Attention To Detail

The initial vane supplied by the Friends Of... group was added to the roof of the office bay window in 2011 and was donated by a member using a vane obtained from a garden centre with the top amended to include the outline of one of the railway's iconic Beyer Peacock steam locomotives, No.7 Tynwald, the frames of which were at the time displayed elsewhere at the station; this suffered the ravages of the weather and was later found to be in a poor state of repair, and the decision taken to have a new one made.

Island Ironcraft were contacted and a new more substantial version, again featuring a locomotive outline, was commissioned and delivered in 2020 at a cost of £300.00 using funds raised from a variety of events at the station. This new version is of much heavier construction and also features driving wheels as supports; it was erected later that summer in the same location, duly adjusted so that the compass points were correct (the north direction is at the far corner of Poulsom Park where the Millennium Way travels towards the Great Meadow).

Regularly maintained, the vane operates via a ballbearing which is greased annually to ensure ease of movement.  It is one of several small features on the site, and one which may go unnoticed by the passing traveller initially, but delights our visitors, especially children.  We are indebted to David Kneale of Island Ironcraft for his superb attention to detail in providing this new weather vane which will last for many years to come, enhancing the beautiful station.