Isle of Wight Railway
Encyclopedia
The Isle of Wight Railway (IWR) was a railway company on the Isle of Wight
, United Kingdom
. The company owned 14 miles of railway line and its headquarters were at Sandown
. The company began operations in 1864 and was merged into the Southern Railway
in 1923.
and to operate passenger and freight services on them. The company was incorporated by an Act of Parliament on 23 July 1860, and opened its first route, what is now known as the Island Line
, on 23 August 1864. It was therefore the second railway company to begin operations on the island, as the Isle of Wight Central Railway
(IWCR) opened its line from Cowes
to Newport
in June 1862.
The IWR main line was extended from Shanklin
to Ventnor
in October 1866, and an additional branch line
from Brading
to Bembridge
was opened in May 1882. This branch followed the River Yar
as far as the village of St Helens. From here it went along the harbour causeway to its final stop in Bembridge. Turntables at Bembridge and St Helens allowed the direction of the small tank engine to be reversed.
When complete, the IWR's network had a total length of 14 miles (22.5 km) south of Ryde (St John's) station
.
and Sandown
towards Newport, which provided connections with the IWR's services.
An additional 0.75 miles (1.2 km) of line from the IWR's northern terminus at St John's Road to Ryde Esplanade
had opened in April 1880, with the final 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) from there to Ryde Pier Head
following in July. This section through Ryde and along Ryde Pier
was built and owned jointly by the London and South Western Railway
and the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
(LB&SCR). However, trains along the line were operated for them by the IWR and IWCR.
In 1884, the Isle of Wight Marine Transit Company started a rail freight ferry link between the Bembridge branch line at St Helens
quay and the Hayling Island Branch line at Langstone
. To provide this link the rail ferry PS Carrier was moved from Scotland. The project was unsuccessful and the service ended in 1888, despite having been acquired by the LB&SCR in 1886.
For the railway opening in 1864 the railway ordered 24 passenger carriages, four of which had brake compartments, and 30 open wagons from the 'Oldbury Carriage and Wagon company'. In 1865 the railway ordered 10 more wagons and bought two carriages from the Ryde Pier Company. In 1872 a luggage van was also added to the stock, being numbered 27. In 1873 five thirds were ordered. This being followed by three seconds in 1875 and another luggage van in 1876. In 1882 two composites and four seconds were ordered, the last 'new' carriages bought for the railway. In 1885 three carriages were bought from Oldbury which were originally built for the Golden Valley Railway in 1881 but returned due to the lack of money. These were two saloons one first
the other second and the third a brake van. Between 1897 and 1898 the IWR purchased 10 North London Railway
carriages. Six were first
and four second. The firsts
entered service as a first (which was later downgraded to a composite), a composite and four seconds. Of the NLR carriages bought as seconds three became thirds while the fourth and two Oldbury carriages were rebuilt at Ryde to passenger luggage vans. The carriages now numbered 55 but a number of the 1864-76 built Oldbury carriages and the Ex Golden Valley brake van were withdrawn in 1914 with the introduction of 18 Ex Metropolitan Railway
carriages. Two more were withdrawn in 1920 with the remaining 49 lasting to grouping in 1923. There were 221 goods vehicles lasting to grouping in 1923.
From Grouping in 1923 until electrification of the remaining line in 1967, trains on the island's rail network were operated by the former Southern Railway
's fleet of steam locomotives and antique carriages, many of which survive at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway
. Most of these locomotives came from mainland railway companies, especially the London & South Western Railway and London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
.
Only one of the Isle of Wight Railway's carriages is in use on the island as of March 2009. Ex-North London Railway No. 46 was built as a 4-compartment first class
carriage around 1864. It was purchased by the IWR in December 1897 although it did not arrive until the following year. One compartment was downgraded to third class for its IWR service. The 4-wheel, second-hand and composite
nature of the vehicle was typical of the coaches used by the railway.
the new Southern Railway
took over all railways on the Isle of Wight
. The IWR became part of the Southern on 1 January 1923. During the 20th century the main line was increased to double track between Brading
and Sandown
.
Despite the Island's popularity as a holiday resort after World War II
, British Railways closed the Bembridge
branch in the 1950s and the Shanklin
- Ventnor
part of the IWR main line in 1966.
