St John's railway station
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St John's Balley Keeill Eoin | ||
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Construction | ||
Structure type | Various, See Text | |
Parking | Roadside | |
History | ||
Opened | 1 July 1873 | |
Closed | 9 September 1968 | |
Rebuilt | 1878 / 1904 | |
Passengers | ||
Passengers, livestock, freight, Goods | ||
Services | ||
Toilets, waiting room, booking facilities
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Routes
Preceding station | Disused railways | Following station | ||
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Peel Terminus |
Isle of Man Railway | Douglas
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None Terminus |
Manx Northern Railway | Ramsey
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None Terminus |
Foxdale Railway | Waterfall Halt towards Foxdale |
Three Stations
There were three stations within the area (see below) but only the original 1873 station serving the Peel line remained in use until the closure of this part of the network, with the Foxdale line station remaining in a derelict condition until the closure of the network. The station gained the nickname "The Manx
Douglas - St John's - Peel
The original station had a simple building, north of the running line, to the same design as Crosby, a passing loop, goods siding and water tower. The MNR main line ran parallel to the Peel line for some distance west of the station before turning northwest.
St John's - Ramsey
The MNR line between Ramsey and St John's opened on 23 September 1879 and was operated by the IMR for its first eleven months. With the creation of a connection between the two railways, the 1873 station building was relocated south of the running lines,. A loop was installed on the site, and a small signal box - usually referred to as 'The Point Box' - containing a ten-lever Stevens and Co. frame was erected at the east end of the station to control the operating junction between the MNR and IMR. However, with the end of the working agreement with the IMR, the MNR established a simple station to the west of the level crossing at the Peel end of the IMR station. This was replaced in 1884 with a new station on the alignment of the Foxdale Railway, which was then under construction. For the next 15 years, MNR trains terminated at the "new" station, and only through carriages and goods traffic used the link between the IMR and MNR stations. However, the advent of the coastal electric railway from Douglas to Ramsey in 1899 caused the MNR to seek better through connections with the IMR. A new platform was constructed on the site of the original MNR station, with trains calling there for local traffic as well as at the IMR station on their way to/from Douglas. The site of this early station was cleared and eventually became the turntable road (see below). The IMR station expanded further in 1905 with the erection of a carriage shed.
St John's - Foxdale
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e4/St_Johns_FR.jpg/220px-St_Johns_FR.jpg)
In 1886 the Foxdale Railway arrived and operated its trains to/from the MNR's 1884 "New" station which was a short distance north of IMR station on the west side of the road. On paper at least, some MNR trains ran through from Ramsey to Foxdale, but this arrangement may have ceased quite early on, and the service between St John's and Foxdale was usually handled by the Foxdale Coach (MNR 17; later MNR 15, and eventually F39) with a second carriage being added on busy days. It[clarification needed] also catered for Ramsey-Douglas through services: through carriages between Ramsey and Douglas were detached from the MNR train and transferred between the two stations. From the 1884 station, the Foxdale line looped around the back (north side) of the IMR station and crossed the Peel line. The bridge that carried the Foxdale Railway over the IMR remains in place at the eastern end of the site.
Amalgamation
The MNR station lost most of its passenger traffic after the Isle of Man Railway took over operation of the other two lines in 1905; it was used only for Foxdale services until 1927, after which all Foxdale services passed through and then reversed into the IMR station. These services were never very profitable and ended during 1943. The station building was converted into a house for the St John's stationmaster in 1906. The former Foxdale Railway station closed completely in 1960 at the same time as the Foxdale line. Latterly, disused rolling stock was stored in the station. The station building survives as a private dwelling.
Operation
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7c/IOMR_maitland_1967.jpg/220px-IOMR_maitland_1967.jpg)
Peak
The station often had busy periods, and was the hub of the railway network serving trains from three lines, although workshop and maintenance facilities were at
Tynwald Day
The busiest day was Tynwald Day, when it was common to see the majority of the railway's rolling stock in service bringing passengers to the outdoor parliament ceremony, which took place a short walk from the station. For this occasion the railway operated a special unique timetable: trains often ran from dawn until well after midnight to cope with demand, and train movements were frequent throughout the day. It was common for all carriages to be in use and not unheard of for passengers to travel in open cattle vans and wagons and withdrawn carriages. This tradition lasted until the final 1968 season when an intensive service was still maintained. Since closure the station site has been used for car parking for the ceremony.
Market Days
The village was home to cattle mart and these days often saw long trains early in the day moving livestock to the adjacent mart, for which a large goods yard was provided with storage, loading platform and cattle dock. Latterly these sidings were used to stow spare rolling stock, the Foxdale Coach and two Empress Vans being regularly stored here.
The "Race"
For many years trains heading to both Peel and Ramsey were scheduled to depart within minutes of each other, the main lines running parallel for some distance to the west of the level crossing; despite the official timings, it was often the case that one would be held back slightly so that the two could unofficially "race" out of the station to their respective destinations. Inevitably, it was the westbound train to Peel which "won" the race, the track being on a downward gradient all the way to the western terminus. This is often statically recreated during modern events on a spur known as "Peel East" just west of
Features
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/eb/St_Johns_station%2C_Isle_of_Man%2C_with_train_1951_-_geograph.org.uk_-_5323748.jpg/220px-St_Johns_station%2C_Isle_of_Man%2C_with_train_1951_-_geograph.org.uk_-_5323748.jpg)
At one time there was a
George Albert Crellin
Born 2 November 1897, for many years the station master was George Albert Crellin, a well-known figure on the railway who latterly bought and lived with his wife Olga Evelyn Crellin (née Leece), in the original station house for the Foxdale line, which ceased to be used after the amalgamation. He features on many later photographs of the station and was a helpful figure who used to travel to the small signal cabin, or more accurately, point box, on his bicycle. He was the last station master, retiring in the final year, 1968. In retirement he still had an active involvement with the railway until his death on 24 February 1974
Later
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7d/St_John%27s_Railway_Station_-_geograph.org.uk_-_2124434.jpg/220px-St_John%27s_Railway_Station_-_geograph.org.uk_-_2124434.jpg)
Several stock trains passed through the station after closure in 1968, largely marshalling rolling stock. The last recorded movement on the site was in 1971 when rolling stock was moved for winter storage in the carriage shed; thereafter there was a fire on 10 December 1975 which saw a significant amount of carriages destroyed. A later controlled fire in June the following year disposed of any remains, not before some carriages were sold and moved off the site. All rails were lifted and the site cleared, becoming a car parking area since this time. The 1873 timber structure and stone-built points box were also removed at this time, with only some rails remaining in the bisecting road which survived for many years. Only the Foxdale Line overbridge remains today, and remnants of a former advertisement hoarding at the eastern end of the station; the
See also
References
- "St. John's station (IMR) on the Subterranea Britannica Disused Stations website".
- "St. John's station (MNR) on the Subterranea Britannica Disused Stations website".
- Heavyside, Tom (August 2004). Narrow Gauge Branch Lines Douglas to Ramsey. Middleton Press. ISBN 1-904474-39-X.