The Isle of Wight Central Railway (IoWCR) was a railway company on the
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight ( ) is a county in the English Channel, off the coast of Hampshire, from which it is separated by the Solent. It is the largest and second-most populous island of England. Referred to as 'The Island' by residents, the Isle of ...
, United Kingdom. It was formed in 1887 by the merging of three earlier railways, the Cowes and Newport Railway (opened 1862), the Ryde and Newport Railway (opened 1875) and the Isle of Wight (Newport Junction) Railway, (opened in stages 1875 and 1879).
Its network ran from near Ryde to Cowes and from Sandown to Newport. It also worked the
Freshwater, Yarmouth and Newport Railway
The Freshwater, Yarmouth and Newport Railway was a railway line on the Isle of Wight, United Kingdom, connecting Freshwater and Yarmouth to Newport. It was intended to connect the thinly populated west of the island, and it opened in 1889. At N ...
until 1913 and in that year it purchased the Newport, Godshill and Ventnor Railway.
The IoWCR was always short of money, and operated with antiquated equipment. The heavily seasonal traffic and, later, competition from buses and cars limited profitable income.
In 1923 it was absorbed by the new
Southern Railway, and the new owner put financial resources into worthwhile modernisation, but by the 1960s the financial situation became difficult and the whole of the former IoWCR network was closed in 1966. The
Isle of Wight Steam Railway
The Isle of Wight Steam Railway is a heritage railway on the Isle of Wight. The railway passes through of countryside from to station, passing through the small village of Havenstreet, where the line has a station, headquarters and a depot ...
now operates on part of the line.
First railways
![IoWCR](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/IoWCR.png)
Early in the nineteenth century, the Isle of Wight was chiefly involved in agriculture; there was industrial activity in
Newport, and
Ryde
Ryde is an English seaside town and civil parish on the north-east coast of the Isle of Wight. The built-up area had a population of 23,999 according to the 2011 Census and an estimate of 24,847 in 2019. Its growth as a seaside resort came af ...
was an established town.
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. The two towns are linked by the Cowes Floa ...
and Ryde both had ferry services from the mainland, but Cowes, on the
River Medina
The River Medina is the main river of the Isle of Wight, England, rising at St Catherine's Down near Chale, and flowing northwards through the county town Newport, towards the Solent at Cowes. The river is a navigable tidal estuary from Newpor ...
, was dominant because of the better harbour there.
During the
railway mania
Railway Mania was an instance of a stock market bubble in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in the 1840s. It followed a common pattern: as the price of railway shares increased, speculators invested more money, which further incre ...
of the 1840s, it was proposed that railways should be built on the island to develop tourism, which was then beginning to become an important economic activity, as well as to handle the agriculture and other produce of the island. A number of schemes were put forward but failed to gain support, until in 1858 bills for three railway projects were submitted to Parliament; they were:
* The Isle of Wight Railway (Eastern Section), intended to run from Ryde to
Upper Bonchurch
Upper may refer to:
* Shoe upper or ''vamp'', the part of a shoe on the top of the foot
* Stimulant, drugs which induce temporary improvements in either mental or physical function or both
* ''Upper'', the original film title for the 2013 found f ...
, with branches to
Brading
The ancient 'Kynges Towne' of Brading is the main town of the civil parishes in England, civil parish of the same name. The ecclesiastical parish of Brading used to cover about a tenth of the Isle of Wight. The civil parish now includes the town ...
and
Shanklin
Shanklin () is a seaside resort and civil parishes in England, civil parish on the Isle of Wight, England, located on Sandown Bay. Shanklin is the southernmost of three settlements which occupy the bay, and is close to Lake, Isle of Wight, Lake ...
, and a tramway to
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. It is the world's oldest seaside pleasure pier. Ryde Pier Head railway station is at the sea end of the pier, and Ryde Espla ...
;
* The Isle of Wight Railway; to run from Cowes to Ryde via Newport, with branches to
Ventnor
Ventnor () is a seaside resort and civil parish established in the Victorian era on the southeast coast of the Isle of Wight, England, from Newport. It is situated south of St Boniface Down, and built on steep slopes leading down to the sea. ...
and Ryde Pier;
* The Cowes and Newport Railway.
The first two were rejected in the House of Lords' Committee, and only the Cowes and Newport Railway was authorised;
[In the authorising Act it was titled the Cowes and Newport (Isle of Wight) Railway.] it obtained
Royal Assent
Royal assent is the method by which a monarch formally approves an act of the legislature, either directly or through an official acting on the monarch's behalf. In some jurisdictions, royal assent is equivalent to promulgation, while in other ...
on 8 August 1859.
[R J Maycock and R Silbury, ''The Isle of Wight Railway'', Oakwood Press, Usk, 1999, ][H P White, ''A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain: volume 2: Southern England'', Phoenix House Limited, London, 1961][Bradshaw's Railway Manual Shareholders' Guide and Directory, 1869, page 68][R J Maycock and R Silbury, ''The Isle of Wight Central Railway'', Oakwood Press, Usk, 2001, ]
Cowes and Newport Railway
The Cowes and Newport Railway was to be in length, running north to south along the west side of the
River Medina
The River Medina is the main river of the Isle of Wight, England, rising at St Catherine's Down near Chale, and flowing northwards through the county town Newport, towards the Solent at Cowes. The river is a navigable tidal estuary from Newpor ...
. Authorised share capital was £30,000 ().
A construction contract was let to Albert H. Fernandez, and the first sod was cut on 15 October 1859. The construction had been thought to be simple, but in fact the nature of the ground and the wet weather made the work extremely difficult. In December 1861 the contractor had to give up the work, and the company continued for a period managing the work directly. The C&NR itself had financial difficulties as the authorised share issue was considerably undersubscribed. The
Cowes station abutted Cross Street, where there was a
level crossing
A level crossing is an intersection where a railway line crosses a road, Trail, path, or (in rare situations) airport runway, at the same level, as opposed to the railway line crossing over or under using an Overpass#Railway, overpass ...
