The completion of 30 years’ restoration work to Groudle Glen Railway was celebrated with the official opening of the refurbished Sea Lion Rocks terminus by Chief Minister Allan Bell MHK on Sunday May 27.

Guests, including descendants of Richard Maltby Broadbent who built the line in 1896, gathered in warm sunshine outside the new terminus, which features a tea room, visitor centre and museum, to be welcomed by Groudle Glen Railway chairman Trevor Nall.

Mr Nall said there had been a time when the line, once acknowledged as ‘the smallest passenger railway in the world’, had been ‘consigned to the history books’ after falling into decline in the 1960s. He said refurbishing the terminus had been a six-year volunteer project successfully completed thanks to local support and generous sponsorship from businesses and private individuals that would provide the railway the means ‘to realise its full potential.’

Before unveiling a plaque to commemorate the event the Chief Minister remarked that the restoration of the Groudle Glen Railway represented ‘the fulfilment of many people’s dreams’. Mr Bell said that the line had once been ‘one of the jewels in the crown of the Island’s tourism in days gone by.’ He went on to praise the volunteers and local community for working together selflessly to bring about the renovation which was testimony to the Isle of Man’s ‘strong sense of community’ and he extended his thanks to the sponsors, drawn from a broad cross section of local businesses, whose generosity had helped saved the line for future generations.

The opening ceremony marked the culmination of a day of celebrations at the railway, during which visitors had been able to travel on the line at 1982 prices as a gesture of thanks from the volunteers to the community for their support and goodwill over the past three decades.

The Groudle Glen Railway is a Manx-registered charity maintained and operated by volunteers. Restoration work to the line continues. To find out more, visit www.ggr.org.uk.

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