°W | SC3666176245 | |
Douglas | 54°08′52″N4°29′10″W / 54.1478°N 4.4861°W | SC3764575314 |
Isle of Man Railway | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Peel line | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
This was the first railway line to be opened on the island in 1873, and was operational continuously (with the exception of 1966) until September 1968, when the entire network was closed. The line is today retained as a footpath and bridleway and is 11.5 miles long. Since the rails were lifted in 1975, there has often been talk of resurrecting this line, which would be the most viable out of the closed lines. Since closure there have been several service mains buried under the trackbed, including gas and telephone mains, but care is always taken to ensure that the trackbed is returned in such a way that the railway could be reinstated. There are two notable examples of this:
Both of these developments have been built in such a way to ensure the line could be reinstated, although any station at St John's would have to be significantly relocated.
During the First World War there was a branch extending from a mid-way point between Peel and St John's stations to the farm of Knockaloe in connection with prisoners of war who were interned there. The stations are listed to the right. At the terminus of Peel a large heritage centre has been built, partly using the old goods shed and station building. The brickworks office and water tower remain in place at the mouth of the yard and are occupied by the Manx Transport Museum Group, and the station site itself is now a car park for the heritage centre. But it would be feasible to reinstate some form of station here in the future if required.
Point | Coordinates (Links to map resources) | OS Grid Ref | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Ramsey station | 54°19′19″N4°23′13″W / 54.322°N 4.387°W | SC4477294468 | |
Lezayre | 54°19′30″N4°25′44″W / 54.325°N 4.429°W | SC4205394895 | |
Sulby Bridge | 54°19′26″N4°28′19″W / 54.324°N 4.472°W | SC3925394881 | |
Sulby Glen | 54°19′08″N4°29′28″W / 54.319°N 4.491°W | SC3799894368 | |
Ballavolley Halt | 54°18′54″N4°31′01″W / 54.315°N 4.517°W | SC3629293984 | |
Ballaugh | 54°18′36″N4°32′28″W / 54.31°N 4.541°W | SC3471193483 | |
Bishop's Court | 54°18′13″N4°34′13″W / 54.3036°N 4.5703°W | SC3278192842 | |
Kirk Michael | 54°17′02″N4°35′13″W / 54.284°N 4.587°W | SC3161490701 | |
West Berk | 54°16′17″N4°35′59″W / 54.2713°N 4.5998°W | SC3072889321 | |
Gob-y-Deigan | 54°15′11″N4°37′59″W / 54.253°N 4.633°W | SC2849187364 | |
St. Germain's | 54°14′10″N4°39′14″W / 54.236°N 4.654°W | SC2705385524 | |
Peel Road | 54°12′54″N4°39′36″W / 54.215°N 4.66°W | SC2657483203 | |
St John's | 54°12′04″N4°38′29″W / 54.2012°N 4.6415°W | SC2772281623 |
Isle of Man Railway | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ramsey line | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The line from Ramsey to St John's was opened by the Manx Northern Railway in 1879, and operated until 1968, when passenger operations ceased on the same day as those on the Peel line. By far the most scenic route operated by the railway, it featured two viaducts at Glen Wyllin and Glen Mooar and was nearly 17 miles in length. The railway ran independently until 1905 when the Isle of Man Railway took over operations, together with the amalgamation of the Foxdale Railway, thereby controlling the entire steam railway network on the island. Sections of this line along the Irish Sea coast suffered some cruel weather, and a turntable was installed at St John's to turn coaching stock to ensure even weathering on the most exposed section at the "Donkey Bank" which caused trouble for the operators throughout its lifetime. Trains were often dispatched with wagonloads of ash to deposit over the side to shore up the line, and the line has fallend considerably since the railway closed. Further along the line at Glen Wyllin were pleasure gardens owned and operated by the railway company, and these became a popular destination for Sunday School picnics in the railway's heyday, providing a source of income for the railway. The nearest station at Kirk Michael was the drop off point for holidaymakers who walked along a track to the side of the line. At Ballavolley a halt was created in 1967 to serve the newly opened Wildlife Park, which remains open today. There was also a wayside halt for the exclusive use of the Bishop of Sodor and Mann at Bishopscourt, which comprised a simple bench seat and hand-operated signal to stop passing trains. The terminus station at Ramsey was on the site of today's Ramsey Bakery on the outskirts of the town, a disadvantage when compared with the station of the Manx Electric Railway which is in the heart of the town. The station did however boast an extension along the quayside for a time, ideally situated to load and unload goods to and from the vessels in this busy port. Also, as part of an initiative to encourage the railway's use for freight and cargo, a small sharply-curved siding was laid to Milntown Power Station in 1968 and three wagons converted to oil carrying wagons for this purpose. The venture was however short-lived, but trains serving this siding were some of the very last recorded trains to travel over the line, in 1969 as part of a rolling stock collection. Today, it is difficult to visualise the station, as the site has been modernised and developed beyond recognition.
