Groudle Glen Railway Isle of Man
Scenes from the Groudle Glen Railway at Groudle, north of Douglas on the Isle of Man. Sea Lion was the only locomotive in operation on the day of visit. Sincere gratitude is extended to the Groudle Glen Railway society for allowing footplate access for the production of this video.
Groudle Glen Railway Gala 2023
Groudle Glen Railway
Gala Day - Heritage Transport Festival
Sunday 30th July 2023
The line which runs uphill to the sea ran a special gala Sunday as part of the Year of Railways 2023 - Heritage Transport Festival on the Isle of Man, with steam, diesel and battery electric locomotives in operation on an intensive two train timetable.
Locomotives in operation:
Sea Lion (W. G. Bagnall Works No. 1484 of 1896)
Brown Bear (built Old Hall Farm, Cumbria in 2019)
Otter (Bagnall's Sipat design built by North Bay Engineering in 2018)
Polar Bear battery loco (replica built by Alan Keef in 2003 on original chassis)
Hunslet Engine Company for Robert Hudson Ltd Dolphin & Walrus (Works no. 4352 & 4353 of 1952)
Baguley Maltby (formley Parracombe, built 1947)
(C) Lee Andrew Davies 2023
Isle of Man Episode 3 (14th July) Groudle Glen and Laxey Mine Railway
It's Day 3 on the Isle of Man and having ticked off the Steam Railway and Manx Electric Railway, it's time for bonus video visiting two other railways on the island! Oh, and there's a small matter of the impressive Laxey Wheel as well to explore!
This is part of the 'All The Stations - Ireland' Kickstarter, thanks to each and everyone of our backers for their support, and for letting us show you the railways of the Isle of Man.
Groudle Glen Narrow Gauge Railway UK. Driver’s View. Isle of Man tourism.
The Isle of Man Groudle Glen Railway. Narrow gauge railway experience at its best. Many thanks to staff for allowing me to record the driver’s eye view on the return trip from Sea Lion Rocks.
For rail fans particularly, the Isle of Man is an absolutely wonderful experience ! ! ! It includes The Isle of Man Steam Railway, the extensive vintage tram network, The Great Laxey Mines Railway, The Horse Drawn Trams in Douglas and the Groudle Glen Railway.
The rebuilding of the Groudle Glen Narrow Gauge Railway has resulted in a magnificent tourist attraction that is a tribute to all the folk that obviously work so hard to make this a continuing success. Remember, when you take your trip, it is absolutely essential that you visit the excellent tea rooms at the end of the line as the scones are fabulous.
If you are visiting the Isle of Man for a few days, I suggest for the duration of your holiday that you buy a “GO CARD”, in advance, from the Isle of Man Tourist Board as it is valid on everything that moves and you can use it as many times as you wish to travel, except taxis. Great, great value as we even used it on the bus from the airport when we arrived !
Below is a list of web pages that you may find useful and narrow gauge rail fans will find the building of the new locomotive “BROWN BEAR” an interesting read. Oh! Just one other thing, do check their timetable carefully before you visit as they don’t run on every day of the week.
The locomotive that is being rebuilt in the workshop at Lhen Coan on the Groudle Glen railway is SEA LION and the twin to POLAR BEAR. This locomotive can be seen on the Amberley Railway at the Amberley Museum and Heritage Centre on the South Coast of England. I have also uploaded a video of this great little railway that you can view.
For the many subscribers from numerous countries around the world that kindly visit my site, I hope that the Isle of Man will now feature in their list of places to visit for narrow gauge enjoyment.
The Irish Contingent Isle of man adventure Part 1 The Groudle Glen Railway
Hi guys, this is part one of a four part series on a group of three volunteers from the Cavan and leitrim railway to the Isle of Man in July 2016. In this video the Groudle Glen Railway features. The line itself is nestled deep within a national park, accessible via tram from Douglas or Laxey, as can be seen the park itself is beautiful.
Motive power comprised resident Bagnall 2-4-0T Sea Lion and visiting sister Polar Bear from Amberley. Was very interesting to see the new build Brown Bear being assembled in the engine sheds.
We all had a fantastic day, with special thanks to Richard and James for being so courteous and all the voluntary staff based there really made our day. We highly recommend anyone to visit the railway, check their website at
Groudle Glen Railway - Eisenbahnen auf der Isle of Man
Seit 1896 dreht die Groudle Glen Railway auf der Isle of Man ihre Runden und begeistert die Besucher.