, over which the line continued as a
tramway; engine
run-round movements had to cross the level crossing and use the tramway, contrary to stipulations in the authorising Act. (The C&NR was later authorised to enlarge the station and close Cross Street. This work was done in early 1879.)
[
Captain Tyler of the ]Board of Trade
The Board of Trade is a British government body concerned with commerce and industry, currently within the Department for International Trade. Its full title is The Lords of the Committee of the Privy Council appointed for the consideration of ...
inspected the line for passenger operation in May 1862, but found numerous deficiencies and recommended that the authorisation for opening be declined. He returned on 14 June 1862 and this time everything was in order; the line opened on 16 June 1862; passenger traffic only was carried for some time after opening; there were eight trains each way on weekdays.[Newspaper advertisement referred to in Maycock and Silbury][Vic Mitchell and Keith Smith, ''Branch Lines to Newport'', Middleton Press, Midhurst, 1985, ][R D Rickard, ''The Cowes and Newport Railway'', Railway Magazine, 16 June 1962] Notice boards at the Newport station made it clear that onward conveyance to London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
, via Cowes and Southampton
Southampton () is a port city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire built-up area, which also covers Po ...
, was a primary objective.
The line was operated by a contractor, Henry Martin, for 50% of gross receipts at first, later 50% of net receipts.[
]
A wharf, known as Medina Wharf, was built adjoining the river between Cowes and Newport in 1877–78.[ Writing in 1962 Rickard said that the Medina Wharf was then the sole means of entry for coal to the island.][
]
Isle of Wight Railway
The business interests on the east coast of the island continued to put forward a scheme based in Ryde. The Cowes and Newport Railway proposed an extension from Newport, Isle of Wight
Newport is the county town of the Isle of Wight, an island county off the south coast of England. The town is slightly north of the centre of the island, and is in the civil parish of Newport and Carisbrooke. It has a quay at the head of the nav ...
to Ryde
Ryde is an English seaside town and civil parish on the north-east coast of the Isle of Wight. The built-up area had a population of 23,999 according to the 2011 Census and an estimate of 24,847 in 2019. Its growth as a seaside resort came af ...
and Ventnor
Ventnor () is a seaside resort and civil parish established in the Victorian era on the southeast coast of the Isle of Wight, England, from Newport. It is situated south of St Boniface Down, and built on steep slopes leading down to the sea. ...
, forming a large triangle, and to rename their company the Isle of Wight Railway. The promoters of the Isle of Wight (Eastern Section) Railway resubmitted their scheme too. The Cowes and Newport bill failed standing orders, and although there was some opposition to it, the IoW(ES)R was authorised on 23 July 1860. In 1863 it changed its name to the Isle of Wight Railway
The Isle of Wight Railway was a railway company on the Isle of Wight, United Kingdom; it operated of railway line between Ryde and Ventnor. It opened the first section of line from Ryde to Sandown in 1864, later extending to Ventnor in 1866. ...
; it opened between St John's Road station in Ryde and on 23 August 1864 and on to on 10 September 1866.[
This had a significant effect in shifting the route for trade access to the island: in February 1868 the Cowes and Newport Railway directors reported that their company's earnings were static following the opening of the IoWR; travellers forsook the ]Southampton
Southampton () is a port city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire built-up area, which also covers Po ...
and Cowes route in favour of Portsmouth
Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is administered by Portsmouth City Council.
Portsmouth is the most dens ...
and Ryde. Cowes railway station
Cowes railway station was a railway station in Cowes on the Isle of Wight, off the south coast of England. It took pride in being the "prettiest station on the Garden Isle".
History
Opened in 1862, the very first on the island, as part of th ...
was inconveniently up a steep hill from the ferry port.[
]
Isle of Wight (Newport Junction) Railway
From 1861 the pace of proposing further railways on the island accelerated. Some accepted that only one further line was commercially viable, but there was little agreement about its possible course. Nonetheless connecting Newport to the east coast was considered an important objective.
In 1868 three bills came to Parliament; they were considered to be mutually exclusive, and over a very lengthy hearing evidence was given in favour of each, and against its presumed competitors. The dominance of the Portsmouth–Ryde ferry route had not yet been established, and in any case 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. The two towns are linked by the Cowes Floa ...
was assumed to be the port of entry for goods and minerals.[Some inward minerals and heavy goods were landed on the beach at ]Ryde
Ryde is an English seaside town and civil parish on the north-east coast of the Isle of Wight. The built-up area had a population of 23,999 according to the 2011 Census and an estimate of 24,847 in 2019. Its growth as a seaside resort came af ...
. The Isle of Wight (Newport Junction) Act was given Royal Assent on 31 July 1868, to build a line from Newport to the Sandown station of the Isle of Wight Railway.[Bradshaw's Railway Manual Shareholders' Guide and Directory, 1869, page 149][E F Carter, ''An Historical Geography of the Railways of the British Isles'', Cassell, London, 1959]
The competing proposals were rejected; those who favoured a line from Newport to Ryde were disappointed, and continued the struggle.[
]
Building the IoW(NJ)R
The authorised capital of the Newport Junction line was £84,000,[Michael Robbins, ''The Isle of wight (Newport Junction) Railway'', in the Railway Magazine, October 1959] but it was not planned to pass through any major population centre that was not already rail-connected, and the Company found it difficult to raise the money it needed for construction. Moreover, successive resignations of directors made continuity of progress difficult. The first sod was finally cut at Shide on 14 October 1870. Early in 1871 a prospectus was published offering preference shares, although the Company was not authorised to issue these, and this was soon followed by acrimonious and public name-calling between the company and the Corporation of Newport.[
In 1872 the line between ]Sandown
Sandown is a seaside resort and civil parishes in England, civil parish on the south-east coast of the Isle of Wight, United Kingdom with the resort of Shanklin to the south and the settlement of Lake, Isle of Wight, Lake in between. Together ...
and Horringford
Horringford is a settlement on the Isle of Wight, off the south coast of England. It is in the civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is th ...
was thought to be ready for opening, and on 20 June Colonel Yolland of the Board of Trade visited the line to carry out the inspection for passenger operation; as well as finding a considerable number of detail shortcomings, he was very critical of the rails. There were second-hand double-headed rails[Double-headed rails were rails of cross-section similar to bullhead rails, intended to be inverted when the original upper surface became worn.] formerly in use on the London and South Western Railway
The London and South Western Railway (LSWR, sometimes written L&SWR) was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Originating as the London and Southampton Railway, its network extended to Dorchester and Weymouth, to Salisbury, Exeter ...
