The Isle of Man!

The Isle of Man Railways:

The Knockaloe Branch

Unlike the better known and documented instances of internment camps on the Isle of Man during the second world war, the island was also used for a large internment camp at Knockaloe, near Patrick, during the first world war. This camp had its own railway branch from the Isle of Man Railway on the outskirts of Peel. Few traces of this remain.

This snippet of an 1924 map shows the branch from its junction with the Douglas-Peel route, near Glenfaba Mills, across the River Neb and southwards toward Patrick. It then turned abruptly westwards to enter Knockaloe internment camp and continued to its terminus where Knockaloe Farm still remains - including an original engine shed, still in use as a barn. On the map, the internment huts are clearly marked - even though the camp had closed by then.
Interestingly, although the line into the camp is not visible on the map, the length of track within the camp is almost as great as that backto the main line!

On the main line, near Glenfaba, is this attractive section by the River Neb. The river course has been changed a little in the last century. This has masked the site of the former junction of the short branch to Patrick and Knockaloe.

This photo, in the Manx Museum in Douglas, shows a loco entering the camp from the main road in Patrick. Opinions differ as to whether there was ever a public halt in Patrick village.

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	This snippet of an 1924 map shows the branch from its junction with the Douglas-Peel route, near Glenfaba Mills, across the River Neb and southwards toward Patrick. It then turned abruptly westwards to enter Knockaloe internment camp and continued to its terminus where Knockaloe Farm still remains - including an original engine shed, still in use as a barn. On the map, the internment huts are clearly marked - even though the camp had closed by then. Interestingly, although the line into the camp is not visible on the map, the length of track within the camp is almost as great as that backto the main line!
	On the main line, near Glenfaba, is this attractive section by the River Neb. The river course has been changed a little in the last century. This has masked the site of the former junction of the short branch to Patrick and Knockaloe.
	This photo, in the Manx Museum in Douglas, shows a loco entering the camp from the main road in Patrick. Opinions differ as to whether there was ever a public halt in Patrick village.
	Page under construction