Ramsey Station
Station Name:
Date Opened:
Date Closed:
Lines Served:
Coordinates:
Postal Address:
From Douglas:
Current Status:
Ramsey
23rd Sept. 1879
6th Sept. 1968
North Line
54.322°N 4.387°W
Station Road
16 Miles, 40 Chains
Closed & Lifted
Ramsey Station was built as the headquarters of the Manx Northern Railway Co., Ltd., and served as the terminus of their line to St. John's, being constructed in 1879. The structure here was unique on the railway being of Italianate style and single storey with refreshment room waiting room, booking office, newsstand and office accommodation, a long canopy along the trackside elevation serving the main departure and arrival platform.
A stone-built locomotive shed stood adjacent to this, and a corrugated iron carriage shed as well as a goods shed in the year to the rear of this; a brick built water tower was located outside the locomotive shed and later a bay line added to the southern side of the year, being perennially known as the “new road” for many years. The line stretched out towards Lezayre Station protected by a semaphore signal, all points were operated manually.
An extension along the quayside was also a feature of this station, being a spur connected at the northern extremity of the yard, a cattle dock and loading platform was also provided and saw use until the final days of the railway, the oil tanker trains still serving the site after the station has closed to passengers. The station remained in constant use until this closure, the layout and buildings changing little over many years.
The site was razed to the ground in 1978 and redeveloped as Ramsey Bakery which itself closed its doors for the last time in 2022; there is now nothing in the northern town to remind people of its railway heritage, save for the road still being named Station road and part of a boundary wall surviving. The accompanying selection of images show the general forlorn look the station had for many years, and show it after closure when nature began reclaiming the site.
Station Building | Locomotive Shed | Carriage Shed | Water Tower | Goods Yard | Quayside Tramway
After closure, Ramsey Station seen in 1974 when nature had begun to reclaim the site and it was also used for parking.
No.11 Maitland makes her departure from Ramsey Station in 1968, the final year of passengers operations.
Ramsey Station viewed from the end of he the headshunt in May 1966 during the closure year, captured by Michael Bishop.
The goods yard after closure showing the extent of the yard, note the timber tank atop the water tower, viewed from the yard gates.
The locomotive shed with a locomotive recently arrived in the headshunt; note the brick water tower to the left of the doors.
No.8 Fenella between duties outside the locomotive shed, showing the substantial stone structure to good effect.
No.8 Fenella outside the locomotive shed at Ramsey Station with her train to the right and the carriage shed on the left.
A typical scene at Ramsey Station with the buffer stops for the "new road" on the far right and carriage shed to the left.
Another view from the headshunt after closure showing the line towards Lezayre Station in the distance, locomotive shed on the right.