. They had been inverted on the LSWR line, using the second running table. The rails were badly galled by the chairs
A chair is a type of seat, typically designed for one person and consisting of one or more legs, a flat or slightly angled seat and a back-rest. They may be made of wood, metal, or synthetic materials, and may be padded or upholstered in vario ...
and there were splits and bulges in the head. They had been cropped to , and the head wear was not matched, so that the joints were uneven. The fishplate
A fishplate joins two lengths of track
A fishplate, splice bar or joint bar is a metal connecting plate used to bolt the ends of two rails into a continuous track. The name is derived from ''fish'', a wooden reinforcement of a "built-up" ship's ...
bolts were not long enough in many cases.[Colonel Yolland’s Report of 24 June 1872, reproduced in Maycock and Silbury (IoWCR).][K Westcott-Jones, ''The Isle of Wight Central Railway'', in the Railway Magazine, March and April 1946]
Approval to open the line to passenger traffic was refused; the company tried to appeal against this, but failed; subsequent inspection visits took place on 31 July, 28 August and 26 September 1872, without success.[ Creditors demanded payment, and one unfortunate contractor went into bankruptcy, having accepted the company's shares in payment: those shares were now worthless. In December 1872 it was calculated that the Company had expended £77,490 and had nothing to show for it; and the line was now estimated to require £90,548 to complete.
Against this background the IoW(NJ)R had obtained a further Act of Parliament in July 1872, authorising additional capital as well as certain deviations and extensions. Somehow work proceeded and in July 1874 Colonel Rich of the ]Board of Trade
The Board of Trade is a British government body concerned with commerce and industry, currently within the Department for International Trade. Its full title is The Lords of the Committee of the Privy Council appointed for the consideration of ...
visited the Sandown to Horringford line; the bad rails seem to have been changed but Rich again refused sanction to open the line due to other faults. Further attention was given and in January 1875 Colonel Rich inspected the line from Sandown to Shide and found it satisfactory,
The company opened its line on 1 February 1875; in public announcements the company referred to the Shide station as "Newport".[ The company started running passenger trains on to Pan Lane at Newport, from 11 August 1875, but this was without permission from the Board of Trade: in effect illegally; Colonel Hutchinson visited for the necessary inspection on 6 October 1875, and on the company promising to rectify a number of issues, the running to Pan Lane continued. (The company sometimes used Pan Mill as the station name at first.)][ There were nine trains each way on weekdays.][
]
Ryde and Newport Railway
The operation of the Isle of Wight Railway enhanced the importance of Ryde as the port of entry to the island, and it soon became more important than Cowes, particularly for passengers. 300,000 people travelled between Newport and Ryde annually, and the road coaches were not convenient. The necessity of connecting Newport revived the idea of a railway between them, and on 25 July 1872 the Ryde and Newport Railway was authorised by Parliament. The share capital was £65,000.
The Isle of Wight Railway agreed to the R&NR using its line to get access to Ryde, and to its station there, in exchange for running powers
Railway companies can interact with and control others in many ways. These relationships can be complicated by bankruptcies.
Operating
Often, when a railroad first opens, it is only a short spur of a main line. The owner of the spur line may co ...
for the IoWR between Ryde and Newport.[The running powers were never used for ordinary traffic, but the IoWR ran trains to ]Ashey
Ashey is a hamlet on the outskirts of Ryde on the Isle of Wight in southern England. The appropriate civil parish is called Havenstreet and Ashey
Ashey is the site every year of an amateur horse race known as the "Isle of Wight Grand National and ...
on certain race days.
A contract for the construction was awarded to Barnett and Gale on 1 October 1872.[ Instead of building its own line into Ryde, it arranged with the Isle of Wight Railway to join it at Smallbrook, a little over south of St John's Road; IoWCR trains were to run to Ryde on track provided by the IoWR.
A temporary connection was laid in at Smallbrook to assist in the delivery of materials for construction purposes. Work continued rapidly, but early in 1874 Barnett and Gale got into financial difficulties, and the contract was transferred to J & G Taylor. The construction and land acquisition expended much of the company's available cash, and a director, George Young, personally made money available to continue. In 1875, the railway company obtained authorisation to raise additional share capital. (In fact, the £30,000 of preference shares could only be sold at a 30% discount.)][
The original Cowes and Newport Railway station at Newport had been a very basic construction, and it had always been the intention to construct a new station for the use of the C&NR, the R&NR and the IoW(NJ)R; this involved agreeing on the crossing of the ]Medina
Medina,, ', "the radiant city"; or , ', (), "the city" officially Al Madinah Al Munawwarah (, , Turkish: Medine-i Münevvere) and also commonly simplified as Madīnah or Madinah (, ), is the Holiest sites in Islam, second-holiest city in Islam, ...
at Newport with the borough corporation, and apportioning the costs. This took some time and the bridge, to be a swing bridge
A swing bridge (or swing span bridge) is a movable bridge that has as its primary structural support a vertical locating pin and support ring, usually at or near to its center of gravity, about which the swing span (turning span) can then pi ...
, was agreed in January 1875. By this time the line had been completed to the end of the bridge location. When completed, the bridge was operated manually by windlass
The windlass is an apparatus for moving heavy weights. Typically, a windlass consists of a horizontal cylinder (barrel), which is rotated by the turn of a crank or belt. A winch is affixed to one or both ends, and a cable or rope is wound arou ...
