Howstrake Camp halt: Difference between revisions

Howstrake Camp

*Campal Howstrake*
Howstrake Camp; Campal Howstrake
The Manx Electric Railway Co., Ltd.
General information
Coordinates	54.171560°N 4.425486°W; Pole No. 087-088
Owned by	Isle of Man Government; Department of Infrastructure
Platforms	Ground Level
Tracks	Two Running Lines
Construction
Structure type	Stone Shelter
History
Opened	1893

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Revision as of 21:58, 6 September 2024

Howstrake Camp halt (Manx: Stadd Campal Howstrake) (occasionally "Howstrake Holiday Camp station") is a stop on the Manx Electric Railway on the Isle of Man located at the line's first summit on the climb from the terminus, before descending into the nearby valley.

Usage

The station was established upon creation of the adjacent camp and was used almost exclusively in conjunction with these facilities, from which it gained its name; access was via a tunnel through the remaining ornamental gates on the landward side which also featured a toll booth for entrance, long since demolished, accessing the camp via a similar booth. Despite the closure of the camp in 1985, it remains a functioning request tram stop today. It also retains its original stone-built waiting shelter albeit in a poor state of repair, which has its name painted on the wall facing the tramway and bears the legend "Howstrake Holiday Camp Station" along its roof line, albeit very faded. The building has been in a poor state of repair for a number of years and is now fenced-off. Originally the building was erected by and maintained by the owners of the holiday camp, it is one of the most exposed locations on the tramway for a stopping place and is on a tight curve and steep gradient which makes for the familiar "squeal" of wheels from passing tramcars.

Today

The station has remained nominally open, since the closure of the adjacent holiday camp in 1985, but facilities have not been maintained on site for many years. After part of the roof collapsed, the station building was closed and fenced-off around 2015 and remains so today (2024). Tramcars do still stop here but only on request of passengers, or by flagging down a passing car to board. Being situated on an exposed coastal headland the shelter formerly provided welcome respite for walkers, the coastal road being a popular walk. The camp itself is in private ownership and has been in a state of dereliction for many years with some chalet buildings and outdoor swimming pool still extant, the faded wording (inset) which is visible from sea denoting the name of the camp remains visible on the rear of the shelter. Whilst it does not appear on the timetable in common with many other wayside halts, it remains served by the tramway today on a request basis.

Locality

The shelter, left, and one of the winter saloons passing.

Today the area is in a state of decay as can be seen from the dilapidated state of this once-grand entrance area. The station is something of an oddity, being that the shelter is on the "wrong side" compared to the entrance gates meaning that the road must be crossed between the two when there is in fact sufficient land for the shelter on the railway side of the road which is taken up by large entrance gates; upon first glance these gates appear to lead nowhere, but they actually once led to a tunnel which was the official entrance to the camp proper, located on the rocks below the tramlines, and the entrance point to the tunnel can be seen from the passing trams a few yards further down the line, noted by a substantial stone wall to the left of the running lines. The tunnel had however been sealed off since the closure of the camp, but the small toll cottage can still be made out in the undergrowth on the other side of the line. The hillside which dominates the site above is home to the golf links of the same name, more latterly re-branded as King Edward Bay Golf Course.

Camp

Holiday camp

The camp itself sprawled across the hillside overlooking the Groudle Glen Railway on the adjacent hillside and some of the chalets remain today; the area is private property but reasonable views of it can be achieved from the outer terminus of the aforementioned railway, and some information about the site is also available here. A private pathway and bridge led down to Groudle Beach below for bathing purposes, remnants of the derelict bridge remain on the beach today.

Mixed sexes

The camp was first developed as a male-only tented village with all accommodation being in the form of distinctive looking bell tents. In the late 19th century it caused scandal by becoming the first camp on the island available to both sexes and it was operated by the same company that ran the enormously successful Cunningham's Camp in Douglas some four miles away. Latterly it was a seasonal affair and after a fire ripped through the main dining hall in 1985 it closed.

War use

During the Second World War the camp was used as a music school by the Royal Naval School of Music before returning to holiday use upon cessation of the hostilities.

