Derby Castle Depôt
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Derby Castle Depôt
Kione Art-Hie Chashtal Derby |
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|---|---|
| Manx Electric Railway | |
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| Location | Douglas, Isle Of Man |
| Coordinates | Pole No. 010-013 |
| Platforms | None (Depôt Only) |
| Tracks | Various |
| Construction | |
| Structure type | Various (See Text) |
| Platform levels | Three |
| Parking | Staff Only |
| History | |
| Opened | 1893 |
| Rebuilt | Various (See Text) |
Derby Castle Depôt is the main location of workshops and running sheds of the Manx Electric Railway on the Isle of Man and lies at the northerly end of the promenade at Douglas; it takes its name from the adjoining site which was once home to the Earls of Derby, rulers of the island, and later extended to form an entertainment complex of the same name before being demolished and replaced by the ill-fated Summerland complex in 1968.
The location of the depôt can be seen from across the sweep of Douglas Bay and is marked by a large illuminated sign with the words "Electric Railway" in the cliffs above the sheds. This was reinstated in 1993 as part of the Year Of Railways celebrations marking the line's centenary, previous incarnations having been removed several years previously. The site of today's sign once held a similar illuminated sign which read "M.E.R. For Scenery", and a similar sign denoting the presence of Derby Castle was located on the hillside approximately behind the Strathallan Hotel (now the Terminus Tavern near the station). A Further sign in the same style was erected at the southern end of the White City amusement complex but this was removed in 1985.
Where the depôt lies is a reclaimed site, having once been Port-E-Vada Creek it was filled to make way for the railway in 1892 necessitating major works. Originally the site was home to the power station that created the electricity that powered the line. A pathway runs parallel and then behind the depôt to the headland above, running behind the illuminated signage, offering an impressive birds-eye view of the site.
The shed to the right of the yard was completed in 1998 replacing an original building that had stood since the earliest days of the railway; whilst in a similar style to the original, the current incarnation is a steel clad affair, whereas the original had wooden doors and sides. At the bottom of the yard lie original buildings comprising the workshops and paint shops; to the far left the stone structure is part of the original power station, the tall chimney having long since disappeared.
There was significant alteration to the site in 1988, including the removal of the "bonner siding" that was used initially in connection with the road-rail wagons of the same name, one road connected to the car shed and joiners' shop was lifted, and a new oil and paint store, and new works office were constructed between the two sets of car sheds. The ex-Aachen tramcar that also was stored at this point was destroyed to make way for these modifications. The site office at the mouth of the yard was however retained and is still used for this purpose today, being a characteristic of the site.
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