St John's railway station

The station began life in 1873 as the penultimate stop on the Peel Line, the island's first passenger railway line; it consisted of a simple wooden waiting shelter with accommodation for the station master, and a passing loop. This layout remained until the arrival of the new line from the north in 1879 when a second station was established, later merging with the existing one.

The station was the hub of the island's railway network, where the lines to Douglas, Peel, Ramsey and Foxdale met. There were three stations within the area (see below) but only the original 1873 station serving the Peel line remained in use until the closure of this part of the network, with the Foxdale line station remaining in a derelict condition until the closure of the network. The station gained the nickname "The Manx Crewe" owing to the amount of traffic.

Born 2 November 1897, for many years the station master was George Albert Crellin, a well-known figure on the railway who latterly bought and lived with his wife Olga Evelyn Crellin (née Leece), in the original station house for the Foxdale line, which ceased to be used after the amalgamation. He features on many later photographs of the station and was a helpful figure who used to travel to the small signal cabin, or more accurately, point box, on his bicycle. He was the last station master, retiring in the final year, 1968. In retirement he still had an active involvement with the railway until his death on 24 February 1974

No. 11 Maitland (1967)

The station often had busy periods, and was the hub of the railway network, although workshop and maintenance facilities were at Douglas Station. Services from Douglas to Ramsey and Peel often arrived as a single train, which was divided at the eastern end of the station prior to entering the station for passengers to board and alight. Two locomotives would often double head this far, the first (or "pilot" locomotive) drawing forward into the platform whilst the second drew its portion forward onto the relevant platform, and the pilot then ran back to collect its coaches. Douglas services from Peel and Ramsey were often scheduled to join at the station. Thus all three platform faces could be occupied at the same time. Prior to 1940 trains also served Foxdale, but a separate station served this line. The busiest day was Tynwald Day, when it was common to see the majority of the railway's rolling stock in service bringing passengers to the outdoor parliament ceremony, which took place a short walk from the station. For this occasion the railway operated a special unique timetable: trains often ran from dawn until well after midnight to cope with demand, and train movements were frequent throughout the day. It was common for all carriages to be in use and not unheard of for passengers to travel in open cattle vans and wagons and withdrawn carriages. Since closure the station site has been used for car parking for the ceremony.

From March 1925 (1925-03), the station was the site of the sole turntable on the network. It was purchased from the West Clare Railway in Ireland, after that company had been unable to accept delivery from the manufacturers Ransomes & Rapier Ltd of Ipswich. It was used to turn carriages to equalise weathering and wheel wear and tear. Use for turning of locomotives was not documented, and they usually ran "bunker first" towards Douglas. In the earliest years of the railway locomotives were turned to be chimney first towards Douglas if outstationed at Peel, Port Erin or Ramsey, but this practice was abandoned in the early years of the twentieth century. The turntable was removed in 1961 and stored at Douglas with the intention of using it to turn the recently acquired diesel railcars. This scheme never came to fruition and the turntable was moved to Ballasalla Station in 1974 and scrapped shortly thereafter. When the Marquess of Ailsa took over the line in 1967 a display of disused locomotives was created at the station. After services ceased in 1968 the carriage shed was used to store surplus rolling stock which was moved back to Douglas for use on the south line as required. In 1975 there were two disastrous fires in the shed, and much historic stock was lost. After this the site was used for storing rails as the track was dismantled, and cleared by the late 1970s to become a car park. There was a gravel siding at one time at the eastern end of the station beyond the Foxdale line overbridge, which used temporary Jubilee rail and operated on 2' 0" gauge independently of the railway, although a siding to access this was installed.

A new primary school has been built on the site, opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 2003, but the site remains accessible for a train should the services be reintroduced. The station would have to be downsized and/or relocated.

• Isle of Man Railway stations
• St John's, Isle of Man

• "St. John's station (IMR) on the Subterranea Britannica Disused Stations website".
• "St. John's station (MNR) on the Subterranea Britannica Disused Stations website".
• Heavyside, Tom (August 2004). Narrow Gauge Branch Lines Douglas to Ramsey. Middleton Press. ISBN 1-904474-39-X.