Station History
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The historic building at Castletown Station was erected for the opening of the south line on 2nd August 1874 the building was of the same design as that established at Port Erin Station but in local limestone whereas the latter was of slate and was replaced in 1909 by the present structure. It is the sole surviving original station from this date. A canopy was added in 1901 at the same time as the present goods shed was constructed.
Shortly after the establishment of the station, around the turn of the twentieth century, the Station Hotel (now The Sidings and well known to many as the Ducks Nest) was constructed, followed around the turn of the century by the adjacent Castletown Hotel (now The Viking) and the site became a hub for both passengers and freight, a goods yard with siding also being established. The station was the busiest on the south line, at one point employing up to eight members of staff.
In 2009 the Friends Of… volunteer group were established and since this time have further enhanced the site including reinstatement of coal fires, period signage, floral displays and most recently the replica advertisement hoarding which has recently been completed. You can discover more about this dedicated band of volunteers here. They have published a more comprehensive history which is priced at £5.00 and in aid of their activities which continue around the site on a regular basis. Our volunteers are on hand to answer your queries.
With the closure of Ballasalla Station in 2015 all scheduled services now pass here and a gift shop was established in part of the booking office the following year. The station remains the busiest intermediate stopping place on the line today being a short distance to the historical town by foot and its many attractions, foremost of which is the preserved medieval fortress of Castle Rushen as well as the Nautical Museum and old school house. The narrow winding streets of the town are full of character.
The town had served as the Island’s capital until 1863 and was deemed to still be of significant importance to be served by the new railway, though initial plans deposited bypassed the town between Ballasalla Station and Ballabeg Station and were redrawn to accommodate the town, the station being established on the outskirts; it was much later when the town was developed to the surrounding area seen today.
Of significance, members of the Royal Family boarded their special train here on Saturday 2nd August 1972 when Queen Elizabeth II and several members of the family accompanied by Lord Mountbatten travelled into Douglas behind locomotive No.13 Kissack in the specially refurbished Royal Saloon F.36; a comprehensive display in the waiting room gives details of this momentous occasion which has been compiled by the Friends Of... giving full details of the events of the day.
The site remained largely unaltered for many years, being a thriving hub for freight including livestock, provisions and transportation for the local brewery. A water tower was established, and this was removed in 1979, a replacement erected in 1999 remaining. In 1993 the building was earmarked for restoration which involved the removal of the canopy, a later addition, and provision of decorative fascia boards and recreation of the waiting room which had latterly been used only for storage; toilet facilities were improved and it reopened in 1994.
To celebrate its 150th anniversary, the Friends Of… group in association with Castletown Heritage arranged for the blue heritage plaque to be erected to mark the momentous occasion. This was accompanied by a fair with stalls and musical entertainment as well as displays including locomotive No.5 Mona. The future of this historic site is secure thanks to Isle of Man Railways with assistance from the volunteers on a regular basis - find out more elsewhere on this site.
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