Peel Road (Poortown)
Station Name:
Date Opened:
Date(s) Closed:
Lines Served:
Coordinates:
From St. John's:
Current Status:
Peel Road
28th June 1883
2nd June 1952
North Line
54.215°N 4.660°W
1 Mile, 20 Chains
Closed & Lifted
Above: the structure at Peel Road was unique on the north line and featured an office for the station master, ladies room and general waiting room; later a lean-to was added on the northern elevation (right) and extensions to the rear; it was of timber construction with a corrugated iron roof similar to the structures on the south line but of a different style and size. It was destroyed by controlld fire in 1975.
(Photo: I.o.M.S.R.S.A.)
This was the first intermediate stopping point on the north line out of St. John's and opened in June 1883, originally being named Poortown and serving the small hamlet of that name which lies on the outskirts Peel. By 1885 it was appearing in timetables as Peel Road. It remained a manned station as late as 1951, after which it became an unmanned request stop and the station itself closed.
It was accessed by a sloped path from the nearby road and at its northern extremity stands an overbridge carrying this road which remains in place today. There was a low level platform which again remains in situ to this day and a grounded brake van body from E.X was placed here for use as a store room, lasting until the railway's final days of operation.
The station was still open as a request stop in the final season of 1968 after which it fell into disrepair and was destroyed by controlled fire by railway staff during the lifting in 1975. Today the site is a footpath and the Supporters’ Association erected a replica running in board here to denote the site as a former station in September 2023.
Station Building | Half-Height Platform | Goods Store | Overbridge | Quarry Siding
The station building in July 1969 after the last trains had passed still looking reasonable presentable in latter days.
Looking north in August 1938 when the station was still staffed and looking very presentable, evidently freshly repainted.
The replica running in board at Peel Road Station erected by Association volunteers in September of 2023.
The station and platform during the closure year in October 1966 with the entrance path denoted by a white fence to the right.
The view from the road bridge in April 1967 shortly before the trains on the reopened railway passed through in a few short weeks.
Work in progress in September 2023 by Association volunteers installing the replica running in board on the platform.
The end of the platform and overbridge in July 1969 with the brake van body used as a store just discernible to the left of the portal.
The cleared platform edge and the overbridge seen in February 2020 shortly after these works had been completed by volunteers.
The completed replica running in board erected by Association volunteers in September of 2023 on the site of the original.