The Tourist (train)
Encyclopedia
The Tourist was a train
run by the Southern Railway
on the railway lines of the Isle of Wight
. It was set up in 1933 as an extension on the original East and West Through Train from the previous year. It was the only named train on the Isle of Wight
, and one of the very few express trains.
The original East-West train started from then called at , , Newport, and before terminating at . A change of locomotive was needed at Newport as the Newport-Freshwater line's bridges could not take the weight of locomotive other than the A1 "Terrier" class
. When extended as The Tourist the train started from Ventnor
but a locomotive change was still required. By 1934, it called at before Shanklin, but the stops at Merstone and Carisbrooke were removed. As bridges were also strengthened to allow LSWR O2 Class
to haul the train throughout, the train was now much faster, completing the full through journey in 1 hour 17 minutes.
The train was withdrawn for the duration of World War II
, but resumed immediately on VE Day. However, by September 1953 the line from Newport to Yarmouth and Freshwater was closed, spelling the end for the Tourist.
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
run by 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...
on the railway lines of the Isle of Wight
Railways on the Isle of Wight
There 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...
. It was set up in 1933 as an extension on the original East and West Through Train from the previous year. It was the only named train 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...
, and one of the very few express trains.
The original East-West train started from then called at , , Newport, and before terminating at . A change of locomotive was needed at Newport as the Newport-Freshwater line's bridges could not take the weight of locomotive other than the A1 "Terrier" class
LB&SCR A1 Class
The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway A1 Class is an English class of 0-6-0T steam locomotive. Designed by William Stroudley, 50 members of the class were built in 1872 and between 1874 and 1880, all at Brighton Works. The class have received several nicknames, initially being known as...
. When extended as The Tourist the train started from 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...
but a locomotive change was still required. By 1934, it called at before Shanklin, but the stops at Merstone and Carisbrooke were removed. As bridges were also strengthened to allow LSWR O2 Class
LSWR O2 Class
The LSWR O2 Class is a class of 0-4-4T steam locomotive designed for the London and South Western Railway by William Adams. Sixty were constructed during the late nineteenth century.-Background:...
to haul the train throughout, the train was now much faster, completing the full through journey in 1 hour 17 minutes.
The train was withdrawn for the duration of 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...
, but resumed immediately on VE Day. However, by September 1953 the line from Newport to Yarmouth and Freshwater was closed, spelling the end for the Tourist.