Station Name: SULBY GLEN

 

[Source: Paul Wright]



Date opened: 23.9.1879
Location: South side of the A14
Company on opening: Manx Northern Railway
Date closed to passengers: 6.9.1968
Date closed completely: 6.9.1968
Company on closing: Isle of Man Railway
Present state: Station building still extant and in use as a private residence.
County: Isle of Man
OS Grid Ref: SC379945
Date of visit: 18.7.2006

Notes: Sulby Glen opened on the 23.9.1879 as part of the Manx Northern Railways St John’s to Ramsey line. In common with other Manx Northern stations that opened with the line. The station was situated on the south side of the road from Sulby Glen to the Coast (today's A14) which crossed the line by a level crossing. The station had a single siding with a combined raised goods platform and cattle dock.

Only a single track passed through the station site which did not originally have a raised platform. Instead track was ballasted up to rail level which was a common feature on the Isle of Man network. Train services operated to St John’s and Ramsey with some services going on to Douglas via the Isle of Man Railways
Douglas to Peel line.



On the 19.4.1905 the Manx Northern Railway was taken over by the Isle of Man Railway and from then on many more services went directly to Douglas from Sulby Glen. At this time it was
considered that the station building was too close to the track. In 1910 the original building was demolished and a new one constructed further back from the line but still on the east side. This new station building was provided with a canopy and a raised platform was also provided.

The Manx Railway system was very busy well into the second half of the 20th century but by the 1950’s traffic levels began to decline as less holidaymakers visited the island and road transport competition started to make its presence felt.The St Johns to Ramsey line along with all of its stations, including Sulby Glen was closed completely on the 13th November 1965. It re-opened to passenger services in 1967 but closed again on the 6th September 1968 this time for good.

The line passing through Sulby Glen was used for a freight service of oil tanks until October1969 after which all traffic ceased. The line was lifted in 1974. Today a footpath and cycleway pass through the site; the 1910 station building is still extant and in use as a private residence. Part of the station canopy can still be seen.

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
Douglas to Ramsey by Tom Heavyside - Middleton Press 2004 - ISBN 978 1 904474 39 5
Isle of Man Railways Vol. 1 Pre 1873 - 1904, Vol 2 1905 - 1994 & Vol. 3 by J I C Boyd - the definitive history of the Isle of Man railways - Oakwood Press.

Click here for a comprehensive list of books, magazines and videos about the Isle of Man railways.

Other web sites: Narrow Gauge Heaven - includes old colour photographs

Click here for a brief history of the Isle of Man Railways

To see other stations on the St. John's - Ramsey line click on the station name:
St. Johns, Peel Road, St. Germain's, Gob-y-Deigan, West Berk Level Crossing,
Kirkmichael, Bishop's Court, Ballaugh, Ballavolley Halt, Sulby Bridge,
Lezayre & Ramsey


Sulby Glen Station looking east in 1961
Photo by J L . Stevenson








No. 8 Fenella arrives at Sulby Glen with a Ramsey train in August 1964
Photo by D J Mitchell, copyright Colour-Rail




Sulby Glen Station looking west in July 2006. Although the station building has been converted into a house, part of the canopy has been retained.
P
hoto by Paul Wright



Click on thumbnail to enlarge




 

 

 

[Source: Paul Wright]


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