; the two tracks could be opened individually and there was a long approach viaduct.[
The IoWR laid a second track alongside its own from Smallbrook to Ryde. There was to be no operational junction at this stage, and the two companies each were to work over one of the two single lines.
Lt Colonel Hutchinson visited the IoWCR in November 1875 but refused to sanction the opening of the line to passenger traffic as the station accommodation, in particular, was incomplete. On 17 December he visited again, and although some matters were imperfect, the desired sanction for opening was given.][
The Ryde and Newport Railway opened on 20 December 1875, and like the Cowes and Newport it ran seven passenger trains each way on weekdays.][ The intermediate stations probably did not open until March 1876.][
The R&NR paid the IoWR a rental for the use of the Ryde station. The R&NR arranged with the Cowes and Newport Railway for their two lines to be worked jointly, an arrangement that was ratified by Parliament in 1875, and the Act also authorised the R&NR to build Medina wharf on the River Medina. The wharf was much more suitable for handling heavy goods and minerals, and it quickly became the chief port of entry to the island for that traffic.][
]
Ashey racecourse
There was a racecourse adjacent to the line at Ashey
Ashey is a hamlet on the outskirts of Ryde on the Isle of Wight in southern England. The appropriate civil parish is called Havenstreet and Ashey
Ashey is the site every year of an amateur horse race known as the "Isle of Wight Grand National and ...
, and excursion trains to the race meetings were popular. The Isle of Wight Railway had running powers to Newport and exercised them for the purpose of running to Ashey on race days.
A southwards tramway ran from the station to a chalk pit
Chalk is a soft, white, porous, sedimentary carbonate rock. It is a form of limestone composed of the mineral calcite and originally formed deep under the sea by the compression of microscopic plankton that had settled to the sea floor. Chalk ...
, running closely past the track and the grandstand. Some authorities[Disused Stations website at http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/a/ashey/] state that there was an Ashey Racecourse station, used only for race meetings, on the tramway, in use from April 1882 to about 1930. It seems likely that this is a mistake: the empty rolling stock for the excursions was stabled on the tramway during the racing, but there was no passenger station. The tramway is clearly shown on the mapping of the period, but no station is marked on any Ordnance Survey map in the relevant period. Writing in 1946, Jones describes the route from Newport to Ryde and states[K Westcott Jones, ''Isle of Wight Central Railway 2'', in the Railway Magazine, July and August 1946]
Collaborative working, but disputes over costs
The R&NR and the C&NR had always intended to operate collaboratively, and on 1 July 1876 the Ryde, Newport and Cowes Joint Committee was established to manage operational matters. This was successful so far as day-to-day running was concerned, but the difficult financial situation of the companies led to continuing failure to work together over completion of the line.
The R&NR was still heavily indebted and was struggling to pay off the outstanding sums. The IoW(NJ)R too needed some time to increase its income, although on 28 June 1876, the anniversary of the coronation of Queen Victoria
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...
, thirteen-coach trains were run between and ; rolling stock had to be hired in from the IoWR. Cheaply-constructed wooden platforms were opened at , , and , probably just in time for Coronation Day 1876.
A vexatious dispute arose over the apportionment of contributions to the cost of the Newport viaduct and bridge, and resort to arbitration, and then a Parliamentary Bill to revive expired powers delayed opening. An inspection by Major General Hutchinson in October 1878 resulted in the design strength of the bridge girders being questioned.
This seems to have been resolved and in March 1879 he approved the bridge but objected to the junction connection between the two railways' lines. On 1 May 1879 the Directors reported at a shareholders' meeting that the junction had been made and used for goods trains, and it seems to have been opened for all traffic on 1 June 1879.[
Meanwhile, relations with the IoWR, which had been working the IoW(NJ)R, broke down completely, and that arrangement was terminated at the beginning of 1879. The IoW(NJ)R was steadily descending into heavy indebtedness,][ with many landowners still waiting for their money, and debenture interest payments being left unpaid, and important track improvements being left undone. Against this background the Joint Committee took over the working of the IoW(NJ)R on 1 April 1879.][
]
Extension to Ryde Pier
The IoWCR ran over the IoWR into Ryde; the station was at St John's Road and the distance from there to 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. It is the world's oldest seaside pleasure pier. Ryde Pier Head railway station is at the sea end of the pier, and Ryde Espla ...
was a serious inconvenience to through passengers to Portsmouth
Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is administered by Portsmouth City Council.
Portsmouth is the most dens ...
on the mainland. The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LB&SCR; known also as the Brighton line, the Brighton Railway or the Brighton) was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1846 to 1922. Its territory formed a rough triangle, with London at its ...
and the London and South Western Railway
The London and South Western Railway (LSWR, sometimes written L&SWR) was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Originating as the London and Southampton Railway, its network extended to Dorchester and Weymouth, to Salisbury, Exeter ...
together decided to build the missing link, and the line from to the IoWR's St John's Road station opened on 12 July 1880. At first there was limited accommodation at Ryde so the Newport trains were not admitted to the extension until October 1880.[
]
Amalgamation as the Isle of Wight Central Railway
The three central lines, the Cowes and Newport Railway, the Isle of Wight (Newport Junction) Railway and the Ryde and Newport Railway, were all in financial difficulties, but they had common cause. By common consent there were too many companies running the limited extent of the network, and they agreed on amalgamation as a way forward, and a combined company called the Isle of Wight Central Railway was authorised by Act of Parliament on 19 July 1887,[ retrospectively applicable from 1 July 1887.
