Station Name: CROSBY

 

[Source: Paul Wright]



Date opened: 1.7.1873
Location: West side of the B35
Company on opening: Isle of Man Railway
Date closed to passengers: 7.9.1968
Date closed completely: 7.9.1968
Company on closing: Isle of Man Railway
Present state: Although the station has been demolished the crossing keepers cottage survives as a shelter for walkers on the east side of the level crossing.
County: Isle of Man
OS Grid Ref: SC325793
Date of visit: 21.7.2006

Notes: Crosby Station was one of the original stations on the Isle of Man Railway’s Douglas to Peel line. The station was opened with the line on the 1.7.1873 to serve the nearby village of  Crosby. The Douglas to Peel line was a single track railway but a passing loop was provided at Crosby.

The station was situated on the west side of a level crossing. It was not provided with raised platforms but had a wood and brick building situated on the west bound (Douglas) side of the station. The station was also provided with goods facilities comprising two sidings serving a raised cattle dock and a small goods shed..
 

When the Station opened in 1873 it was served by trains running between Douglas and Peel. At some point after September 1879 some through services from and to the Manx Northern Railways St Johns to Ramsey line operated through the station. In 1905 the Manx Northern Railway was taken over by the Isle of Man
Railway and services operated from Douglas to both Peel and Ramsey on a regular basis.

The Isle of Man Railway remained very busy throughout the first part of the 20th Century especially during the summer months when the island became one big holiday camp. However after the Second World War traffic began to decline but services on the Douglas to Peel and Ramsey lines continued to serve the station until the 13.11.1965 when all of the lines on the Isle of Man Railway system closed due to the condition of the track which had received only minimum maintenance for many years.

A rescue package was put together which saw Crosby station re-open with the line on the 3.5.1967. However financial problems continued to plague the Isle of Man Railway and the Douglas to Peel line closed along with all of its stations on the 7.9.1968. The St Johns to Ramsey line had closed one day earlier.

Various attempts where made to re-open the Douglas to Peel and Ramsey lines but eventually they were sold for scrap and lifted bwetween 1974 - 5. Today the trackbed through Crosby forms part of a long distance footpath and cycleway.

Further reading: Isle of Man Classic Steam by Robert Robotham published by Colourpoint 1998. Old colour photographs of the Isle of Man Railways - ISBN 1 898392 43 9
Douglas to Peel by Tom Heavyside - Middleton Press 2002 - ISBN 978 1 901706 88 8
Isle of Man Railways Vol. 1 Pre 1873 - 1904, Vol 2 1905 - 1994 & Vol. 3 by J I C Boyd - the definitive history of the Isle of Man railways - Oakwood Press.

Click here for a comprehensive list of books, magazines and videos about the Isle of Man railways.

Other web sites: Narrow Gauge Heaven - includes old colour photographs

Click here for a brief history of the Isle of Man Railways

To see other stations on the Douglas - Peel line click on the station name: Quarter Bridge, Braddan Halt, Union Mills, Ballacraine Halt, St. Johns & Peel. See also Knockaloe


Crosby Station looking east in 1927
Copyright photo from John Alsop collection







No. 8 Fenella arrives at Crosby Station with a Douglas - Ramsey train in August 1964
Photo by D J Mitchell copyright Colour-Rail

Looking east towards Crosby Station in September 1966, 10 months after closure
P
hoto by Roger Shimmin

Looking west towards Crosby Station in June 1974
P
hoto by Tim Stevens

The site of Crosby Station looking east in July 2006 - the crossing keepers cottage can be seen beyond the level crossing
P
hoto by Paul Wright






Click on thumbnail to enlarge




 

 

 

[Source: Paul Wright]


Home Page
Last updated: Wednesday, 17-May-2017 09:23:35 CEST
© 1998-2007 Disused Stations