Balaclava railway station, Jamaica

From the Daily Gleaner of March 24, 1892:[5] The good people of this busy little ... village had donned their holiday attire on Tuesday last [1892-03-15], ... on the occasion of the arrival of the first passenger train, from Kingston, and although the passengers could have been numbered upon the fingers of one hand, they positively beamed upon them, as if extending a hearty, though silent welcome.

There is nothing imposing about the station itself, - it is merely a stucco and wood building, that could be run up in a very short space of time, - but at the first glance it is noticed that it has been constructed with a view to facilitating goods traffic, rather than for the accommodation of passengers.

The better part of the concrete platform is raised on a level with the flooring of the cars, so that as little trouble as possible will be experienced in loading and unloading the goods-vans with merchandise &c. There is a commodious goods repository running parallel with the track, at this point, whilst the part of the platform reserved for passengers is on a level with the rails, necessitating a certain amount of climbing before taking one's seat in the train.

The descent, of some three feet or so, from the goods portion of the platform to the lower level, is not made by steps, but by a somewhat abruptly sloping incline...

After its long and winding course through the parish of Manchester, the railway at this point enters St, Elizabeth, and Balaclava, though but a couple of miles from the imaginary line of demarcation, is an important trade centre in the latter parish...In 1910 the third class fare from Balaclava to Kingston was 5/6 (five shillings and sixpence); first class was about double.