The combined company was of course no better resourced financially than the three smaller companies. Charles Conacher, its General Manager, wrote that it][Chas. L. Conacher, ''The Isle of Wight Railways'', in the Railway Magazine, May 1898]
No extensions of the small network were planned. In fact, the IoWCR did not pay a dividend until 1913, and after that only on first preference shares.[
The IoWCR was impecunious throughout its existence, and the generally improving expectations of society: ]interlocking
In railway signalling, an interlocking is an arrangement of signal apparatus that prevents conflicting movements through an arrangement of tracks such as junction (rail), junctions or crossings. The signalling appliances and Track (rail transpor ...
, the block system and continuous brake
A railway brake is a type of brake used on the railroad car, cars of Rail transport, railway trains to enable deceleration, control acceleration (downhill) or to keep them immobile when parked. While the basic principle is similar to that on roa ...
s, workmen's compensation, and improvements to working hours, coupled with the need to replace worn-out track and to repair bridges, all combined to ensure that the company never managed to escape from this plight.[
]
Later development
Freshwater, Yarmouth and Newport Railway
The western part of the island remained untouched by railways, but Yarmouth
Yarmouth may refer to:
Places Canada
*Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia
**Yarmouth, Nova Scotia
**Municipality of the District of Yarmouth
**Yarmouth (provincial electoral district)
**Yarmouth (electoral district)
* Yarmouth Township, Ontario
*New ...
was a ferry terminal, with the ferry to Lymington
Lymington is a port town on the west bank of the Lymington River on the Solent, in the New Forest district of Hampshire, England. It faces Yarmouth, Isle of Wight, to which there is a car ferry service operated by Wightlink. It is within the ...
operated by the London and South Western Railway
The London and South Western Railway (LSWR, sometimes written L&SWR) was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Originating as the London and Southampton Railway, its network extended to Dorchester and Weymouth, to Salisbury, Exeter ...
. The LSWR encouraged the formation of a scheme for a railway that became the Freshwater, Yarmouth and Newport Railway
The Freshwater, Yarmouth and Newport Railway was a railway line on the Isle of Wight, United Kingdom, connecting Freshwater and Yarmouth to Newport. It was intended to connect the thinly populated west of the island, and it opened in 1889. At N ...
, authorised on 26 August 1880. It opened for goods traffic on 10 September 1888, and for passengers on 20 July 1889.[ There were eleven passenger trains each way on weekdays.][ The new line joined the IoWCR at Newport, but the layout at the junction did not enable FY&NR trains to run into the station directly; they were not permitted to propel to and from the station, so that they had to run around their train in both directions.][ The line was worked by the IoWCR.][
]
Newport, Godshill and St Lawrence Railway
Notwithstanding the existence of the route through Sandown, the member companies of the IoWCR had long felt that a direct line from 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. The two towns are linked by the Cowes Floa ...
or Newport to Ventnor
Ventnor () is a seaside resort and civil parish established in the Victorian era on the southeast coast of the Isle of Wight, England, from Newport. It is situated south of St Boniface Down, and built on steep slopes leading down to the sea. ...
, independent of the IoWR, was desirable, and a number of schemes had been proposed.
In 1889 one of these schemes was authorised: the Newport, Godshill and St Lawrence Railway got its Act of Parliament on 12 August.[ Long comments that constructing it was "probably the greatest economic folly of the Isle of Wight's railway network".][Richard C Long, ''Isle of Wight Railways: A New History'', Ian Allan Publishing Ltd, Hersham, 2015, , page 18] The IoWCR was to work the line for 55% of gross receipts. It would leave the IoWCR Sandown line at , and follow a southerly course from there. This Act was followed by a second Act in 1892 authorising an extension to . However the location available for the terminus there was, like the IoWR's own station, somewhat inconvenient. It proved very difficult to persuade investors to subscribe in the railway, with corresponding shortages of cash for construction; there were also solvency problems for the contractor.
Eventually the section from Merstone to was ready and the Board of Trade inspector was critical of the tunnel, but sanctioned opening. There was a publicity demonstration run on 17 July 1897 and a public ceremonial opening on 19 July 1897, with normal public opening the following day. There were nine trains daily each way, and the line was worked by the IoWCR. The terminus was described as Ventnor (St Lawrence), although the station was from the town. F. Baker of Ventnor operated a horse omnibus over the distance, for a fare of sixpence.[Peter Paye, ''The Ventnor West Branch'', Wild Swan Publications, Didcot, 1992, ]
Although the original contractor had failed financially, it proved possible to continue the extension to Ventnor, and Lt Colonel von Donop visited on 21 May 1900. Although there were some deficiencies he authorised the opening of the extension. A press run took place on 31 May 1900 and public services started on 1 June 1900.[ The Ventnor station was described as Ventnor Town, and it was stated that "In eight or nine minutes passengers can walk to the centre of the town."][
There were now five trains each way daily, generally running through to Cowes trains on the Sandown former main line now made a connectional stop only at Merstone—and offering onward ferry connections via ]Southampton
Southampton () is a port city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire built-up area, which also covers Po ...
. From June 1901 it was arranged that the London and South Western Railway
The London and South Western Railway (LSWR, sometimes written L&SWR) was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Originating as the London and Southampton Railway, its network extended to Dorchester and Weymouth, to Salisbury, Exeter ...
would run a train from London Waterloo
Waterloo station (), also known as London Waterloo, is a central London terminus on the National Rail network in the United Kingdom, in the Waterloo area of the London Borough of Lambeth. It is connected to a London Underground station of ...
to Southampton Royal Pier, making a swift connection to a ferry to Cowes and thence to Ventnor by train. This did not prove the commercial success that had been hoped. The preference of the Ventnor line over the Sandown line for the through trains was considered to be a mistake, and from 1 October 1903 the arrangement was reversed.[
]
Bus competition
In 1905 the first motor bus service started work on the island. The primitive vehicles and poor roads of the day did not make for efficient travel, but the future threat was there. The IoWCR considered the adoption of railmotor
Railmotor is a term used in the United Kingdom and elsewhere for a railway lightweight railcar, usually consisting of a railway carriage with a steam traction unit, or a diesel or petrol engine, integrated into it.
