Buildings
The main station building is late Victorian and is approached via a grand archway at the end of Athol Street with two gilt-topped turrets and station clock tower, between which a set of steps descending to the station. An entrance at the bottom of the hill avoids the steps and provides vehicular access. The booking hall (1901) now also houses a restaurant, installed during extensive interior works in 1991. Management offices in the remaining portion of the building were relocated following the completion of Transport Headquarters at the other end of the yard and named Banks Circus in 1999 and since this time fell into disrepair but in January 2011 a restoration scheme was announced which will see extensive renovation of the building, including major works on the roof and restoration of the interior. The adjacent office building (1889) is now home to the island's Customs & Revenue department but was originally built as the railway's administrative offices, station bar, and directors' offices. In the peak of the railway's activity the main station building was home to the station masters' and porters' offices (the latter of which is now the station masters' office) as well as storage space for many millions of card tickets and stored railway records. Upper floors were added to the office area in 1979 at which time some of the administrative staff were also relocated to this building.
Read more about this topic: Douglas Railway Station
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