ISLE OF MAN RAILWAYS[Source: Paul Wright]1945 - 1965
Photo:Douglas Station forecourt in 1975 after closure of the entire network.
Photo by Jon Sabey-Corkindale By 1965 the railway was in a very bad state as there had been little investment in infrastructure for years. The permanent way was in dreadful shape and needed urgent repair. On the 13th November 1965 the entire network closed with very little warning. The reason given was that repairs needed to be carried out. No repairs were undertaken and the line remained closed in 1966 apart from the Diesel Railcars being used as a hospital train for the TT Races. St Johns station was actually used as a car park. Douglas Station during floods in June 1968
Photo by John Waite from Narrow Gauge Heaven web site THE MARQUIS AILSA ERA
In 1969 the Port Erin Line was operated with support as The Isle of Man Victoria Steam Railway Company Ltd. However in 1971 the Marquis of Ailsa withdrew from the lease. The Port Erin line struggled on with assistance from the Tourist Board and centenary celebrations took place in 1974. Douglas Station in July 2006
Photo by Paul Wright £149,000 to Millen Metals of Belfast. The track was lifted during 1974. In 1975 a Tynwald Committee recommended that no further grants be paid to the railway as its closure would not affect tourism. In 1975 a small grant was secured which allowed services to operate only from Castletown to Port Erin. The following year they ran to Ballasalla and by 1977 they were back at Douglas. Douglas Station was much reduced during this era losing one of its island platforms, its goods yard and the station canopies. Looking towards the north east at Castletown Station in May 2010. Originally the station did not have raised platforms but following a restoration of the buildings in 1994 platforms were added
Photo by Paul Wright Following the Manx General Election of 1976 the Douglas to Port Erin Line along with the Electric Tramway were nationalised as the Isle of Man Railways. Since that time many improvements have been carried out and the two surviving railway routes on the island are in better shape than they have been for perhaps 50 years. In recent years platforms have been provided at all of the stations on the Port Erin line and facilities much improved. Terminus station on the Snaefell Mountain Railway in September 2003, now part of the Isle of Man Railways after nationalisation in 1976
Photo by Nick Catford Thanks for the following people for permission to reproduce their photographs: Jon Sabey-Corkindale, Tim Stevens, John Law, R M Casserley (photos by the late H C Casserley), John Alsop, Geoffrey Skelsey, John Waite & Ron White of Colour-Rail. A Douglas train arrives at Castletown Station in May 2010. The station
building was fully restored in 1994. Photo by Paul Wright Click here for a timetable for the entire network in July 1964 Further reading: Isle of Man Classic Steam by Robert Robotham published by Colourpoint 1998. Old colour photographs of the Isle of Man Railways - ISBN 1 898392 43 9 Click here for more photographs of the Port Erin, Douglas, Castletown, Balasalla & Santon To see other stations on the Douglas - Peel line click on the station name: Quarter Bridge, Braddan Halt, Union Mills, Crosby, Ballacraine Halt & Peel. Home Page
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