Steam railcars
Overview
In th ...
s—single-coach rail vehicles incorporating a small locomotive within the coach chassis. These vehicles offered lower operating costs, but still required a crew of three; and they did not have the power to haul additional vehicles at busy times. However they avoided the necessity of running round at the end of journeys. One was ordered from Hurst Nelson
Hurst, Nelson and Company Ltd was a railway rolling stock manufacturer based in Motherwell, Scotland. The company also built many railway wagons, as well as trams and trolleybus carosseries for several local authorities.
Products Glasgow Subwa ...
in October 1905. It was delivered a year later, on 4 October 1906. It went into service on the Ventnor line, but there were a succession of technical problems.
IoWCR finances
When the IoWCR agreed to work the Newport, Godshill and St Lawrence Railway, it guaranteed a minimum income of £2,000 to that company's shareholders. It anticipated that ordinary income would pay that sum off but the poor custom on the line failed to achieve that. The IoWCR preference shareholders were not getting dividends—the ordinary shareholders had no hope of that—and there was shareholder criticism of the payments. At the shareholders' meeting of 1 March 1911 the issue came to a head and several directors resigned, and new directors were installed. One of the new men was Harry Willmott, who had long experience as a senior railway manager, including much in reviving the fortunes of the impecunious Stratford-upon-Avon and Midland Junction Railway
Stratford-upon-Avon (), commonly known as just Stratford, is a market town and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon district, in the county of Warwickshire, in the West Midlands region of England. It is situated on the River Avon, north-wes ...
. He was installed as the new chairman, and he soon brought in new managers and introduced more streamlined systems in the company. Incidentally, he negotiated with the Board of Trade about 1912 that Freshwater trains could be propelled to and from Newport station, overturning the old prohibition which required running around on every trip.
The guarantee to the NG&StLR remained a difficulty, and could hardly be negotiated away. The solution arrived at was the purchase of that company by the IoWCR. The Isle of Wight Central Railway (Godshill Transfer) Act of 4 July 1913 authorised the change, and it became effective on 1 October 1913. Godshill ordinary shareholders got fivepence in the pound (just over 2%); their railway had cost more than £250,000 to construct.[
]
FY&NR working its own line
The Freshwater, Yarmouth and Newport Railway
The Freshwater, Yarmouth and Newport Railway was a railway line on the Isle of Wight, United Kingdom, connecting Freshwater and Yarmouth to Newport. It was intended to connect the thinly populated west of the island, and it opened in 1889. At N ...
had long been worked by the IoWCR. In 1910 the agreement needed to be renewed, and the IoWCR noted that major modernisation work was needed on the Yarmouth line infrastructure, and imposed less favourable financial terms. For a time this was accepted, but in April 1913 the IoWCR was informed that the FY&NR would work its own line from 1 July 1913. As well as suddenly needing to acquire rolling stock, the FY&NR had to provide its own station at Newport, just short of the convergence with the IoWCR. In fact two locomotives had to be acquired; the small number indicates how limited the train service was.[Long, page 42] The new independent arrangement started on 1 July 1913; passengers now had to change stations at Newport, and the inferior service and higher costs eventually pushed the FY&NR into bankruptcy.[ The FY&NR had its locomotives overhauled by the ]Isle of Wight Railway
The Isle of Wight Railway was a railway company on the Isle of Wight, United Kingdom; it operated of railway line between Ryde and Ventnor. It opened the first section of line from Ryde to Sandown in 1864, later extending to Ventnor in 1866. ...
at Ryde, and the IoWCR charged a toll of £3 to pass them through Newport. The problem of the station at Newport was resolved in August 1914.[
]
Grouping of the railways
The outbreak of World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
resulted in Government control of the railways; this resulted in infrastructure improvements being deferred and the income of the company was hit. A national strike and post-war Government control of fares, as well as much-improved bus competition and improved wage rates and working conditions for staff all attacked the financial situation of the line.[
Under the terms of the ]Railways Act 1921
The Railways Act 1921 (c. 55), also known as the Grouping Act, was an Act of Parliament enacted by the British government and intended to stem the losses being made by many of the country's 120 railway companies, by "grouping" them into four la ...
the main line railways of Great Britain were "grouped" into four large companies; all of the Isle of Wight lines were absorbed into the new Southern Railway from 1 January 1923.[For administrative reasons the absorption was into the ]London and South Western Railway
The London and South Western Railway (LSWR, sometimes written L&SWR) was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Originating as the London and Southampton Railway, its network extended to Dorchester and Weymouth, to Salisbury, Exeter ...
on the previous day. The ordinary shareholders of the IoWCR got £3 for each £100 share. (The absorption of the FY&NR was delayed until 1 August 1923 due to negotiations over the financial terms; during the period from 1 January, when the FY&NR refused the offered settlement, the company's trains were again barred from the main Newport station.)[
The Southern Railway brought capital to the island to pay for improvements. The two single lines between Smallbrook and St John's Road were converted to a conventional double track by the installation of crossovers at Smallbrook in 1926;][P C Allen and A B MacLeod, ''Rails in the Isle of Wight'', David & Charles, Newton Abbot, second edition 1986, ] the arrangement was applied in the summer months, and the Smallbrook Junction signal box was closed in winter, when line capacity was not an issue. A peak train service of 27 trains each way daily was run on the Newport to Cowes section by 1925.[
The antiquated locomotive fleet was improved, by retaining the A1X 'Terrier' class and bringing in some ]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. They were also the last steam engines to work on the Isle of ...
0-4-4T engines that had been displaced by the electrification of London suburban services;[ the four-wheel coaches were also abolished, and bogie coaches brought in. The improvements brought about a marked increase in business, but it was of course highly seasonal, and the buses running on improved roads were far more convenient for many travellers. The short distances on the island meant that goods traffic was at a serious disadvantage against road competition.][Long]
A new passing place was created at Havenstreet
Havenstreet is a village on the Isle of Wight, located about 2 miles southwest of Ryde, in the civil parish of Havenstreet and Ashey.