The line from Ryde
to Shanklin
was electrified in 1967. In 1987 a new station was opened at Lake. It is between Sandown and Shanklin, on the site of a halt that existed earlier in the 20th century. In 1991 another new station was opened at Smallbrook Junction. It provides a connection with the Isle of Wight Steam Railway
, a heritage line
operating part of the former IWCR between Smallbrook Junction and Wootton.
Passenger services on the surviving part of the IWR is now operated by Island Line Trains. There are no regular freight trains on the line.
The following former-Isle of Wight Railway stations are no longer in use:
For a list of all closed stations on the island, see :Category:Disused railway stations on the Isle of Wight.
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The company owned 14 miles of railway line and its headquarters were at Sandown
Sandown
Sandown is a seaside resort town and civil parish on the southeast coast of the Isle of Wight, England, neighbouring the town of Shanklin to the south. Sandown Bay is the name of the bay off the English Channel which both towns share, and it is notable for its long stretch of easily accessible...
. The company began operations in 1864 and was merged into the Southern Railway
Southern Railway (Great Britain)
The Southern Railway was a British railway company established in the 1923 Grouping. It linked London with the Channel ports, South West England, South coast resorts and Kent...
in 1923.
Routes
The IWR was a company which existed primarily to own railway lines on the Isle of WightIsle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
and to operate passenger and freight services on them. The company was incorporated by an Act of Parliament on 23 July 1860, and opened its first route, what is now known as the Island Line
Island Line, Isle of Wight
The Island Line is a railway line on the Isle of Wight, running some from Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin down the eastern side of the island. The line was electrified in 1967. Trains connect with passenger ferries to Portsmouth Harbour at Ryde Pier Head, and these ferries in turn connect with the...
, on 23 August 1864. It was therefore the second railway company to begin operations on the island, as the Isle of Wight Central Railway
Isle of Wight Central Railway
The Isle of Wight Central Railway was a railway company on the Isle of Wight, United Kingdom. At its peak the company owned 21½ miles of railway line, and it also operated trains on some additional lines it did not own. Trains were first run on what became its lines in 1862, although the company...
(IWCR) opened its line from Cowes
Cowes
Cowes is an English seaport town and civil parish on the Isle of Wight. Cowes is located on the west bank of the estuary of the River Medina facing the smaller town of East Cowes on the east Bank...
to Newport
Newport, Isle of Wight
Newport is a civil parish and a county town of the Isle of Wight, an island off the south coast of England. Newport has a population of 23,957 according to the 2001 census...
in June 1862.
The IWR main line was extended from Shanklin
Shanklin railway station
Shanklin railway station is a railway station serving Shanklin on the Isle of Wight. It is the present terminus of the Island Line from Ryde, although the line used to run to Ventnor. The station now has one platform with a ticket office and a small shop with the second platform now in use as a...
to Ventnor
Ventnor railway station
Ventnor railway station was the terminus of the Isle of Wight Railway line from Ryde.The station lay on a ledge above sea level which had to be quarried into the hill side. The station was immediately outside a long tunnel through St. Boniface Down. A lack of space meant that a turntable was...
in October 1866, and an additional branch line
Branch line
A branch line is a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line...
from Brading
Brading
The ancient 'Kynges Towne' of Brading is the main town of the civil parish of the same name. The ecclesiastical parish of Brading used to cover about a tenth of the Isle of Wight. The current civil parish now includes the town itself and Adgestone, Morton, Nunwell and other outlying areas between...
to Bembridge
Bembridge
Bembridge is an affluent village and civil parish located on the easternmost point of the Isle of Wight. It had a population of 3,848 according to the 2001 census of the United Kingdom, leading to claims by residents that Bembridge is the largest village in England, and occasional claims that it is...
was opened in May 1882. This branch followed the River Yar
Eastern Yar
The River Yar on the Isle of Wight, England, rises in a chalk coomb in St. Catherine's Down near Niton, close to the southern point of the island...
as far as the village of St Helens. From here it went along the harbour causeway to its final stop in Bembridge. Turntables at Bembridge and St Helens allowed the direction of the small tank engine to be reversed.
