Island Life Magazine Ltd February/March 2008 | Page 39

ISLAND HISTORY
Isle of Wight Central were grouped
together under the unified ownership
of Southern Railway. Following rail
nationalization in 1948, the Island’s
railways transferred to the ownership of
British Railways (Southern Region).
The Island’s popularity as a tourist
resort ensured the continued success of
the rail networks, but competition from
roads, changing patterns of tourism,
reduced freight traffic and the use of
outmoded equipment began taking its toll
on the network. By the 1950s, most of
the island’s lines were waiting to be swept
away under Dr Beeching’s railway closures.
The first line to go was the Ventnor West
to Merstone line, which closed in 1952.
Soon after, the Newport to Freshwater
and the Brading to Bembridge lines
disappeared. The Sandown to Newport
line closed in 1956, and despite much
protest, the Ryde to Cowes line was
closed in 1966, along with the Shanklin to
Ventnor section of the Ryde to Ventnor
line. Most of the other 54 miles of
railway were closed between 1952 and
1966, with the track bed now converted
to cycle ways and footpaths. The heart
of the Island’s network was, of course,
Newport, which was originally serviced by
a number of stations that had gradually
merged into one. Today, however, there
is virtually no trace of the station.
The Ryde to Shanklin line survived, and
in 1966 the steam trains were replaced
when the line was electrified, continuing
to connect rail passengers with the
Wightlink high-speed catamaran service
from Portsmouth Harbour. The line uses
London Transport tube trains built in
the 1920s, the only modern trains able
to run on the island's unique narrow
gauge and navigate the low clearance
of Ryde tunnel. A station built in the
village of Lake between Sandown and
Shanklin opened in 1982, and Smallbrook
Junction was opened in the mid-1990s.
The Island’s rail network is also
preserved by the Isle of Wight Steam
Railway. It is run by steam enthusiasts
who, in 1966, managed to prevent a small,
mile-long, piece of track between Wootton
and Havenstreet from being closed. Trains
began operating in 1971. The railway
has raised funds to restore the Island's
railways to their original glory, and by
1994 it managed to restore the line from
Havenstreet to Smallbrook Junction,
rebuilding Ashey Halt in between.

Island Life - www.isleofwight.net

The Railway is a journey back to the
golden age. The oldest locomotive was
built in 1876 and carriages date back to
1864. All of its carriages and most of
the locomotives have spent much of their
working lives on the Island, having been
lovingly restored to pristine condition.
The railway runs for 5 miles from
Wootton, through Havenstreet and
Ashey, to Smallbrook Junction, which
is the interchange with the electric
trains from Shanklin to Ryde Pier
Head. Havenstreet is the main station,
and if you want to find out a little

life

more about the rich history of steam
travel on the Island, the station’s
Railway Shop is the place to head.

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