History
The Isle of Wight Steam Railway Museum is located in Havenstreet, along with a station. Activities a ...
about 1926, as that was a more convenient crossing point on the line; Ashey
Ashey is a hamlet on the outskirts of Ryde on the Isle of Wight in southern England. The appropriate civil parish is called Havenstreet and Ashey
Ashey is the site every year of an amateur horse race known as the "Isle of Wight Grand National and ...
and Whippingham
Whippingham is a village and civil parish on the Isle of Wight. The population of the Civil Parish at the 2011 Census was 787. It is located south of East Cowes in the north of the Island.
Whippingham is best known for its connections with Qu ...
loops were reduced to goods status only, and passenger trains did not cross there.[ Ventnor Town station had its name changed to .
Weekly tickets for unlimited travel on the island were introduced and proved very popular with holidaymakers on the island. In the summer of 1932 new through trains were run: six coaches were labelled "East and West Through Train" and ran Mondays to Fridays from to and back, calling only at , , , and ]Yarmouth
Yarmouth may refer to:
Places Canada
*Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia
**Yarmouth, Nova Scotia
**Municipality of the District of Yarmouth
**Yarmouth (provincial electoral district)
**Yarmouth (electoral district)
* Yarmouth Township, Ontario
*New ...
. An E1 class engine worked this train between Shanklin and Newport, and an A1X from Newport to Freshwater. The old IoWCR railcar
A railcar (not to be confused with a railway car) is a self-propelled railway vehicle designed to transport passengers. The term "railcar" is usually used in reference to a train consisting of a single coach (carriage, car), with a drive ...
had been rebuilt several years before as an open third saloon with wooden slat seats was now rebuilt into a third-class corridor observation coach to run in the through train.
This was immediately popular and additional through trains were run in the 1933 summer service between the Ryde–Ventnor line and the Freshwater branch. The original through train, now starting from Ventnor with an accelerated timing, and became the first named train, each coach carrying a board with ''The Tourist'' in gold on a red background. A second through fast train was also included in the programme between and Freshwater, the first for twenty years.[The Railway Magazine, December 1934, pages 464 and 465]
In this period it was the practice at Cowes for the coaches to be gravitated into platform 1 (which was generally used) after the arriving engine had been released; this practice continued until closure. The facilities at Medina Wharf were modernised, with a large concrete pier structure being provided, equipped with two massive transporter cranes. Rolling stock brought in to modernise the island's fleet was generally brought in here. There was a staff halt on the main line.[
In 1932–33 the Southern Railway brought in four E1 tank engines to operate heavier freight trains.][
]
Nationalisation
On 1 January 1948 the railways passed into nationalised ownership under British Railways
British Railways (BR), which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was a state-owned company that operated most of the overground rail transport in Great Britain from 1948 to 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the Big Four British rai ...
, following the Transport Act 1947
The Transport Act 1947 (10 & 11 Geo. 6 c. 49) was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Under the terms of the Act, the railway network, long-distance road haulage and various other types of transport were nationalised and came under ...
. World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
had caused further decline in the competitive position of the railways on the island, and the minimal carryings on the Merstone to Ventnor line resulted in its closure on 13 September 1952.[ The Newport to Freshwater line was closed on 21 September 1953. The Newport to Sandown line continued for a while, but on 6 February 1956 it too closed. The former IoWCR line from Smallbrook to Cowes via Newport, carrying a passenger train service from Ryde to Cowes, was the only residual part of the IoWCR now extant.
The decision was taken to retain only the Ryde to Shanklin section on the island, and the Ryde–Newport–Cowes service, and the route from Smallbrook to Cowes closed on 21 February 1966, bringing about the end of the IoWCR network.][
]
Stock
Locomotives
Between 1898 and 1905, the railway purchased four London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LB&SCR; known also as the Brighton line, the Brighton Railway or the Brighton) was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1846 to 1922. Its territory formed a rough triangle, with London at its ...
class A1 'Terrier' locomotives to operate its trains. One of these had been sent by the LBSCR to the Paris Exhibition of 1878, where it won a gold medal. In 1901, this locomotive was bought by the IoWCR and was numbered 11, then brought to the island on 8 January 1902. This locomotive is preserved at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway
The Isle of Wight Steam Railway is a heritage railway on the Isle of Wight. The railway passes through of countryside from to station, passing through the small village of Havenstreet, where the line has a station, headquarters and a depot ...
.
Coaching stock
At the grouping, the IWCR had 37 passenger coaches and 12 non-passenger coaching stock vehicles. The passenger coaches comprised sixteen third-class (allotted SR numbers 2441–2456), eleven composites (6347–6357), six brake thirds (4098–4103), three brake composites (6987–6989) and one first-class saloon (7995). The non-passenger coaching stock comprised six guard's vans (979, 990–994), six open carriage and baggage boxes (4385–4390) and one horse box (3369). One guard's van was described as a mail van.
Goods stock
There were 317 goods vehicles lasting to grouping in 1923. These comprised 251 open goods wagons (SR nos. 27976–28226), 45 covered goods wagons (SR nos. 46987–47031), nine flat trucks (59024–59032), eight cattle wagons (53380–53387), three brake vans (56035–56037) and one tar tank (61383). In addition to these, there were eight in departmental stock: four ballast wagons (62881–62884), two water tanks, one travelling crane (429S) and a match truck (429SM). The open goods wagons were also used for coal, and had carrying capacities ranging from . The flat trucks included six designated as timber trucks – these had one or two transverse bolsters to support the load. The crane was hand-operated, and could lift ; and the match truck was used to provide room for the crane jib when travelling.
Station list
Cowes to Ryde (Smallbrook)
Closed 21 February 1966.
* 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. The two towns are linked by the Cowes Floa ...
; opened 16 June 1862
* Mill Hill
Mill Hill is a suburb in the London Borough of Barnet, England. It is situated around northwest of Charing Cross. Mill Hill was in the historic county of Middlesex until 1965, when it became part of Greater London. Its population counted 18, ...
