Beach & Caves

Although largely derelict today, this resort was once a hugely popular destination for tourists and was served not only by the I.M.R., but also by the Douglas Head Marine Drive & Electric Tramway which was built specifically for the purpose, closing in 1939.  In addition to these rail-based lines there were ferry boats, char-a-bancs and it was popular to walk along the Marine Drive and travel back by rail or sea.

Development

So popular was the place that the station boasted, until recently, the only full-height platform at an intermediate station on the south line other than Port St. Mary which, at the time of installation, was intended as the southern terminus.  The magnificent station house was built in the early days of the railway company and remained in their ownership until nationalisation when it was sold.   It remained in a derelict state in the 1980s, until renovation.  It has been the home of racing driver Alex Lloyd among others. It is an imposing large structure, but the railway’s accommodation is now compromised of two wooden shelters on each platform.

Accident

On 19th May 2008 there was an incident at the station involved a van and oncoming train which resulted in a collision of the two. The matter was widely reported in the media but as the train was travelling no faster than 5 miles per hour no injuries were sustained. There was however much damage to the Vauxhall van and remedial damage to the wooden buffer beam of the 1874-built locomotive that was involved. The incident was attended by local emergency services but train operations were continued later in the same day; a health and safety report has since been commissioned into the incident.

Today

In 2002 all stations received platforms at the same time as much of the line’s infrastructure was replaced.  The little-used passing loop at this station received another (seldom used) full-height platform on the "down" side, together with waiting shelters, indicative of the management policy to provide passenger facilities at each station, seemingly regardless of how well patronised the stations were. To the south of the station is a private miniature railway which is visible from the land side of the passing train.  For the start of the 2008 season the station was adorned with new bi-lingual station nameboards; differing from all other stations on the line insofar as one side (the "up" platform) has the name in English, and the other (the "down" platform, which is rarely used) is in Manx, stating "Purt" as opposed to "Port"; the nameboards feature a yellowy-cream lettering with black shadowing on a maroon coloured back board, the now-standard livery of station nameboards on the line.