When complete, the IWR's network had a total length of 14 miles (22.5 km) south of Ryde (St John's) station
Ryde St John's Road railway station
Ryde St John's Road is a railway station on the Island Line, and serves the town of Ryde, Isle of Wight. The station is south of Ryde Pier Head—the Island Line's northern terminus. When the station opened in 1864, it was known as Ryde railway station, as it was the northern terminus of the...
.
Connections
In 1875, the IWCR opened lines from Smallbrook JunctionSmallbrook Junction railway station
Smallbrook Junction railway station is a railway station on the Isle of Wight, England. It is unusual because it has no public access but exists purely to provide a connection between two rail systems....
and Sandown
Sandown railway station
Sandown railway station is a railway station serving Sandown on the Isle of Wight. It is located on the Island Line from Ryde to Shanklin.- History :...
towards Newport, which provided connections with the IWR's services.
An additional 0.75 miles (1.2 km) of line from the IWR's northern terminus at St John's Road to Ryde Esplanade
Ryde Esplanade railway station
Ryde Transport Interchange or Gateway serves the town of Ryde, Isle of Wight, England.The interchange consists of Ryde Esplanade railway station on the Island Line, the connected bus station and taxi ranks, and the nearby Hoverport. The existing facilities were due to be rebuilt from October 2007...
had opened in April 1880, with the final 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) from there to Ryde Pier Head
Ryde Pier Head railway station
Ryde Pier Head railway station is one of three stations in the town of Ryde on the Isle of Wight. Situated at the end of the town's pier, it is adjacent to the terminal for the Wightlink fast catamaran service connecting the island with Portsmouth on the UK mainland...
following in July. This section through Ryde and along Ryde Pier
Ryde Pier
Ryde Pier is an early 19th century pier serving the town of Ryde, on the Isle of Wight, off the south coast of England.- Before the pier :Before the pier was built, passengers to Ryde had the uncomfortable experience of coming ashore on the back of a porter and then, depending on the state of the...
was built and owned jointly by the London and South Western Railway
London and South Western Railway
The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in...
and the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1846 to 1922. Its territory formed a rough triangle, with London at its apex, practically the whole coastline of Sussex as its base, and a large part of Surrey...
(LB&SCR). However, trains along the line were operated for them by the IWR and IWCR.
In 1884, the Isle of Wight Marine Transit Company started a rail freight ferry link between the Bembridge branch line at St Helens
St Helens, Isle of Wight
St. Helens is a village and civil parish located on the eastern side of the Isle of Wight. The village is based around village greens. This is claimed to be the largest in England but some say the Village Green is the second largest. The greens are often used for cricket matches during the summer...
quay and the Hayling Island Branch line at Langstone
Langstone
Langstone is a village near Havant, Hampshire in the south east of England, between Portsmouth and Chichester. It has good railway connections to London, Southampton, Portsmouth and Brighton, from the nearby Havant railway station. There are many large gated detached houses on the main road,...
. To provide this link the rail ferry PS Carrier was moved from Scotland. The project was unsuccessful and the service ended in 1888, despite having been acquired by the LB&SCR in 1886.
Services
This was the most successful railway company on the Isle of Wight, with heavy summer passenger traffic from the mainland. Special express trains were run from Ryde to Ventnor in order to transport arriving patients of the Royal National Hospital for Diseases of the Chest. The railway also carried significant freight traffic, particularly to the large harbour at Bembridge and coal merchants in the caves at Ventnor.Rolling stock
The Isle of Wight Railway ordered a fleet of standardized tank engines from Beyer Peacock, of which none now remain.For the railway opening in 1864 the railway ordered 24 passenger carriages, four of which had brake compartments, and 30 open wagons from the 'Oldbury Carriage and Wagon company'. In 1865 the railway ordered 10 more wagons and bought two carriages from the Ryde Pier Company. In 1872 a luggage van was also added to the stock, being numbered 27. In 1873 five thirds were ordered. This being followed by three seconds in 1875 and another luggage van in 1876. In 1882 two composites and four seconds were ordered, the last 'new' carriages bought for the railway. In 1885 three carriages were bought from Oldbury which were originally built for the Golden Valley Railway in 1881 but returned due to the lack of money. These were two saloons one first
First class travel
First class is the most luxurious class of accommodation on a train, passenger ship, airplane, or other conveyance. It is usually much more expensive than business class and economy class, and offers the best amenities.-Aviation:...