; opened 1871;
* Medina Platform; unadvertised stop for Parkhurst Prison
HM Prison Parkhurst is a Prison security categories in the United Kingdom, Category B men's prison situated in Parkhurst, Isle of Wight, Parkhurst on the Isle of Wight, operated by His Majesty's Prison Service. Parkhurst prison is one of the two ...
, opened by 1896;
* Cement Mills Halt; possibly in use from February 1879, certainly from 1905;
* Newport; opened 16 June 1862;
* Whippingham
Whippingham is a village and civil parish on the Isle of Wight. The population of the Civil Parish at the 2011 Census was 787. It is located south of East Cowes in the north of the Island.
Whippingham is best known for its connections with Qu ...
; opened 20 December 1875; closed 21 September 1953;
* Wootton; opened June 1876; closed 21 September 1953;
* Haven Street; opened June 1876; renamed Havenstreet 1958;
* Ashey
Ashey is a hamlet on the outskirts of Ryde on the Isle of Wight in southern England. The appropriate civil parish is called Havenstreet and Ashey
Ashey is the site every year of an amateur horse race known as the "Isle of Wight Grand National and ...
; opened 20 December 1875;
* Smallbrook Junction; ''opened 21 July 1991 as an interchange station with Isle of Wight Steam Railway
The Isle of Wight Steam Railway is a heritage railway on the Isle of Wight. The railway passes through of countryside from to station, passing through the small village of Havenstreet, where the line has a station, headquarters and a depot ...
only.'' Junction with former Isle of Wight Railway
The Isle of Wight Railway was a railway company on the Isle of Wight, United Kingdom; it operated of railway line between Ryde and Ventnor. It opened the first section of line from Ryde to Sandown in 1864, later extending to Ventnor in 1866. ...
line.[National Rail website at http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/SAB/details.html]
Newport to Sandown line
Closed 6 February 1956.
* Newport (above);
* Pan Lane; opened 11 August 1875; closed 1 June 1879;
* Shide; opened 1 February 1875;
* Blackwater; opened June 1876;
* Merstone
Merstone is a hamlet on the Isle of Wight. It is home to Merston Manor, built in 1605 in the Jacobean style by Edward Cheeke, and rebuilt in the Victorian era. Merston Manor was first mentioned in the Domesday Book, and the present structure is a ...
; opened June 1876; Merstone Junction from 1897 until 1911;
* Horringford
Horringford is a settlement on the Isle of Wight, off the south coast of England. It is in the civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is th ...
; opened 28 June 1872;
* Newchurch; opened June 1876;
* Alverstone
Alverstone is a village 2 miles from the east coast of the Isle of Wight, near Sandown. When Richard Webster became Chief Justice of England in 1900, he chose the title Lord Alverstone because it was the title he was permitted to choose which ...
; opened June 1876;
* Sandown
Sandown is a seaside resort and civil parishes in England, civil parish on the south-east coast of the Isle of Wight, United Kingdom with the resort of Shanklin to the south and the settlement of Lake, Isle of Wight, Lake in between. Together ...
; station of the Isle of Wight Railway
The Isle of Wight Railway was a railway company on the Isle of Wight, United Kingdom; it operated of railway line between Ryde and Ventnor. It opened the first section of line from Ryde to Sandown in 1864, later extending to Ventnor in 1866. ...
.
Merstone to Ventnor
Closed 15 September 1952.
* Merstone (above);
* Godshill
Godshill is a village and civil parish on the Isle of Wight, England, with a population of 1,459 at the 2011 Census. It lies between Newport and Ventnor in the southeast of the island.
History
Godshill is one of the ancient parishes that exis ...
; opened 20 July 1897;
* Whitwell; opened 20 July 1897;
* Ventnor St Lawrence; opened 20 July 1897; renamed St Lawrence 1900;
* Ventnor Town; opened 1 June 1900; renamed Ventnor West 1923.[M E Quick, ''Railway Passenger Stations in England Scotland and Wales—A Chronology'', The Railway and Canal Historical Society, 2002]
Heritage railway
The last steam trains on the Isle of Wight ran on the residual Ryde to Shanklin line on 31 December 1966. The steam locomotive W24 ''Calbourne'' and some carriages were purchased by an enthusiast group, and in 1971, the Isle of Wight Railway Co Ltd was formed to buy the length of track between Wootton and Havenstreet
Havenstreet is a village on the Isle of Wight, located about 2 miles southwest of Ryde, in the civil parish of Havenstreet and Ashey.
History
The Isle of Wight Steam Railway Museum is located in Havenstreet, along with a station. Activities a ...
, operating steam trains as a heritage railway
A heritage railway or heritage railroad (US usage) is a railway operated as living history to re-create or preserve railway scenes of the past. Heritage railways are often old railway lines preserved in a state depicting a period (or periods) i ...
. In 1991 the line was extended to on the Ryde–Shanklin line, where a new interchange station was built, enabling passengers to interchange with Island Line Island Line or Island line may refer to:
* Island line (MTR), one of the lines of the MTR metro system in Hong Kong
* Island Line, Isle of Wight, a railway line on the Isle of Wight, England
** Island Line (brand)
Island Line is a brand of the ...
trains.[Isle of Wight Steam Railway website at http://www.iwsteamrailway.co.uk/default.aspx]
Notes
References
See also
* Railways on the Isle of Wight
There once existed a network of railway lines on the Isle of Wight, which operated both as a self-contained railway network, and as links to ferry services between the island and the South coast of Great Britain. The routes were opened by sever ...
External links
Google map of the Islands railways
{{Authority control
Pre-grouping British railway companies
Rail transport on the Isle of Wight
Railway companies established in 1887
British companies established in 1887
Railway companies disestablished in 1923
Southern Railway (UK) constituents
HF Stephens
1887 establishments in England
1923 disestablishments in England
British companies disestablished in 1923