Quarterbridge
Quarterbridge Crossing was the first major crossing point of the Isle of Man Railway's first line to Peel and was opened in 1873, closing in 1968 with the rest of the line.[1]
History
A gated railway crossing and a keeper's lodge was built at the Quarterbridge near the confluence of the River Dhoo and River Glass in the town of Douglas in the Isle of Man for the opening of the first passenger narrow-gauge (3 ft) railway in 1873.[2] The approach to the Quarterbridge (1 mile) from Douglas Terminus was by an 86 ft lattice girder bridge across the River Glass which replaced an earlier structure in 1902 at this point.[3] The Douglas to Peel railway line crosses the A5 New Castletown Road at the Quarterbridge and follows the River Dhoo and a gradient of 1/105 for a short distance. The railway line at this point runs parallel to the A1 Douglas to Peel road which is part of the Snaefell Mountain Course used for the Isle of Man TT and Manx Grand Prix Races. Requests for the Isle of Man Railway Company for the building of a small halt at the Quarterbridge to be called Spring Valley[4] never came to fruition. A small halt and cattle bank existed during the 1920s used for agricultural shows held at the nearby Kirby House Estate. A small siding was built on the eastern-side of the Quarterbridge crossing in the 1930s for the development of the King Edward Park and this Belle Vue Siding existed for the period 1935-1941. The Douglas to Peel railway closed in 1968 and the railway line lifted during the period 1975-76. During the 1980s the railway line between the Quarterbridge and Braddan Bridge was tarmacked and became an access-road for the Isle of Man TT Races.
Railway route
| Preceding station | Disused railways | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braddan Halt towards Peel |
Isle of Man Railway Peel Line |
Douglas terminus | ||
Sources
- ↑ The British Narrow Gauge Railway No 2. The Isle of Man Railway by J.I.C.Boyde pp17 (1973)(Third Edition) Oakwood Press The Campfield Press
- ↑ The British Narrow Gauge Railway No 2c - The Isle of Man Railway Volume III An Outline History of the Isle of Man Railway by James I.C.Boyde pp22 (1996)(1st Edition) The Oakwood Press ISBN0 85361 479
- ↑ The British Narrow Gauge Railway No 2a - The Isle of Man Railway Volume I An Outline History of the Isle of Man Railway by James I.C.Boyde pp244 (1993)(1st Edition) The Oakwood Press ISBN 0-85361-444-X
- ↑ The British Narrow Gauge Railway No 2a - The Isle of Man Railway Volume I An Outline History of the Isle of Man Railway by James I.C.Boyde pp135 (1993)(1st Edition) The Oakwood Press ISBN 0-85361-444-X