Groudle Glen marks 125th anniversary
HUNDREDS of well-wishers turned out when the Groudle Glen Railway staged a ceremony on May 23 to mark 125 years to the exact day that it opened.
The 2ft gauge line was opened in 1896 following the completion of the Manx Electric Railway, running threequarters of a mile from the upper part of the glen, Lhen Coan, to a zoo at Sea Lion Rocks.
It closed in 1962 but the Isle of Man Steam Railway Supporters' Association launched a plan to restore the line, reopening a short first section in December 1983, with the final stretch reopening on July 23, 1992.
The Isle of Man's Lieutenant Governor, Sir Richard Gozney, said the longevity of the railway was “quite something” and the dedication of the volunteers was “admirable”. Also in attendance were the railway's patrons, Steve Rodan OBE, the president on Tynwald, and Charles Guard OBE, and other distinguished guests.
During the day, passengers were able to ride behind the line's original locomotive, Bagnall 2-4-0T No. 1484 of 1896, Sea Lion, which itself is celebrating its 125th birthday this year.
Railway chairman Trevor Nall said the line had been popular during the pandemic, having attracted around 55,000 visitors last Christmas, and support from local residents remained strong, but that lockdown restrictions had impacted on some planned refurbishment works ahead of the anniversary, with plans to replace a shop building at Lhen Coan Station having to be delayed until later this year.