the other second and the third a brake van. Between 1897 and 1898 the IWR purchased 10 North London Railway
North London Railway
The North London Railway was a railway company that opened lines connecting the north of London to the East and West India Docks. The main east to west route is now part the North London Line. Other lines operated by the company fell into disuse, but were later revived as part of the Docklands...
carriages. Six were first
First class travel
First class is the most luxurious class of accommodation on a train, passenger ship, airplane, or other conveyance. It is usually much more expensive than business class and economy class, and offers the best amenities.-Aviation:...
and four second. The firsts
First class travel
First class is the most luxurious class of accommodation on a train, passenger ship, airplane, or other conveyance. It is usually much more expensive than business class and economy class, and offers the best amenities.-Aviation:...
entered service as a first (which was later downgraded to a composite), a composite and four seconds. Of the NLR carriages bought as seconds three became thirds while the fourth and two Oldbury carriages were rebuilt at Ryde to passenger luggage vans. The carriages now numbered 55 but a number of the 1864-76 built Oldbury carriages and the Ex Golden Valley brake van were withdrawn in 1914 with the introduction of 18 Ex Metropolitan Railway
Metropolitan railway
Metropolitan Railway can refer to:* Metropolitan line, part of the London Underground* Metropolitan Railway, the first underground railway to be built in London...
carriages. Two more were withdrawn in 1920 with the remaining 49 lasting to grouping in 1923. There were 221 goods vehicles lasting to grouping in 1923.
From Grouping in 1923 until electrification of the remaining line in 1967, trains on the island's rail network were operated by the former Southern Railway
Southern Railway (Great Britain)
The Southern Railway was a British railway company established in the 1923 Grouping. It linked London with the Channel ports, South West England, South coast resorts and Kent...
's fleet of steam locomotives and antique carriages, many of which survive at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway
Isle of Wight Steam Railway
The Isle of Wight Steam Railway is a heritage railway on the Isle of Wight. The railway passes through 5½ miles of unspoiled countryside from to station, passing through the small village of Havenstreet, where the line has a station, headquarters and a depot...
. Most of these locomotives came from mainland railway companies, especially the London & South Western Railway and London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1846 to 1922. Its territory formed a rough triangle, with London at its apex, practically the whole coastline of Sussex as its base, and a large part of Surrey...
.
Only one of the Isle of Wight Railway's carriages is in use on the island as of March 2009. Ex-North London Railway No. 46 was built as a 4-compartment first class
First class travel
First class is the most luxurious class of accommodation on a train, passenger ship, airplane, or other conveyance. It is usually much more expensive than business class and economy class, and offers the best amenities.-Aviation:...
carriage around 1864. It was purchased by the IWR in December 1897 although it did not arrive until the following year. One compartment was downgraded to third class for its IWR service. The 4-wheel, second-hand and composite
British Rail coach designations
The London, Midland and Scottish Railway and the London and North Eastern Railway both developed a system of identifying railway carriages by means of alphabetic codes...
nature of the vehicle was typical of the coaches used by the railway.
Merge into Southern Railway
Under the Railways Act 1921Railways Act 1921
The Railways Act 1921, also known as the Grouping Act, was an enactment by the British government of David Lloyd George intended to stem the losses being made by many of the country's 120 railway companies, move the railways away from internal competition, and to retain some of the benefits which...
the new Southern Railway
Southern Railway (Great Britain)
The Southern Railway was a British railway company established in the 1923 Grouping. It linked London with the Channel ports, South West England, South coast resorts and Kent...
took over all railways on the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
. The IWR became part of the Southern on 1 January 1923. During the 20th century the main line was increased to double track between Brading
Brading
The ancient 'Kynges Towne' of Brading is the main town of the civil parish of the same name. The ecclesiastical parish of Brading used to cover about a tenth of the Isle of Wight. The current civil parish now includes the town itself and Adgestone, Morton, Nunwell and other outlying areas between...
and Sandown
Sandown
Sandown is a seaside resort town and civil parish on the southeast coast of the Isle of Wight, England, neighbouring the town of Shanklin to the south. Sandown Bay is the name of the bay off the English Channel which both towns share, and it is notable for its long stretch of easily accessible...
.
