Port Erin railway museum
| Raad-Yairn Vannin Thie Tashtee | |
 |
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| Established | 23 August 1975 |
|---|---|
| Location | Station Road, Port Erin, Rushen, Isle of Man, IM9 2RR |
| Coordinates |
Ordnance Survey National Grid 54.085°N 4.758°W |
| Type |
Railway Museum History Museum |
| Accreditation | Recommended Attraction www.visitisleofman.com |
| Key holdings |
No. 6 Peveril No. 16 Mannin |
| Collections | Various Contributors (Railway Company, Donations) |
| Visitors | Annually c.25,000 (Based On 2015 Figures) |
| Director | Ian Longworth Director of Public Transport |
| Owner |
Isle of Man Government Department of Infrastructure |
| Website | http://www.rail.im |
The Isle of Man Railway Museum in the village of Port Erin in the Isle of Man is a small display that shows the history of the Isle of Man Railway through exhibits and visual displays which chart the history of the railway from its opening in 1873 until the present day, covering the now-closed lines that served Peel, Ramsey and Foxdale as well as the remaining line to Port Erin to which it forms part of the southern terminus.
The museum was first opened in 1975 when the Isle of Man Road Services (a subsidiary of the railway company) relocated to their new garage which is still extant today at the foot of the main platform. At this time the railway only operated between Port Erin and Castletown in an experimental season attempting to reduce running costs; the following year services were extended to Ballasalla before finally returning to Douglas in 1977 since when the full line has operated. The building, consisted of metal frame and asbestos cladding and for this reason was extensively rebuilt in 1999, since which time it has included a souvenir shop which is housed in the former goods shed; prior to this, the locomotives were kept overnight in this goods shed, the original locomotive shed being used only to store unservicable locomotives; when the museum was modified the locomotive shed returned to its original use and the goods shed converted into a shop area with new porch added.
The museum is situated beside the Port Erin railway station which is the southern terminus of the railway, on Station Road in the village, on its junction with Strand Road which leads to the beach. The original entrance was situated on the corner of these two roads, latterly made into a public seating area. The main exhibition hall is housed in a converted bus garage that once belonged to Isle of Man Road Services, itself a division of the old railway company which was nationalised in 1976. Since the museum was extensively rebuilt in 1998-1999 part of the old goods shed has been incorporated into the complex, the other locomotive shed still being used as a workshop to maintain the locomotives and for overnight storage purposes. The museum is accessible from the station platform off the train, or by car parking in the nearby car park.
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Wikipedia