| Lime Kiln Halt Staad Aiee Eayil Groudle Glen Railway |
|
|---|---|
| Station statistics | |
| Address | Groudle, Isle of Man |
| Structure | Wooden Shelters |
| Platforms | Ground Level |
| Tracks | One Running Line |
| Parking | None |
| Other information | |
| Opened | 1983 |
| Owned by | I.o.M.S.R.S.A. |
Lime Kiln Halt is the only intermediate railway station on the narrow gauge Groudle Glen Railway in the Isle of Man; it also serves as the line's temporary terminus on certain occasions. It is situated at the mid-point of the short line, above the nearby beach and car park.
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The halt is so named owing to the close proximity of a lime kiln, along the course of the old pack-horse road which now forms part of the Raad Ny Foillan, the island's coastal footpath. The station area is demarkated by a section of white picket fencing and features waiting shelters but no raised platform, the railway's coaches are of a low enough floor level to facilitate access from ground level. The station became official when sign boards were erected denoting its status during 1986 when the restored railway was officially opened.
The area was never a station in the days of the original railway, as the line ran from end to end with no intermediate stopping places; it was borne out of necessity, being the spot where tracklaying by the Isle of Man Steam Railway Supporters' Association commenced in 1982 and being a station by default. For the first year or so trains only operated between this point and the headland, a few hundred yards seaward. When track laying extended into the glen section, reaching Lhen Coan in 1986, Lime Kiln Halt was still retained owing to its ease of access from the nearby car park.
The first structure placed on the site was a portion of porch from an old cottage named "Myrtle Cottage" so that was the coloquial name given to the hut; when this was replaced in 1992 its replacement was of plywood structure and gained the nickname "Myrtle II". This too was replaced in 2001 by a much wider and shallower structure which remains on site today, gaining the "III" suffix. In addition to this there is an ex-Bus Vannin shelter donated by Isle Of Man Heritage Railways at the seaward end of the platform and this was installed in 2007. Above the station site are two old shipping containers which are used to store the railway's non-rail vehicles, a digger and dumper truck, as well as various miscellaneous items.
In conjunction with the railway's Santa Trains each December the station is re-named North Pole Halt and is transformed into a waiting area, serving as the line's temporary terminus for the running days (the inclement weather ensuring that the headland section is not viable for use). Festoon lighting is erected, and a large temporary canopy provided as shelter for passengers, and the area suitably fenced to provide a queuing area for waiting passengers. So, despite being one of the quietest stations on the island generally, for four days each December it is transformed into one of the island's busiest.
The station can be accessed by foot, climbing the footpath from the nearby Groudle Beach or from above, using the old pack-horse road which now provides limited vehicular access for the railway's staff, largely for delivery purposes. Other than this, rail access is the easiest way to reach the station, by informing the train guard of your intentions. The area is also used in the winter months as a drop-off point for the ballast deliveries to the railway and a pick-up point for distribution of this ballast used in connection with track relays on the line.
| Preceding station | Groudle Glen Railway | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lhen Coan | I.o.M.S.R.S.A. | Headland Station |