Ventnor West branch
Encyclopedia
The Ventnor West branch was the final addition to the Isle of Wight
railway network, and utilised an earlier scheme to run a railway from Shanklin to the railwayless south-west part of the island.
. A temporary terminus was provided at St. Lawrence
until the extension was opened to Ventnor Town
on 1 June 1900. The terminus was renamed Ventnor West by the Southern Railway
.
In the days prior to the Grouping of the railways in 1923, the line struggled to make financial ends meet. However, after 1923 the services did improve and some of the increasing competition from road transport was lessened. An extensive programme of modernisation was undertaken by the Southern Railway, albeit with secondhand equipment from the mainland. Some economies were made on the branch by the Southern Railway, most notably the removal of the passing loop and signal box at Whitwell in 1928. The footbridge at Dean level crossing on the outskirts of Whitwell was also removed around this time. The footbridge was re-erected at Wroxall
.
Nationalisation in 1948 brought the British Rail
ways emblem to the locomotives but few other significant operational changes. The passenger numbers remained low and the branch continued to lose revenue to more convenient bus services. It was no surprise when closure was announced for 15 September 1952. The branch was visited by a large number of enthusiasts in its final months.
Today all the station buildings are in residential use.
.
From Godshill
the line again traversed farmland on a large stretch of embankment that ran to the small hamlet of Southford on the outskirts of Whitwell.
From Whitwell
the line climbed up to the northern portal of St. Lawrence tunnel, crossing the B3327 road at Dean level crossing before reaching the tunnel itself.
The line entered the tunnel and began a long descent to St. Lawrence
and the terminus at Ventnor West
.
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...
railway network, and utilised an earlier scheme to run a railway from Shanklin to the railwayless south-west part of the island.
History
The branch was opened by the Newport, Godshill & St Lawrence Railway between Merstone and St. Lawrence on 20 July 1897. From the day of opening, the branch was operated by the Isle of Wight Central RailwayIsle 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...
. A temporary terminus was provided at St. Lawrence
St. Lawrence railway station
St. Lawrence railway station was the original terminus of the branch from Merstone until the 1½ mile extension to Ventnor was completed in June 1900. From 1927 the station was downgraded to the status of an unstaffed halt.- Location :...
until the extension was opened to Ventnor Town
Ventnor West railway station
Ventnor West railway station was opened on 1 June 1900 as the final addition to the railway network on the Isle of Wight. It was originally opened as Ventnor Town but the station was renamed in 1923 by the Southern Railway.- Location :...
on 1 June 1900. The terminus was renamed Ventnor West 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...
.
In the days prior to the Grouping of the railways in 1923, the line struggled to make financial ends meet. However, after 1923 the services did improve and some of the increasing competition from road transport was lessened. An extensive programme of modernisation was undertaken by the Southern Railway, albeit with secondhand equipment from the mainland. Some economies were made on the branch by the Southern Railway, most notably the removal of the passing loop and signal box at Whitwell in 1928. The footbridge at Dean level crossing on the outskirts of Whitwell was also removed around this time. The footbridge was re-erected at Wroxall
Wroxall railway station
Wroxall railway station was an intermediate station on the Isle of Wight Railway line from Ryde, situated between Shanklin and Ventnor with an upland situation...
.
Nationalisation in 1948 brought the British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
ways emblem to the locomotives but few other significant operational changes. The passenger numbers remained low and the branch continued to lose revenue to more convenient bus services. It was no surprise when closure was announced for 15 September 1952. The branch was visited by a large number of enthusiasts in its final months.
Today all the station buildings are in residential use.
The route described
From the junction at Merstone, the line turned south and continued through farmland to cross the main Newport-Shanklin road. The line then continued through farmland to GodshillGodshill railway station
Godshill station opened on 20 July 1897 at Godshill on the Isle of Wight on the Newport, Godshill & St Lawrence Railway, later the Isle of Wight Central Railway. It opened as a single platform station with a small goods siding and this layout remained until closure...
.
From Godshill
Godshill railway station
Godshill station opened on 20 July 1897 at Godshill on the Isle of Wight on the Newport, Godshill & St Lawrence Railway, later the Isle of Wight Central Railway. It opened as a single platform station with a small goods siding and this layout remained until closure...
the line again traversed farmland on a large stretch of embankment that ran to the small hamlet of Southford on the outskirts of Whitwell.
From Whitwell
Whitwell (Isle of Wight) railway station
Whitwell Station, on the Ventnor West branch of the Isle of Wight Central Railway, was opened on 26 July 1897 along with the other stations on the branch...
the line climbed up to the northern portal of St. Lawrence tunnel, crossing the B3327 road at Dean level crossing before reaching the tunnel itself.
The line entered the tunnel and began a long descent to St. Lawrence
St. Lawrence railway station
St. Lawrence railway station was the original terminus of the branch from Merstone until the 1½ mile extension to Ventnor was completed in June 1900. From 1927 the station was downgraded to the status of an unstaffed halt.- Location :...
and the terminus at Ventnor West
Ventnor West railway station
Ventnor West railway station was opened on 1 June 1900 as the final addition to the railway network on the Isle of Wight. It was originally opened as Ventnor Town but the station was renamed in 1923 by the Southern Railway.- Location :...
.
Stations
- MerstoneMerstone (Isle of Wight) railway stationMerstone railway station, was an intermediate station situated on the edge of Merstone village on the line from Newport to Sandown incorporated by the Isle of Wight and Newport Junction Railway in 1868 , opened in 1875 and closed 81 years later...
- GodshillGodshill railway stationGodshill station opened on 20 July 1897 at Godshill on the Isle of Wight on the Newport, Godshill & St Lawrence Railway, later the Isle of Wight Central Railway. It opened as a single platform station with a small goods siding and this layout remained until closure...
- WhitwellWhitwell (Isle of Wight) railway stationWhitwell Station, on the Ventnor West branch of the Isle of Wight Central Railway, was opened on 26 July 1897 along with the other stations on the branch...
- St. LawrenceSt. Lawrence railway stationSt. Lawrence railway station was the original terminus of the branch from Merstone until the 1½ mile extension to Ventnor was completed in June 1900. From 1927 the station was downgraded to the status of an unstaffed halt.- Location :...
- Ventnor WestVentnor West railway stationVentnor West railway station was opened on 1 June 1900 as the final addition to the railway network on the Isle of Wight. It was originally opened as Ventnor Town but the station was renamed in 1923 by the Southern Railway.- Location :...