Die Isle of Man ist nicht nur wegen ihres Motorradrennen bekannt, sondern sie ist auch ein Paradies für Eisenbahnfans. Hier gibt es so einige Eisenbahnen zu entdecken. Lasst ein Abo da, es folgen noch mehr Eisenbahnvideos von der Isle of Man.
Kamera: Michael Franke
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The Groudle Glen Railway has been making its rounds on the Isle of Man since 1896, delighting visitors.
The Isle of Man isn't just known for its motorcycle racing, it's also a rail fanatic's paradise. There are quite a few railways to discover here. Leave a subscription, more Isle of Man railway videos to come.
#groudleglenraylway #ggr #otter
Groudle Glen Railway - 25th September 2022
Filmed on Sunday 25th September 2022 on the Groudle Glen Railway, Isle of Man. The locomotive in use on this day was 0-4-0ST 'Otter'.
A TRIP ON BROWN BEAR LOCOMOTIVE GROUDLE GLEN RAILWAY ISLE OF MAN
I TOOK A TRIP ON THE GROUDLE GLEN RAILWAY IN JUNE 2023, THE LOCOMOTIVE WAS BROWN BEAR AND ENJOYED A NICE CUP OF TEA AT THE SEA LION ROCKS CAFE. ENJOY.
Groudle Glen Railway - Isle of Man - 14th July 2019
Compilation of clips taken from a ride on the Groudle Glen Railway on the Isle of Man. The 2' gauge line used to take vistors to the zoo which was situated where the Sea Lion Rocks Tea Roomsare now.
Clips are: leaving Lhen Coan Station behind 'Sea Lion', passing 'Brown Bear at the mid point, 'Sea Lion' after running round at Sea Lion Rocks, passing 'Otter' on the ways back and running back into Lhen Coan past the engine shed.
Groudle Glen Railway Isle of Man 2019
Groudle Glen Railway this was filmed wednesday 31st July 2019 please like and subscribe
Groudle Glen Railway and Sea Lion Rocks - Isle of Man
The line that goes uphill to the sea! Steam train ride experience from Sea Lion Rocks to Lhen Coan.
Situated in a small picturesque glen, just north of Douglas on the Isle of Man, is the Groudle Glen Railway & the Sea Lion Rocks Tea Rooms, a Manx charity; solely operated by volunteers.
#GroudleGlenRailway #SeaLionRocks #IsleOfMan
July 2019 Travel
Groudle Glen Railway [4K]
A visit to the GGR during our last day on the Island, September 25th 2016. It was a glorious morning to ride this pleasant little line, and as a bonus the unique Steamplex loco was in operation.
Isle of Man by Drone - Groudle
Groudle, a glen on the outskirts of Onchan on the Isle of Man, is formed in a valley leading to the sea at the small port of the same name. It was a remote hamlet boasting only a handful of small cottages until linked to the Manx Electric Railway in 1893, at which time it was developed as a tourist attraction. Originally billed as The Fern Land Of Mona!, the glen was further improved in the late 19th century by the planting of many different types of tree. Whereas most glens are formed naturally, it was a conscious effort by the owners to provide part of the attraction to the Victorian visitor by being able to inspect a wide variety of trees, something which is still evident today. At the beach there were bowling and croquet greens, a mill, crofters' cottages and a bridge accessing the Howstrake Holiday Camp which was on the adjacent headland. At the point where the pack-horse road (now a footpath) crosses the railway line there is an old lime kiln from which the intermediate railway station also takes its name.
At the outer reaches of the glen a small cove was dammed off and a zoo built featuring sea lions and polar bears in 1893 and the remains of this remarkable construction remain in situ today as a testament to the incredible feat of engineering. To serve the zoo, in 1896 the Groudle Glen Railway was constructed over a three-quarter-mile length from the depths of the glen onto the headland. This resulted in the outer station being named Sea Lion Rocks, a name it still carries today. Described since as the Alton Towers of its day, the glen featured many attractions for the discerning Victorian visitor, from a dance floor and bandstand, to fortune tellers, many stalls, a playground, water wheel (known as the Little Isabella, a reference to the world-famous[citation needed] Laxey Wheel which is a short distance away) and the narrow gauge railway. As trends changed, so did the fortunes of the glen and it never really recovered after World War II, with the railway being the sole surviving attraction. The line closed in 1962 and the glen returned to a tranquil footpath for the next twenty years, at which point the railway was restored by volunteers.