Route

Preceding station		Manx Electric Railway		Following station
Far End		Douglas - Ramsey		Groudle Lane

References

Mike Goodwyn (1993). Manx Electric. Platform Five. ISBN 978-1-872524-52-8.
Keith Pearson (1992). 100 Years Of Manx Electric Railway. Leading Edge. ISBN 0-948135-38-7.
Robert Hendry (1978). Manx Electric Album. Hillside Publishing. ISBN 0-9505933-0-3.
Norman Jones (1994). Isle Of Man Tramways. Foxline Publishing. ISBN 1-870119-32-0.

Sources

Manx Electric Railway Stopping Places (2002) Manx Electric Railway Society
Island Images: Manx Electric Railway Pages (2003) Jon Wornham
Official Tourist Department Page (2009) Isle Of Man Heritage Railways

54°10′18″N 4°25′32″W / 54.171560°N 4.425486°W / 54.171560; -4.425486

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|Railway station in Isle of Man, the UK}}
+{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2017}}
+{{Use British English|date=May 2017}}
 {{Infobox station
+| line =
- | line          = [[File:MER CO.jpg|thumb|center]]
- | name          = Howstrake Camp Halt<br>''Staad Howstrake Campal''
+| name = Howstrake Camp
+| native_name_lang = gv
- | type          = [[Manx Electric Railway]]
- | image         = MER-Howstrake-Camp.jpg
+| native_name = ''Campal Howstrake''
+| type = [[Manx Electric Railway|The Manx Electric Railway Co., Ltd.]]
- | image_size    =
+| image = MER-Howstrake-Camp.jpg
- | image_caption =
+| image_caption =
- | address       =
+| address =
- | coordinates   = Pole No. 087-088
+| coordinates = 54.171560°N 4.425486°W<br>Pole No. 087-088
- | line          =
- | other         =
+| other =
- | structure     = Stone Shelter
+| structure = Stone Shelter
- | platform      = Ground Level
+| platform = Ground Level
- | depth         =
+| depth =
- | levels        =
+| levels =
- | tracks        = Two Running Lines
+| tracks = Two Running Lines
- | parking       = Non Available
+| parking =
- | manned        = No
+| opened = 1893
- | opened        = 1893
+| pass_year =
- | baggage_check =
+| pass_percent =
+| pass_system =
- | Stop          = By Request
- | pass_year     =
+| closed =
- | pass_percent  =
+| rebuilt =
- | pass_system   =
+| accessible =
- | closed        =
+| code =
+| owned = [[Isle of Man Government]]<br>[[Department of Infrastructure (Isle of Man)|Department of Infrastructure]]
- | rebuilt       =
+| zone =
- | ADA           =
+| former =
- | code          =
+| services =
- | owned         = [[Manx Electric Railway|Isle Of Man Heritage Railways]]
+| mpassengers =
- | zone          =
- | former        = [[Manx Electric Railway|Manx Electric Railway Co., Ltd.]]
- | services      =
- | mpassengers   =
 }}
-[[File:MER-Crest.jpg|thumb||left]]
-'''Howstrake Camp''' (occasionally "Howstrake Holiday Camp Station", with or without the station suffix) is a stop on the [[Manx Electric Railway]] on the [[Isle of Man]] located at the line's first summit on the climb from the terminus, before descending into the nearby valley.
+'''Howstrake Camp halt''' ([[Manx language|Manx]]: ''Stadd Campal Howstrake'') (occasionally "Howstrake Holiday Camp station") is a stop on the [[Manx Electric Railway]] on the [[Isle of Man]] located at the line's first summit on the climb from the terminus, before descending into the nearby valley.
 ==Usage==
+[[File:Howstrake - Isle of Man - geograph.org.uk - 31742.jpg|thumb|left|One of the tramway's  four [[Manx Electric Cars 19-22|winter saloons]] hauling a trailer and heading south passing the site of the halt]]
-The station was used almost exclusively in conjunction with the nearby holiday camp from which it gained its name and despite the closure of the camp in 1985 remains open as a functioning request tram stop today.  It also retains its original stone-built waiting shelter albeit in a poor state of repair, which has its name painted on the rear wall facing out to sea and bears the legend "Howstrake Holiday Camp Station" along its roof line.  The building has been in a poor state of repair for a number of years.  Originally the building was erected by and maintained by the owners of the holiday camp.
