As part of their ongoing commitment to improving the visitor experience at the station, the Friends Of... volunteer group have redecorated the historic waiting room at the station.  The work has been carried out by J.P. Bridson Decorators and represents an investment of over £1,200.o0 into the room.

This work complements the new stove which was installed last year by the Friends Of... at the same time as reinstating the open fire in the office; in addition to the decorating, many of the historical displays have also been updated and revamped in keeping with the period style of the room.

The waiting room was sealed and used as a permanent way store for many years, and was reopened as part of the extensive 1994 refurbishment works around the entire site which saw the canopy removed, decorative fascia boards added and many other works around the site including paving and fencing.

Historical inf0rmation panels now give details of the Royal Train in August of 1972, the 150th Anniversary celebrations back in 2024 which saw the unveiling of a blue heritage plaque, as well as a wealth of historical photographs and captions from our extensive archive going back many years complete with captioning.

The look of the room is completed with a hearth rug, and various other displays including a set of crockery from the railway-owned pleasure grounds at Glen Wyllin which have been donated to us.  Over the winter a new storage cabinet will also be installed to keep literature and display the visitors book.

Above the fireplace is a painting which was donated earlier in the year in memory of the late Tony Beard by his wife Lynda to commemorate the sixtieth anniversary of the Isle of Man Steam Railway Supporters' Association earlier in the year, complete with commemorative plaque.