Groudle Glen Railway
The glen itself runs from the Whitebridge in Onchan to the sea at Port Groudle and is still open to the public today, although the majority of the attractions, save for the restored railway, have all but disappeared. The water wheel is extant and the old dance floor was replaced in 1993 with a new bandstand structure. The glen has the only natural canyon on the island, the Lhen Coan, which is Manx Gaelic for Lonely Valley (sometimes rendered inaccurately as Lovely Glen, Lonely Glen, Lovely Valley etc.). In the lower (seaward) section of the glen, which is now in private ownership, were lily ponds that the accessed by the public by a series of winding boarded walkways. Having fallen into disrepair for many years, the ponds were substantially refurbished by the Manx Heritage Trust in 1986 which was deemed to be Heritage Year on the island, but since this time the maintenance has not been kept up and the ponds are not easily accessible. The railway still operates in the summer months and now has a visitors centre nearby to the old zoo with tea rooms.
Brown Bear at the Groudle Glen Railway - 18th August 2021
Groudle Glen Railway
Wednesday 18th August 2021
Located on the Isle of Man, between Douglas and Laxey (near Onchan), the Groudle Glen Railway is a 2 foot gauge narrow gauge railway which runs uphill to the sea!
In this visit we see Brown Bear and battery electric Polar Bear hauling the evening services.
The line was originally operated by a Bagnall steam locomotive 'Sea Lion' (seen in the engine shed at the end of the video) built in 1896, joined by a second Bagnall in 1905 'Polar Bear'. 'Polar Bear' is now found at the Amberley Museum in Sussex. 'Brown Bear' was constructed as a new-build locomotive, a replica of 'Polar Bear', and was completed in 2019.
Alongside 'Sea Lion', in the engine shed we see 'Annie' a 1998 built locomotive to a Bagnall design of a locomotive from the Gentle Annie Tramway in New Zealand and 'Otter' built by North Bay Railway Engineering Services in 2018, to the same design as their locomotive 'Georgina'.
The last train of the day was hauled by 'Polar Bear', not the engine now based at Amberley, but a replica on one of the lines 1921 battery locomotives by Alan Keef in 2003.
(C) Lee Andrew Davies 2021
A visit to the Groudle Glen and Railway - 25/06/17
When visiting the Isle of Man it is always a delight to visit the beautiful Groudle Glen which is located about four miles north east of Douglas. Having arrived by electric tram a narrow footpath takes you down into the Glen for a pleasant walk along to the remote railway station named Lhen Coan translated from Manx to English as Lonely Valley. From here a two foot gauge railway runs up a gentle gradient through the woods to the cliff tops and to the headland terminus station at Sea Lion Rocks.
The railway was built was in 1896 but by the mid part of the century the line needed more passenger revenue to justify the cost of keeping it running. Sadly the line closed in 1962. However, twenty years later a devoted group of enthusiast began the task of restoring the line and has now after many years of devoted labour have restored the railway to working order. The line operates during the summer months on Sundays and Wednesday evenings. See website for full details.
Isle of Man by Drone - Groudle
Groudle, a glen on the outskirts of Onchan on the Isle of Man, is formed in a valley leading to the sea at the small port of the same name. It was a remote hamlet boasting only a handful of small cottages until linked to the Manx Electric Railway in 1893, at which time it was developed as a tourist attraction. Originally billed as The Fern Land Of Mona!, the glen was further improved in the late 19th century by the planting of many different types of tree. Whereas most glens are formed naturally, it was a conscious effort by the owners to provide part of the attraction to the Victorian visitor by being able to inspect a wide variety of trees, something which is still evident today. At the beach there were bowling and croquet greens, a mill, crofters' cottages and a bridge accessing the Howstrake Holiday Camp which was on the adjacent headland. At the point where the pack-horse road (now a footpath) crosses the railway line there is an old lime kiln from which the intermediate railway station also takes its name.
