Lezayre railway station
Encyclopedia
Manx Northern Railway
The Manx Northern Railway was the second common carrier railway built in the Isle of Man. It operated as an independent concern only from 1879 to 1905.- History :...
, later owned and operated by the Isle of Man Railway
Isle of Man Railway
The Isle of Man Railway is a narrow gauge steam-operated railway connecting Douglas with Castletown and Port Erin in the Isle of Man. The line is built to gauge and is long...
; it served the village of the same name in the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
and was an intermediate stopping place on a line that ran between St. John's and the northern town or Ramsey
Ramsey railway station
Ramsey Station was a station on the Manx Northern Railway, later owned and operated by the Isle of Man Railway; it served the town of Ramsey in the Isle of Man and was final stopping place on a line that ran between St...
.
Description and history
Lezayre Station, situated on the outskirts of RamseyRamsey, Isle of Man
Ramsey is a town in the north of the Isle of Man. It is the second largest town on the island after Douglas. Its population is 7,309 according to the 2006 census . It has one of the biggest harbours on the island, and has a prominent derelict pier, called the Queen's Pier. It was formerly one of...
, was opened at the same time as the MNR's St. John's
St. John's railway station
St. John's Railway Station was a station on the Isle of Man Railway, later merging with a neaby station of the Manx Northern Railway; it served the village of St...
to Ramsey
Ramsey railway station
Ramsey Station was a station on the Manx Northern Railway, later owned and operated by the Isle of Man Railway; it served the town of Ramsey in the Isle of Man and was final stopping place on a line that ran between St...
line on . The station was provided with a distinctive sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
building, which was also used by the level crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
keeper. No raised platform or passing loop
Passing loop
A passing loop is a place on a single line railway or tramway, often located at a station, where trains or trams in opposing directions can pass each other. Trains/trams in the same direction can also overtake, providing that the signalling arrangement allows it...
were provided, the track being ballasted up to rail level in a similar fashion to other stations on the line. Goods facilities were minimal, a siding
Rail siding
A siding, in rail terminology, is a low-speed track section distinct from a running line or through route such as a main line or branch line or spur. It may connect to through track or to other sidings at either end...
being provided from 1884 until 1926.
Downgrading
The station was located in an isolated spot and was downgraded to a request stopRequest stop
In public transport, a request stop or flag stop describes a stopping point at which trains or buses stop only on an as-need or request basis; that is, only if there are passengers to be picked up or dropped off. In this way, infrequently used stopping points can be served efficiently.Trains save...
as early as 1908. It was removed from the timetable from 1950 although trains continued to call there and tickets were available. The station was finally closed officially in 1958 although it was still possible to alight there by (unofficial) arrangement with the train crew.
Later Years
Passenger services ceased altogether on , when the whole network closed down. The line and the station were re-opened on under the auspices of the Marquess of AilsaMarquess of Ailsa
Marquess of Ailsa, of the Isle of Ailsa in the County of Ayr, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 10 September 1831 for Archibald Kennedy, 12th Earl of Cassillis. The title Earl of Cassillis had been created in 1509 for the 3rd Lord Kennedy. This title had been...
, but this stay of execution proved to be short-lived when the passenger service was withdrawn for the final time on . The line through the station remained open for a short period to accommodate a freight service of oil tanks until when the Ramsey line was finally closed. The track was lifted in 1974.
After Closure
After the line closed, the station building spent a number of years in a derelictDerelict
Derelict or dereliction commonly refers to:* Abandonment of property, then referred to as a 'derelict'* Derelict , property which has been abandoned and deserted at sea by those who were in charge without any hope of recovering it...
condition, before being fully restored for use as a private dwelling. It was then owned by a local enthusiast who installed a small section of rail to denote the building's origins, the railway having long since disappeared.
Route
See also
- Isle of Man Railway stationsIsle of Man Railway stationsThis article details each of the lines operated by the Isle of Man Railway, including the original line to Peel in the west, opened in 1873, followed by the Port Erin line the following year , as well as the Manx Northern Railway's line between St John's and Ramsey and the Foxdale Railway's line...
- Manx Northern RailwayManx Northern RailwayThe Manx Northern Railway was the second common carrier railway built in the Isle of Man. It operated as an independent concern only from 1879 to 1905.- History :...
- RamseyRamsey, Isle of ManRamsey is a town in the north of the Isle of Man. It is the second largest town on the island after Douglas. Its population is 7,309 according to the 2006 census . It has one of the biggest harbours on the island, and has a prominent derelict pier, called the Queen's Pier. It was formerly one of...
- LezayreLezayreLezayre is a parish in the Sheading of Ayre and lies central and north in the Isle of Man. The parish is bounded by Michael and Ballaugh to the west, Andreas and Bride to the north, the town of Ramsey and the parishes of Lonan and Maughold to the east, and Braddan to the south...