+The station was established upon creation of the adjacent camp and was used almost exclusively in conjunction with these facilities, from which it gained its name; access was via a tunnel through the remaining ornamental gates on the landward side which also featured a toll booth for entrance, long since demolished, accessing the camp via a similar booth. Despite the closure of the camp in 1985, it remains a functioning request tram stop today.  It also retains its original stone-built waiting shelter albeit in a poor state of repair, which has its name painted on the wall facing the tramway and bears the legend "Howstrake Holiday Camp Station" along its roof line, albeit very faded.  The building has been in a poor state of repair for a number of years and is now fenced-off.  Originally the building was erected by and maintained by the owners of the holiday camp, it is one of the most exposed locations on the tramway for a stopping place and is on a tight curve and steep gradient which makes for the familiar "squeal" of wheels from passing tramcars.
 ==Today==
+[[File:Rear of the tram shelter at Howstrake - geograph.org.uk - 1727887.jpg|thumb|right]]
-The station has remained nominally open in recent times since the closure of the adjacent holiday camp but facilities have not been maintained on site for many years. Tramcars do still stop here but only on request of passengers, or by flagging down a passing car to board. Being situated on an exposed coastal headland the shelter now provides welcome respite for walkers, the coastal road being a popular walk.
+The station has remained nominally open, since the closure of the adjacent holiday camp in 1985, but facilities have not been maintained on site for many years. After part of the roof collapsed, the station building was closed and fenced-off around 2015 and remains so today (2024). Tramcars do still stop here but only on request of passengers, or by flagging down a passing car to board. Being situated on an exposed coastal headland the shelter formerly provided welcome respite for walkers, the coastal road being a popular walk. The camp itself is in private ownership and has been in a state of dereliction for many years with some chalet buildings and outdoor swimming pool still extant, the faded wording (inset) which is visible from sea denoting the name of the camp remains visible on the rear of the shelter. Whilst it does not appear on the timetable in common with many other wayside halts, it remains served by the tramway today on a request basis.
 ==Locality==
-[[File:Hows-tram.jpg|thumb|left|Shelter (Left) & Tram (Right)]]
+[[File:Hows-tram.jpg|thumb|left|The shelter, left, and one of the [[Manx Electric Cars 19-22|winter saloons]] passing.]]
-Today the area is in a state of decay as can be seen from the dilapidated state of this once-grand entrance area. The station is something of an oddity, being that the shelter is on the "wrong side" compared to the entrance gates meaning that the road must be crossed between the two when there is in fact sufficient land for the shelter on the railway side of the road which is taken up by large entrance gates; upon first glance these gates appear to lead nowhere, but they actually once led to an underground tunnel which was the official entrance to the camp proper, located on the rocks below the tramlines, and the entrance point to the tunnel can be seen from the passing trams a few yards further down the line, noted by a substantial stone wall to the left of the running lines. The tunnel had however been sealed off since the closure of the camp, but the small toll cottage can still be made out in the undergrowth on the other side of the line.
+Today the area is in a state of decay as can be seen from the dilapidated state of this once-grand entrance area. The station is something of an oddity, being that the shelter is on the "wrong side" compared to the entrance gates meaning that the road must be crossed between the two when there is in fact sufficient land for the shelter on the railway side of the road which is taken up by large entrance gates; upon first glance these gates appear to lead nowhere, but they actually once led to a tunnel which was the official entrance to the camp proper, located on the rocks below the tramlines, and the entrance point to the tunnel can be seen from the passing trams a few yards further down the line, noted by a substantial stone wall to the left of the running lines. The tunnel had however been sealed off since the closure of the camp, but the small toll cottage can still be made out in the undergrowth on the other side of the line. The hillside which dominates the site above is home to the golf links of the same name, more latterly re-branded as King Edward Bay Golf Course.