At the outer reaches of the glen a small cove was dammed off and a zoo built featuring sea lions and polar bears in 1893 and the remains of this remarkable construction remain in situ today as a testament to the incredible feat of engineering. To serve the zoo, in 1896 the Groudle Glen Railway was constructed over a three-quarter-mile length from the depths of the glen onto the headland. This resulted in the outer station being named Sea Lion Rocks, a name it still carries today. Described since as the Alton Towers of its day, the glen featured many attractions for the discerning Victorian visitor, from a dance floor and bandstand, to fortune tellers, many stalls, a playground, water wheel (known as the Little Isabella, a reference to the world-famous[citation needed] Laxey Wheel which is a short distance away) and the narrow gauge railway. As trends changed, so did the fortunes of the glen and it never really recovered after World War II, with the railway being the sole surviving attraction. The line closed in 1962 and the glen returned to a tranquil footpath for the next twenty years, at which point the railway was restored by volunteers.
Groudle Glen Railway
The glen itself runs from the Whitebridge in Onchan to the sea at Port Groudle and is still open to the public today, although the majority of the attractions, save for the restored railway, have all but disappeared. The water wheel is extant and the old dance floor was replaced in 1993 with a new bandstand structure. The glen has the only natural canyon on the island, the Lhen Coan, which is Manx Gaelic for Lonely Valley (sometimes rendered inaccurately as Lovely Glen, Lonely Glen, Lovely Valley etc.). In the lower (seaward) section of the glen, which is now in private ownership, were lily ponds that the accessed by the public by a series of winding boarded walkways. Having fallen into disrepair for many years, the ponds were substantially refurbished by the Manx Heritage Trust in 1986 which was deemed to be Heritage Year on the island, but since this time the maintenance has not been kept up and the ponds are not easily accessible. The railway still operates in the summer months and now has a visitors centre nearby to the old zoo with tea rooms.
ANWP Rail Preserved Line Visit The Groudle Glen Railway
A visit to the often forgot railway of the isle of mann. Steam to the cliffs in narrow gauge
A return trip on the Groudle Glen Railway in the Isle of Man behind Annie and Sea Lion in July 2000
We see 0-4-2 saddle tank Annie arrive at Llen Coan station with the Jester Express on the 2 foot gauge Groudle Glen Railway in July 2000. 2-4-0 tank Sea Lion is at the rear of the Express. We join the train for a ride to Sea Lion Rocks terminus with a stop on the way at Lime Kiln Halt. After a short break to view the remains of the former zoo we rejoin the train and return to Llen Coan station where our journey ends.
Sea Lion Rocks And The Groudle Glen Railway
Sea Lion Rocks is a coastal location on the Isle of Man. It is reached by the volunteer-run Groudle Glen Railway from Lhen Coan station which is in the Groudle Glen (a wonderful woodland pathway along a small stream).
Groudle is easily reached from Douglas, Isle of Man by the Manx Electric Railway.
In the right weather the Sea Lion Rocks tea room is a most wonderful place to visit. It sits in an elevated exposed location very close to a rocky coastline with fantastic views of the sea. It is possible to enjoy these views from the outside tables (whilst enjoying afternoon tea) or if the wind is a little cool then visitors can sit inside the tea room building.
Part of the railway journey is through woodland and the rest is close to the cliff edge from where it is possible to see the sea and some secluded bays which look as if they have sandy beaches.
The walk through the Groudle Glen is also to be recommended. Note however that if approaching the railway from Groudle the need to negotiate steps means that people who use wheelchairs are unlikely to be able to manage without assistance.
The Groudle Glen Railway has a website at
I will admit to never having heard of this railway until I was told about it when on a Manx Electric Railway train that was travelling towards Groudle. Having visited it and the tea room I very much recommend it as a wonderful way to spend half a day. (You can spend less time but it would be a shame to rush a visit). I also went for a short walk along a coastal path and sat down on the rocks to relax in the sea air - whilst eating a locally made chocolate ice cream!
Note that this railway has very restricted opening hours - the website has full details. The weblink is:
The Groudle Glen Railway -- 16/07/14
The Groudle Glen Railway is a 2 ft narrow gauge railway north of Douglas in the Isle of Man which is owned and operated by a small group of enthusiastic volunteers and operates on summer Sundays; May to September and Wednesday evenings in July and August along with a number of annual special events.
These pictures record our visit to this lovely little line on Wednesday evening 16th July 2014.