Point | Coordinates (Links to map resources) | OS Grid Ref | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
St John's | 54°12′04″N4°38′29″W / 54.2012°N 4.6415°W | SC2772281623 | |
Waterfall | 54°10′48″N4°38′31″W / 54.18°N 4.642°W | SC2760179267 | |
Foxdale | 54°10′12″N4°38′10″W / 54.17°N 4.636°W | SC2795178140 |
Isle of Man Railway | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Foxdale line | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Opened in 1886, this was the shortest branch of the Isle of Man Railway and the shortest-lived, closing as early as 1940 to all traffic. It was originally a separate affair from the other railways, but was taken over as part of the merger in 1905 together with the Manx Northern Railway to Ramsey. The tracks remained in situ for many years, and there are reports that trains, or light engines, travelled along its length as late as 1974 (just before lifting). The line was only 3 miles long, but was on a steady climb of 1 in 49 for its entirety and it served the small mining community with limited passenger services (only one passenger coach was ever acquired and this remains in service on the preserved south line today, as F.39).
The station at Foxdale itself was also the site of the iron ore "deads" which gave rise to the station acquiring the nickname "the back of the moon" owing to its lunar appearance. Today the station building remains in place in private ownership but the removal of two vital bridges in the 1970s has rendered it extremely unlikely that any proposal to restore the line would ever be successful. There is evidence (in the form of images)[ clarification needed ] to suggest however that Foxdale Station may well retain some of its track to the present day - albeit buried under heaps of spoil. Until recently (within the last ten years) there was still trackwork visible from the road beyond the station which would have run up onto the spoil heaps for working the deads.
Ramsey is a coastal town in the north of the Isle of Man. It is the second largest town on the island after Douglas. Its population is 7,845 according to the 2016 Census. It has one of the biggest harbours on the island, and has a prominent derelict pier, called the Queen's Pier. It was formerly one of the main points of communication with Scotland. Ramsey has also been a route for several invasions by the Vikings and Scots.
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.
The Isle of Man Railway (IMR) is a narrow gauge steam-operated railway connecting Douglas with Castletown and Port Erin on the Isle of Man. The line is 3 ft narrow gauge and 15+1⁄2 miles long. It is the remainder of what was a much larger network that also served the small western hamlet of Peel, the northern town of Ramsey and the small mining village of Foxdale. Now in government ownership, it uses original rolling stock and locomotives and there are few concessions to modernity.
The Groudle Glen Railway is a 2 ft narrow gauge railway near Onchan in the Isle of Man, on the boundary of Onchan and Lonan, which is owned and operated by a small group of enthusiastic volunteers and operates on summer Sundays; May to September and Wednesday evenings in July and August along with a number of annual special events.
St John's is a small village in the sheading of Glenfaba in the Isle of Man, in the island's central valley. It is in the House of Keys constituency of Glenfaba & Peel, which elects two MHKs.
The Great Laxey Mine Railway was originally constructed to serve the Isle of Man's Great Laxey Mine, a lead mine located in Laxey. The 19 in gauge railway runs from the old mine entrance to the washing floors along a right of way that passes through the Isle of Man's only remaining railway tunnel under the 3 ft gauge Victorian Manx Electric Railway and the main A2 Douglas to Ramsey coast road.
