The Isle of Man Railway Museum in the village of

Port Erin Port Erin ( 'lord's port' or originally 'Irish port') is a seaside village in the south-west of the Isle of Man, in the historic parish of Rushen. It was previously a seaside resort before the decline of the tourist trade. Administratively it ...

on the

Isle of Man The Isle of Man ( , also ), or Mann ( ), is a self-governing British Crown Dependency in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and Ireland. As head of state, Charles III holds the title Lord of Mann and is represented by a Lieutenant Govern ...

is a small museum of the history of the

Isle of Man Railway The Isle of Man Railway (IMR) is a narrow gauge steam locomotive, steam-operated railway connecting Douglas, Isle of Man, Douglas with Castletown, Isle of Man, Castletown and Port Erin in the Isle of Man. The line is Narrow gauge railway, ...

from its founding in 1873 to the present, including the now-closed lines that served

Peel Peel or Peeling may refer to: Places Australia * Peel (Western Australia) * Peel, New South Wales * Peel River (New South Wales) Canada * Peel Parish, New Brunswick * Peel, New Brunswick, an unincorporated community in Peel Parish * Pee ...

, Ramsey (

Manx Northern Railway The Manx Northern Railway (MNR) was the second common carrier railway built in the Isle of Man. It was a steam railway between St John's and Ramsey. It operated as an independent concern only from 1879 to 1905. History When the people ...

) and

Foxdale Foxdale (; ; – 'waterfall dale or valley'), also called Balley'n Eas (meaning "waterfall-town in Manx"), is a village consisting of the on the A3 Castletown to Ramsey Road with the junction of the A24 Foxdale to Braaid road and the A40 ''T ...

, and the remaining open line between Douglas and Port Erin.

History & Location

The museum opened in the summer of 1975 when the Isle of Man Road Services, a subsidiary of the railway company, relocated to their new garage, which still exists today at the foot of the main platform, which in turn saw the rationalisation of the railway station by the shortening of the former bay platform area to create parking spaces for buses. Today's main exhibition hall stands on the location of the former depot which was accessed via large doors on Station Road, these being used to deliver some of the larger exhibits upon the opening, there only ever being one rail-connected line from the nearby shed. At that time, the railway operated only between here and Castletown, in an experimental season with the goal of reducing running costs. The following year, services were extended to Ballasalla, then returned to Douglas in 1977, since when the full line has operated. The building originally consisting of a metal frame with

asbestos Asbestos ( ) is a group of naturally occurring, Toxicity, toxic, carcinogenic and fibrous silicate minerals. There are six types, all of which are composed of long and thin fibrous Crystal habit, crystals, each fibre (particulate with length su ...

cladding, was rebuilt in 1999. Prior to opening, the original locomotive shed was used to store disused locomotives. When rebuilt, the locomotive shed was returned to its original use and the goods shed converted into a shop area and porch added. The museum is next to Port Erin Station, the south-western

terminus Terminus may refer to: Ancient Rome *Terminus (god), a Roman deity who protected boundary markers Transport *Terminal train station or terminus, a railway station serving as an end destination *Bus terminus, a bus station serving as an end des ...

of the railway, on Station Road in the village. The main exhibition hall is housed in a converted bus garage that once belonged to Isle of Man Road Services, itself a division of the old railway company which was nationalised in 1976. Since the museum was extensively rebuilt in 1998–1999, part of the old

goods shed A goods shed is a railway building designed for storing goods before, after, and during loading to and unloading from a train. A typical goods shed will have a track running through it to allow goods wagons to be unloaded under cover, althou ...

has been incorporated into the complex, the other locomotive shed still being used as a

workshop Beginning with the Industrial Revolution era, a workshop may be a room, rooms or building which provides both the area and tools (or machinery) that may be required for the manufacture or repair of manufactured goods. Workshops were the only ...

to maintain the

locomotive A locomotive is a rail transport, rail vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. Traditionally, locomotives pulled trains from the front. However, Push–pull train, push–pull operation has become common, and in the pursuit for ...

s and for overnight storage purposes. There remains today a small viewing window allowing visitors to the museum a glimpse into the locomotive shed from the main exhibition hall, this is mounted into the large doors which provide a rail connection for the relocation of wheeled exhibits.

Exhibits

Major (previous & present)

The following represents and main exhibits of locomotives and rolling stock contained in the museum since its opening in 1975; during events periods and photographic charters certain items of stock are removed and alternatives take their places where available; since 2014 F.75 and G.19 have been plinthed on an isolated section of track, joined on another plinth in 2020 by No.1 ''Sutherland''. Remaining items are rail connected via the station's locomotive shed. It is common for these items to be swapped as required, with F.36 being removed for restoration in 2023 and its place taken by a variety of wagons for example. Since it opened in 1975, the railway museum has housed a variety of major exhibits. Exhibits in the museum include two engines and two carriages as well as other equipment from the railway. The royal saloon, as used by

Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon (4 August 1900 – 30 March 2002) was Queen of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 to 6 February 1952 as the wife of King George VI. She was al ...

in 1963 and by

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...

in 1972, are preserved in the museum. There is also a large display of photographs, posters and other memorabilia. In addition to the framed exhibits of old posters and the like, further displays are mounted on the walls of the station building itself in the waiting room and booking office. These were once part of the museum and donated by a preservationists group when the facility was first opened. File:IMR-Loco-6.jpg, No.6 ''Peveril'' (1875) File:Port erin railway museum 2 2018-06-28.jpg, Wagon H.1 (2000) File:Isle of Man (2995365795).jpg, No.16 ''Mannin'' (1926) File:F.75 Port Erin Museum (05-04-14).JPG, Ducal Saloon F.75 (1873) File:WP 20140202 006.jpg, Station Diorama (1998–2014) File:Port erin railway museum 1 2018-06-28.jpg, Main Hall (2006) File:Isle of Man - panoramio (80).jpg, Old Entrance (2006) File:F.75 Port Erin Museum (05-04-14).JPG, Ducal Saloon (2016) File:Town sign, Port Erin - geograph.org.uk - 5412283.jpg, "Improved" Entrance (2018)

Minor (previous & present)

* Workshops' Wood-Turning Lathe * Original (1873) Carriage Door * Mock-Up Station Masters' Office * Permanent Way Diorama Display * Framed Original Ticket Displays * Photographs of All Locomotives * Old Planes & Lathes From Workshops * Recreation of Station Master's Office * Old Snow Plough from the Line * Visual Display Boards Charting Histories * Past & Present Headboards * Anniversary Commemoration Displays * Knockaloe Internment Camp Displays * Glen Wyllin Pleasure Ground Display

References

* James I. C. Boyd (1996). ''Isle of Man Railway''. Volume 3: ''The Routes & Rolling Stock''. . * A. M. Goodwyn (1995). ''Manx Transport Kaleidoscope'', 2nd Edition. * Robert Hendry (1993). ''Rails in the Isle of Man: A Colour Celebration''. . * Norman Jones (1994). ''Scenes from the Past: Isle of Man Railway''. .

External links