-==Holiday Camp==
+==Camp==
+[[File:MER-hows-camp.jpg|thumb|right|Derelict chalets at the camp after its closure, many of which have since been demolished, only a handful of the more modern chalets remain on the site today and have been in disrepair for many years.]]
-[[File:MER-hows-camp.jpg|thumb|right|After Closure]]
-The camp itself sprawled across the hillside overlooking the [[Groudle Glen Railway]] on the adjacent hillside and some of the chalets remain today; the area is private property but reasonable views of it can be achieved from the outer terminus of the aforementioned railway, and some information about the site is also available here.  The camp was first developed as a male-only tented village with all accommodation being in the form of distinctive looking bell tents. In the late 19th century it caused scandal by becoming the first camp on the island available to both sexes and it was operated by the same company that ran the enormously successful [[Cunningham's Camp]] in [[Douglas, Isle of Man|Douglas]] some four miles away. During the [[Second World War]] the camp was used as a music school by the [[Royal Naval School of Music]] before returning to holiday use upon cessation of the hostilities.  Latterly it was a seasonal affair and after a fire ripped through the main dining hall in 1985 it closed.
+===Holiday camp===
+The camp itself sprawled across the hillside overlooking the [[Groudle Glen Railway]] on the adjacent hillside and some of the chalets remain today; the area is private property but reasonable views of it can be achieved from the outer terminus of the aforementioned railway, and some information about the site is also available here.  A private pathway and bridge led down to Groudle Beach below for bathing purposes, remnants of the derelict bridge remain on the beach today.
+===Mixed sexes===
+The camp was first developed as a male-only tented village with all accommodation being in the form of distinctive looking bell tents. In the late 19th century it caused scandal by becoming the first camp on the island available to both sexes and it was operated by the same company that ran the enormously successful ''Cunningham's Camp'' in [[Douglas, Isle of Man|Douglas]] some four miles away. Latterly it was a seasonal affair and after a fire ripped through the main dining hall in 1985 it closed.
+===War use===
+During the [[Second World War]] the camp was used as a music school by the [[Royal Naval School of Music]] before returning to holiday use upon cessation of the hostilities.
 ==Route==
 {{s-start}}
 {{s-rail|title=Manx Electric Railway}}
-{{rail line|previous=[[Far End Halt|Far End]]|next=[[Groudle Lane Halt|Groudle Lane]]|route=[[Manx Electric Railway|Douglas - Ramsey]]|col=E2725B}}
+{{rail line|previous=[[Far End Halt|Far End]]|next=[[Groudle Lane halt|Groudle Lane]]|route=[[Manx Electric Railway|Douglas - Ramsey]]|col=E2725B}}
 {{s-end}}
-==Also==
+==See also==
-[[Manx Electric Railway stations|Manx Electric Railway Stations]]
+[[Manx Electric Railway stations]]
 ==References==
@@ Line 67: / Line 76: @@
 ==Sources==
-* [http://www.mers.org.im/merstoppingplaces.htm Manx Electric Railway Stopping Places] (2002) Manx Electric Railway Society
+* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080916212555/http://www.mers.org.im/merstoppingplaces.htm Manx Electric Railway Stopping Places] (2002) Manx Electric Railway Society
 * [http://www.island-images.co.uk/Rail/MER/zElectric.html Island Images: Manx Electric Railway Pages] (2003) Jon Wornham
-* [http://www.gov.im/tourism/attractions/railways/electric_attract.xml Official Tourist Department Page] (2009) Isle Of Man Heritage Railways
+* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090707011008/http://www.gov.im/tourism/attractions/railways/electric_attract.xml Official Tourist Department Page] (2009) Isle Of Man Heritage Railways
-{{Coord|54|10|18|N|4|25|35|W|type:railwaystation_region:IM|display=title}}
+{{Coord|54.171560|N|4.425486|W|type:railwaystation_region:IM|display=title}}
-[[Category:Railway stations in the Isle of Man]]
+[[Category:Railway stations in the Isle of Man opened in 1893]]
 [[Category:Manx Electric Railway]]