The Manx Northern Railway (MNR) was the second common carrier railway built in the Isle of Man. It operated as an independent concern only from 1879 to 1905.
The Isle of Man Railway Museum in the village of Port Erin in the Isle of Man is a small museum of the history of the Isle of Man Railway from its founding in 1873 to the present, including the now-closed lines that served Peel, Ramsey and Foxdale, and the remaining open line between Douglas and Port Erin.
The Isle of Man has a rich transport heritage and boasts the largest narrow-gauge railway network in the British Isles with several historic railways and tramways still in operation. These operate largely to what is known as "Manx Standard Gauge" and together they comprise about 65 miles (105 km) of Victorian railways and tramways. The Isle of Man Railway Museum in Port Erin allows people to find out more about the history of the Manx railways, and was until 1998 accompanied by a similar museum in Ramsey, which was dedicated to the history of the electric line, but this was closed and converted into a youth club. The steam railway to the south of the island, electric to the north and mountain line to the summit of Snaefell, the island's only mountain, are all government-owned, and operated under the title Isle of Man Railways, as a division of the island's Department of Infrastructure. The lines at Groudle Glen and Curraghs Wildlife Park are both privately owned but open to the public.
The Isle of Man Steam Railway Supporters' Association Ltd (IoMSRSA) is a railway preservationist group dedicated to ensuring the continued operation of the Isle of Man Railway on the Isle of Man. Since its inception in 1966 the group has provided volunteer workers, acted in a watchdog role and undertaken the restoration of the Groudle Glen Railway on the island, as well as supporting projects on the railway and producing the journal, Manx Steam Railway News.
The Foxdale Railway was a 3 ft narrow gauge branch line which ran from St. John's to Foxdale on the Isle of Man.
Kirk Michael Railway Station was an intermediate station on the Manx Northern Railway (MNR), which ran between St. John's and Ramsey in the Isle of Man, later owned and operated by the Isle of Man Railway. It served the village of Kirk Michael.
St John's Railway Station was on the Isle of Man Railway (IMR), later merging with the nearby station of the Manx Northern Railway (MNR); it was the junction of lines to Douglas, Peel, Ramsey and Foxdale. It was close to Tynwald Hill.
Ramsey Station was a station on the Manx Northern Railway, later owned and operated by the Isle of Man Railway; it served the town of Ramsey in the Isle of Man, and was the terminus of a line that ran between St. John's and this station, which was the railway's headquarters.
Douglas Southern Electric Tramway was a standard gauge tramway between the top of Douglas Head on the Isle of Man and the nearby resort of Port Soderick. The route ran atop the cliffs and crossed a number of viaducts and bridges.
One of the characteristics of the Isle of Man Railway is the numerous level crossings and farm crossings along the various routes; many smaller crossing places are marked only by gates that criss-cross farm land and provide access to private roads connecting the farms to the main roads. Being largely rural in nature the railway has many of these scattered along the existing South Line, and there were many more on the closed sections of the railway. These can be summarised as follows, along with other points of interest along the line not covered in the Isle of Man Railway stations section:-
Lezayre Railway Station was an intermediate stopping place on the Manx Northern Railway, a line that ran between St. John's and Ramsey in the Isle of Man. It was the first halt outside the terminus at Ramsey. It was later owned and operated by the Isle of Man Railway. It served the small village known as Churchtown centred on the parish church, Kirk Christ Lezayre.
Gob-Y-DeiganRailway Station was a station on the Manx Northern Railway, later owned and operated by the Isle of Man Railway; it served a beach near Kirk Michael in the Isle of Man and was an intermediate stopping place on a line that ran between St. John's and Ramsey.
This is a list of Registered Buildings and Conservation Areas of the Isle of Man. It includes buildings and structures in the Isle of Man designated by Isle of Man's Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture (DEFA) "as having special architectural or historical interest". Over 250 buildings and structures are listed, and 275 more have been identified as having potential for listing. It also lists the 21 Conservation Areas, historic districts" which protect "period"-type architecture, quality of building materials, relationships of enclosures and open spaces, and other aspects of the look and feel of historic buildings and areas.