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Busy Cliff Top Concerts
14 August 2023
The sun shines for a day of music concerts
Despite the changeable weather recently, Groudle was lucky last Sunday (13th August) as the sun had his hat on!
We were treated to glorious sunny weather along with a full day of open-air concerts at Sea Lion Rocks.
Sea Lion and Otter were both in service all day, "topping & tailing" three bogie coaches with trains packed with families, visitors and locals alike to enjoy the concerts in this unique location.
Performances took place all day at Sea Lion Rocks station from 11am to 4:30pm from Matt Creer, Mine's a Shanty, Ellan Vannin Pipes and Drums, Rushen Silver Band and The Shenanigans Banned.
It was great to see so many people visiting.
The railway and tea rooms are now open on Wednesday evenings 7pm - 9pm alongside the Manx Electric Railway shuttle services until the end of August and Sundays 11am to 4:30pm until the end of October.
Our next special event is the Steam Gala day - Sunday 17th September and tickets are already available online for our new 'Not So Scary' Hop tu Naa trains at the end of October.
For the second year running families turned out in their hundreds to enjoy the family friendly spooky atmosphere at Groudle over the weekend. Sea Lion & Otter were in service hauling busy trains from Broomstick Halt where passengers had been met by Mr Pumpkin, a spooky trip through the glen passing some of our cheerful ghoulish friends then arriving at Witches Hollow. As well as the warm and spooktacular atmosphere, families visited Jinny the Witch in her lair to receive a frightfully fun gift, enjoyed sweets from her friends and refreshments including hot chocolate with cream and marsh mellows and spooky doughnuts! Our thanks to not only everyone who visited us, but also the volunteers who helped make the event so special and for the support of Bus Vannin for the provision of the shuttle bus to the railway. Next stop....CHRISTMAS!
The weather eventually played ball for our September Steam Gala as the day started damp and overcast, but by midday the sun was thankfully shining and the railway was very busy with all three steam locomotives in service with two trains passing at the headland loop. Visitors relished the opportunity to see all three locomotives; Sea Lion, Brown Bear and Otter in service together all day operating an intensive service. Sunday services now continuing into October. Our next special event is the Hop Tu Naa Trains at the end of October which is booking only. Tickets available online.
We are lost for words for just how well received our Cliff Top Concerts event was this year. Considering 2024 has not been the best of summers on the Isle of Man weather wise, the sun certainly shone on Groudle for this year's event. It was a day of wall to wall sunshine and people flocked to the cliff tops at Sea Lion Rocks to enjoy the free concerts from some of the island's most talented musicians. This year they were treated to performances from Callum Rowe, Mine's a Shanty, Biskee Brisht, The Reveilettes and our traditional finale group; The Shenannigans Band. A three coach shuttle service was operated with Sea Lion and Brown Bear topping and tailing the service all day.
