Colby Station
Station Name:
Date Opened:
Date(s) Closed:
Lines Served:
Coordinates:
Postal Address:
From Douglas:
Current Status:
Colby
2nd August 1874
15th November 1965
Port Erin (South Line)
54°05′40″N 4°42′15″W
Station Road, Colby
13 Miles, 0 Chains
Open Seasonally (Unmanned)
Above: the 1874 building at Colby Station was of a similar design to that which remains extant at Santon Station today with a slightly different arrangement of the roof above the office window incorporating a clock which was smaller; it was removed in 1980 and later replaced with the shelter from Braddan Station on the Peel Line in 1988.
(Photo: I.o.M.S.R.S.A.)
Serving the village of the same name, this was established as a crossing place for the opening of the south line in 1874 and had a timber third class station similar to that which remains at Santon Station today, there also being one at Ballasalla Station until 1985. The example at Colby was removed in 1980 and the station left with no passenger accommodation until 1988 when the refurbished building from Braddan Station was erected here. The long passing loop is retained today, but the two goods sidings were lifted in 1974, one of which served a small goods platform which was home to a grounded brake van body (from E.) the base for this remains extant.
The station now has an automated level crossing at its northern end, installed in 2013 as the latest new crossing and serving the access road to the new Colby Football Club and campsite beyond the station; this is activated by the train crews. For many years the station has been without semaphore signals and is rarely used to cross trains; ususally photographic charters use the loop line, when two members of staff man the station, one on each set of points acting as flagmen in lieu of signals. Visibility from the southern approach is excellent as there is a long straight section to Kentraugh and beyond The Level.
Stations along the line were all fitted with bilingual running in boards from 2008 but those at Colby retain the single name, there being no Manx translation of the word; similarly those at Port Soderick were different, there being only one letter difference (Port/Purt) though these have been updated since then. The other exceptions are those at Castletown Station which have been replicated in an accurate period style without the Manx (Balley Cashtal) and Ballabeg, which similarly has a more traditional single language board since works were carried out by Association volunteers in 2021, this is in an effort to maintain a period feel. When originally installed, the former Braddan shelter had the running in board mounted on its roof, this has since been removed. The two full-height platforms were installed in 2001 but the seaward side is rarely used.
Two Full-Height Platform / Waiting Shelter / Pedestrian Crossing