Foxdale Railway
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Coordinates: 54°12′04″N 4°38′20″W / 54.201°N 4.639°W The Foxdale Railway was a 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge branch line which ran from St. John's to Foxdale on the Isle of Man.
The line was officially opened by the Foxdale Railway Company Ltd. (registered on 16 November 1882) on 16 August 1886 allowing rail access to the lead mining workings around the village of Foxdale. The company had close ties to the Manx Northern Railway (MNR), many of whose directors were also on the board of the smaller company. The line was leased from the outset by the MNR.
Shortly after the line had opened, the lead mining industry started to decline and in July 1891 the Foxdale company went into liquidation. The fortunes of the MNR were closely tied to the Foxdale line due to the terms of the lease being favourable to the smaller concern. Much of the MNR's freight revenue originated in Foxdale, with loaded wagons of lead being transported to the harbour in Ramsey and coal and mine supplies ferried back to the mines.
The MNR operated the line on behalf of the liquidators until, following an investigation by a Tynwald committee, the Isle of Man Railway (IMR) took over all operations on the MNR including the Foxdale line on 26 February 1904. The IMR was then authorised to purchase both the MNR and the Foxdale line a few months later on 19 April 1905.
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