We're reopening this weekend
29 April 2021
The start of our 125th Anniversary Season!
The volunteers at Groudle Glen Railway are delighted to announce that the railway will reopen for its 125th anniversary year this coming Sunday and Monday; the May bank holiday weekend.
The railway was sadly unable to open for the Easter Bunny Trains for the second year running due to Covid restrictions and there were also major engineering works that had to be completed prior to re-opening, but these have now been completed.
“Our team of volunteers have pulled out all the stops working around the clock over the last couple of weeks to complete the major trackworks in our main station at Lhen Coan,” says Charity Chairman Trevor Nall, “these were essential works and part of our 125th Anniversary Legcay project, but we couldn’t open until all the works were completed… and now after some long days and late evenings down the glen, the railway is ready to run once again”
The railway and the cliff top tea rooms will be open this Sunday and Monday from 11am to 4:30pm offering families from across the island the chance for a day out on one of the Isle of Man’s cherished vintage railways and refreshments in one of the island’s beauty spots following weeks of recent lockdown. The line will then continue with its summer season operating every Sunday between 11am and 4:30pm plus Wednesday evenings from mid June and August from 7pm to 9pm.
On Sunday 23rd May the railway will officially celebrate its 125th Anniversary with a day of celebrations in the glen starting with a ceremony at 11am featuring the line’s original 1896 steam locomotive Sea Lion. Families acorss the island are invited to then take part in a Trainspotting Challenge in order to win an UHDTV generously donated by Waltons before enjoying music at the Cliff Top Tea Rooms from Truman Falls. Tickets are already available online for this special day online at www.ggr.org.uk .
“We are very proud of what has been achieved by our team of volunteers at the railway since restoration began in 1982, “ says Trevor, “however the work goes on and the 125 Legacy Project at Lhen Coan is only partially completed with a new platform & trackwork…a welcome centre and shop is in the planning and will be completed in time to welcome future visitors back to the railway by the end of the season.”
The railway is always looking for new volunteers to join the team to assist in running the line, the tea rooms and other various aspects including painting, catering, joinery, electrics, horticulture, marketing and engineering. If you feel you’d like to do something worthwhile with your Sundays, please get in touch via the website www.ggr.org.uk as you will be made most welcome.
The volunteers at Groudle Glen Railway wish to thank their generous supporters for their continued support of the railway, especially during these recent challenging times; including the Scheinberg family, The Manx Lottery Trust, The Alan Chinery Trust, The Elizabeth Clucas Trust and The Gough Ritchie Charitable Trust.
As the years pass by we notice a steady increase in the interest in our relatively modern locomotives... the 1920s Battery Electric Polar Bear and the 1940s / 1950s diesel locomotives. As volunteers we always look forward to the annual Diesel Electric day which helps kick start the summer season in early May. Our Hudson Hunslet diesel locomotive Walrus of 1952 was missing this year as she is under full rebuild, but her sister Dolphin saw passenger service alongside the Baguley diesel locomotive of 1947 Maltby (known as the Hi-De-Hi locomotive.) Our replica Battery Electric locomotive Polar Bear is always a popular locomotive, especially with her Groudle heritage... and we didn't want to disappoint steam fans, so the day saw Sea Lion operating aswell to offer a two train service passing at the loop and providing a great comparison between the different types of motive power.
Always a great kick start to the season after the long winter months... the welcome arrival of the Easter Bunny at Groudle Glen. The weather played ball for pretty much all of the 2025 event (we'll ignore first thing Monday morning!) Sea Lion and Brown Bear were in service operating an intensive three coach service on both Easter Sunday and Monday between 10am and 4:30pm taking families from the secluded glen, along the line to help spot some of the Easter Bunny's eggs hidden along the line out to Sea Lion Rocks Tea Rooms. Upon arrival the Easter Bunny had chocolate eggs for all the children and had time for everyone to have a souvenir photo taken aswell before enjoying free tea, coffee and orange juice in the cafe with lots of other sumptuous delights on offer. Congratulations to Mat, Zack and Elijah who were picked at random from all the correct entries to win the Easter Egg Hunt prizes which included a £100 voucher from the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, a £100 voucher from Walton's Direct, a £50 Tynwald Mills voucher a big Easter Bunny teddy and a free family pass for the railway for the season. Steam Trains and the tea rooms are now operating every Sunday from 11am to 4:30pm.
Santa paid his annual visit to Groudle Glen Railway in the two weekends prior to Christmas and brought a festive winter wonderland with him with record numbers of families visiting to make magical memories. Sea Lion, Brown Bear and Otter were in service over both weekends, with the new Tinsel Trams operating for the first time this year brining people from Douglas and the free Bus Vannin shuttle bus transporting people to North Pole Halt at Groudle Beach. Also for the first time visitors were able to have their photo taken with Santa's Elves and download it specifically in high quality from a QR code. Hot Chocolate, cookies, tea, coffee, orange juice, mulled punch and mince pies were also available in abundance, but the big man in the red suit was the main attraction and he distributed quality gifts to hundreds of children ahead of the big day. On Boxing Day when the excesses of Christmas were over, hundred of visitors attended the Mince Pie Trains to blow the cobwebs away and enjoy the festive atmosphere when Santa and his team had retired to the North Pole for a rest. The railway now looks ahead to 2025... with tickets being on sale shortly for our popular Easter Bunny Trains and the popular steam teas already available for booking for the 2025 season.
