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The Railway Series

Crovan's Gate (commonly referred to as "The Works Station") is a town near a narrow gap in the hills that is the only practicable route into the centre of Sodor from the east. The town's station is the terminus of the Skarloey Railway and the location of the Works, where the engines go to be repaired. The town's motto is "Ave amicos cave hostes", which, translated, means "Welcome, friends; beware, enemies".

History[]

The town is so named because of the narrow pass (Once much narrower than at present, since road and railway builders have enlarged it). This pass has for centuries been the only practicable route from the east into the centre. King Godred Crovan with 300 men held some 4000 Normans at bay here for a day until reinforcements under Jarl Sigmund and Thorkell of Norwich could arrive and occupy the surrounding heights. Then feigning retreat, Crovan lured the Normans through the gap which Sigmund then closed. The Normans were thus pinned down in a narrow space where they had no room to use their superior horsemanship except in trying to escape from what had become a virtual massacre.

Apart from its military importance, Crovan's Gate has been an agricultural market town until in the 18th Century the Crovan's Gate Mining Company made it the headquarters for their copper operations at Ward Fell and in the Skarloey Valley.[1] By 1865, the terminus, sheds and yards for the Skarloey Railway were built here as well as a single platform station.

Nowadays, Skarloey Railway trains use a bay with a run-round loop on the north face of the North Western Railway's eastbound platform. At the platform end the line forks - left to sheds and workshops, right to the Main Line. Mr Roger Sam lived here in a cottage owned by the Railway; the original Manager's House of 1865 having been demolished during "the Lean Years".[2]

In 1915, the NWR established their repair shops here. Since 1925, these shops have been expanded as required until, with the decline of steam on the Mainland, the Works are now equipped with machinery and craftsmen able to tackle any type of steam locomotive overhaul or rebuilding that may be needed.[3] Sir Topham Hatt has been looking into the possibility of manufacturing parts for engines on heritage railways. The Works Diesel later came from here to help James.

Landmarks[]

  • Crovan's Gate Station - the main railway station for the town of Crovan's Gate and the interchange between the North Western Railway and the Skarloey Railway.
  • Crovan's Gate Wharf - exchange sidings for the transhipment of slate from the Skarloey Railway's trucks to those of the North Western Railway.
  • The Thin Controller's House - a house adjacent to Wharf Bridge rented by the Thin Controller, the original having been demolished during the Skarloey Railway's lean years (1920-1950).
  • Crovan's Gate Works - a large railway workshop east of Crovan's Gate station, owned by the North Western Railway.

Appearances[]

Trivia[]

Gallery[]

The Railway Series[]

Main Series[]

Miscellaneous[]

Station Guide[]

Preceding station StationTemplateIconNorth Western Railway Following station
Vicarstown The Main Line Kellsthorpe Road
Terminus Norramby Branch Line Ballahoo
Preceding station StationTemplateIconSkarloey Railway Following station
Terminus Skarloey Railway Cros-ny-Cuirn
Preceding station StationTemplateIconSodor and Mainland Railway Following station
Rolf's Castle Sodor and Mainland Railway Ballahoo

References[]

  1. RWS "The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways" p. 10-11
  2. RWS "The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways" p. 49
  3. RWS "The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways" p. 11



* RWS only | ** T&F only
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