Completion & Sponsorship

2022 saw periodic working parties by volunteers, ably assisted by the permanent way teams of the railway as and when required to which a huge debt is owed.  Painting was completed, in the green and cream scheme of the station, topped off with a "Jack Chilcott & Sons" sign atop the board replicating the original - this firm held the contract for bill-posting on the railway for many years.

For the festive season that year the Isle of Man Steam Railway Supporters' Association funded a suitable seasonal greeting poster board and the hunt was then on to find suitable advertisements for each of the four panels, the aim being for completion in 2024 for the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary celebrations that August.

Project Reaches Fruition

The completed board was one of the features of the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary ceremony staged by the group and attended by the island's Lieutenant Governor in August of 2024.  Garnering much praise, the completed hoarding now gives a flavour of how the station appeared in its heyday and is the only such example on the railway today.  With secure sponsorship for a five year period, a review is due to be undertaken in 2028.

The location of the modern board is directly opposite to the centre line of the goods shed opposite which was a stipulation of the planners, as was the use of tongue and groove boarding; the original had been considerably longer and consideration has been given to extending the current hoarding as a potential source of further incore for the group to continue its works on the site.

Construction Begins

By the start of 2019 sufficient funds had been raised (while other smaller projects had also been funded in the meantime from the group's resources).  The large specially cut timber posts were provided from Qualtroughs Timber Yard in the town and these were delivered to the site in early 2020 - when the lockdowns intervened in progress, the very day the timber was delivered!

As coronavirus restrictions lifted, progress  was then made on preparing these hefty timbers to be placed in the ground, this work being kindly funded by Isle of Man Railways who employed a sub-contractor to carry out the works; across the following year as time, resources and manpower allowed, the framework then began to take shape ahead of the mammoth task of painting.

Enter Bushys Brewery

With the empty hoarding standing prominent and awaiting its posters, an approach was made to Bushys Brewery, who were in the process of securing premises in the town; they were only too delighted to assist and undertook to fill all four panels for a period of four years with suitable sponsorship which has since enabled a number of other projects to be commenced by the group.

Just in time for the anniversary event, in July 2024 the four panels were fitted, all done in a period design to match the surroundings, and based on mutually agreed artwork; one panel was agreed as being for advertising of specific events and is often updated accordingly.  The final piece of the project saw an interpretive sign erected beside the hoarding giving a brief history with photographs and sponsorship from Culture Vannin.

Thanks & Acknowledgements

This proved to be our first large scale project to reach fruition and would not have been possible without the assistance of a number of parties, namely:-

Culture Vannin

Isle Of Man Railways

Isle Of Man Steam Railway Supporters' Association

Bushy's Brewert

Department Of Infrastructure