Despite the Island's popularity as a holiday resort after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, British Railways closed the Bembridge
Bembridge
Bembridge is an affluent village and civil parish located on the easternmost point of the Isle of Wight. It had a population of 3,848 according to the 2001 census of the United Kingdom, leading to claims by residents that Bembridge is the largest village in England, and occasional claims that it is...
branch in the 1950s and the Shanklin
Shanklin
Shanklin is a popular seaside resort and civil parish on the Isle of Wight, England, located on the east coast's Sandown Bay. The sandy beach, its Old Village and a wooded ravine, Shanklin Chine, are its main attractions. The esplanade along the beach is occupied by hotels and restaurants for the...
- Ventnor
Ventnor
Ventnor is a seaside resort and civil parish established in the Victorian era on the south coast of the Isle of Wight, England. It lies underneath St Boniface Down , and is built on steep slopes and cliffs leading down to the sea...
part of the IWR main line in 1966.
The line from Ryde
Ryde
Ryde is a British seaside town, civil parish and the most populous town and urban area on the Isle of Wight, with a population of approximately 30,000. It is situated on the north-east coast. The town grew in size as a seaside resort following the joining of the villages of Upper Ryde and Lower...
to Shanklin
Shanklin
Shanklin is a popular seaside resort and civil parish on the Isle of Wight, England, located on the east coast's Sandown Bay. The sandy beach, its Old Village and a wooded ravine, Shanklin Chine, are its main attractions. The esplanade along the beach is occupied by hotels and restaurants for the...
was electrified in 1967. In 1987 a new station was opened at Lake. It is between Sandown and Shanklin, on the site of a halt that existed earlier in the 20th century. In 1991 another new station was opened at Smallbrook Junction. It provides a connection with the Isle of Wight Steam Railway
Isle of Wight Steam Railway
The Isle of Wight Steam Railway is a heritage railway on the Isle of Wight. The railway passes through 5½ miles of unspoiled countryside from to station, passing through the small village of Havenstreet, where the line has a station, headquarters and a depot...
, a heritage line
Heritage railway
thumb|right|the Historical [[Khyber train safari|Khyber Railway]] goes through the [[Khyber Pass]], [[Pakistan]]A heritage railway , preserved railway , tourist railway , or tourist railroad is a railway that is run as a tourist attraction, in some cases by volunteers, and...
operating part of the former IWCR between Smallbrook Junction and Wootton.
Passenger services on the surviving part of the IWR is now operated by Island Line Trains. There are no regular freight trains on the line.
Closed stations
- Bembridge railway stationBembridge railway stationBembridge was the terminus of the 2¾ mile branch line that connected it to the main line at Brading. On holiday Saturdays the sector table revolved continuously because the station area was too small to contain points. Opened in 1882, when the area contained the Island's main port, it ran with...
- St Helens railway stationSt Helens (Isle of Wight) railway stationSt Helen's with its single platform was the only intermediate stop on the branch line that connected Brading to the coast at Bembridge. Opened in 1882, when the area was the Island's main port, it ran with ever dwindling passengers until 1953...
- Ventnor railway stationVentnor railway stationVentnor railway station was the terminus of the Isle of Wight Railway line from Ryde.The station lay on a ledge above sea level which had to be quarried into the hill side. The station was immediately outside a long tunnel through St. Boniface Down. A lack of space meant that a turntable was...
- Wroxall railway stationWroxall railway stationWroxall railway station was an intermediate station on the Isle of Wight Railway line from Ryde, situated between Shanklin and Ventnor with an upland situation...
For a list of all closed stations on the island, see :Category:Disused railway stations on the Isle of Wight.
See also
- Railways on the Isle of WightRailways on the Isle of WightThere once existed a 55½ mile network of railway lines on the Isle of Wight. They were opened by several companies between 1862 and 1901, and all but the 8½ mile-long Island Line closed between 1952 and 1966. A further 5½ miles have reopened as the Isle of Wight Steam Railway.- Early beginnings...
- Isle of Wight Railway Company v TahourdinIsle of Wight Railway Company v TahourdinIsle of Wight Railway Company v Tahourdin LR 25 Ch D 320 is a UK company law case on removing directors under the old Companies Clauses Act 1845. In the modern Companies Act 2006, section 168 allows shareholders to remove of directors by a majority vote on reasonable notice, regardless of what the...
(1884) LR 25 Ch D 320