Isle of Wight Steam Railway

I am quite happy with the IOWSR 'as is'. Beautifully restored carriages running in the beautiful Isle of Wight, and if you are lucky, 'Calbourne' or a Terrier on your rake of carriages.

Note a few events coming up before 'Calbourne' is withdrawn for it's 10 year boiler overhaul after 23rd September. In years gone by this was sometimes or at least once a 10 year absence. Hopefully not such a long period out of service, as 'Calbourne' is for enthusiasts and volunteers very important.

Personally, I don't consider an extension in either direction will add much to the 'experience' of this wonderful railway. It is a lovely neat package 'as is', and the timetable works very well with 'as is'.

Cheers,
Julian

 

And I wouldn't hold your breath when Ashey Station comes on the market, if ever!

It has no public road access, so could never, without considerable expense and legal wrangling become a significant intermediate station for punters. And it has no parking. You would just go to nearby Havenstreet by car instead. This is the kind of detail which the 'WIBN' brigade do not know of. The conditions applied to the Light Railway Order for the extension from Havenstreet to Smallbrook also prevent Ashey becoming other than a mere halt in it's present location.

Cheers,
Julian

 

Just because you can only get to a station by train doesn't mean it mightn't be worthwhile. On the SVR Hampton Loade, Highley and Arley must have very few passengers who begin their journey there; they're certainly a pain to drive to and park up, but they're still busy stations. It all depends on what reasons passengers have for getting off, what the railway provides to entice visitors off the train and how long you have to wait for the next train!

 

But you have to know the legal restrictions imposed on Ashey! If you don't know what they are, then don't speculate!

 

Well excuse us for just wanting to have a friendly discussion about potential developments for the railway... plus I think you'll find legal restrictions can be changed, and one thing I'm pretty sure of is the IOWSR seemed pretty clear in their strategy plan to purchase and restore Ashey to how it was, particularly as it would allow them greater flexibility operational wise by having a passing loop reinstated there along with the station and both platforms.

 

I was addressing your substantial point that lack of public road access alone would make it a no go proposition, but regardless, I'm sure the IoWSR, a very astute organisation, wouldn't have put the purchase and development of Ashey station on their long term plan if the potential problems were not insurmountable. And that is the only bit of speculation I have indulged in!

 

Quite right, Kingscote Station on the Bluebell Railway is another prime example I'd say. Has little in way of facilities for car parking, yet is happily still of use with trains on occasion passing one another there, again giving the railway a pleasant picturesque country station yet also give them better flexibility operational wise thanks to the passing loop there.

 

Kingscote was only originally granted planning permission as a temporary terminus ( the only station stop on the planning permission was East Grinstead ) and had to stop selling tickets when the extension opended, but the Bluebell managed to get it made permanent.

 

Yes I was aware there were some restrictions on Kingscote initially, but as you say yourself they have now been lifted, so there's clear signs something could be sorted out for Ashey's revival.

 

When the BRB sold the trackbed to the Isle of Wight Council it did a 'bodged' job on the legal details; someone supposedly clever in the BRB legal department did a pretty poor conveyance in the strict legal sense, and of generic type.

Ashey Station was conveyed to Colonel Holbrooke. I wrote the conditions to the Light Railway Order for Ashey Station back in 1990/1991 (it sort of went up to the time limit, dealing with the Parliamentary Agents for the IOWSR, and negotiations with John Suggett IOWSR Chairman at the time), and fellow Isle of Wight Solicitor.

The north side passing loop would not be re-instated, no siding re-instated, restrictions on whistling at the crossing of what was just a public (walking) right of way, and certain details about maintenance of the permanent way.

Ashey Station has no public road access; essentially road access is of doubtful legal status even privately due to the BRB conveyance. It could never be used as a public road access station.

When I first walked passed Ashey Station on the trackbed in the Summer of 1983, it was quite water logged and overgrown, but an idyllic spot, remote and isolated just how Colonel Holbrooke and his wife wanted it to be and wished it to remain.

Cheers,
Julian

 

Interesting info, but still doesn't exactly mean Ashey can NEVER be reopened, as I said legal restrictions and such alike can be changed, certainly as it's been quite some time since this all happened. Plus to be quite, the idea of having anyone essentially stipulate what should happen to a certain site for ALL TIME sounds quite ridiculous to me. No one has ownership over something forever, nor should they be allowed to stipulate what should happen long after their passing either, only government and some a historic charity or conservation committee.

And as far as I know Ashey is not on such radars, so when it comes to IOWSR eventually taking ownership of the station, they have every right to do with it as they please. As they are a well respected historical museum attraction, something tells me the planning committee that would have to give the go ahead to such a project would have little issue with the station being restored to it's historical original state, and dismiss the old restrictions forthwith.

Of course if you wanted to oppose such action if such a time ca,e, that's up to you, and I only say this part as you oddly seem rather hellbent and adamant this station shouldn't be restored to how it was. Not entirely sure why your so antagonistic about it like you were flyingscotsman123. Just seemed to come out of nowhere, don't know why you've got so riled up by it.

Regardless I won't discuss this any further, as it would seem to me all that could be said has been done so. So perhaps another, less heated subject, could be brought up.

 

As for this other topic to consider next, I would like to suggest the railway's upcoming 50th anniversary in the next couple years time. What do we reckon they could do for such a milestone and grand occasion? Plans so far seem to be to have Calbourne overhauled and returned to Malachite Green in time for the anniversary, with a overhaul in process for Invincible as well.

Personally I would like to a see a gala that brings as many of the ex-resident Terriers of the Isle of Wight back to the island for this special occasion. And perhaps other special guest could be considered too, though not quite so sure what engines they could be.

 

JMJR1000,

If the IOWSR bought Ashey Station, then the conditions imposed in the Light Railway Order would effectively be defunct. However the public road issue would still remain, and Ashey Station would still remain an isolated station/halt at the end of a private road. You cannot have a public railway station at the end of a private road!

And just for the record, I had no option to do other than what Colonel Holbrooke instructed me to do in 1990/1991, despite my own personal views on the matter.

Cheers,
Julian

 

I really wouldn't object to a 9F there, and maybe a 37? Basically anything massive and didn't work there in its service life! Simply because wouldn't it be nice!

 

Ah I see, well that makes things a bit more clear, although I still would say there are ways around it these issues. For one you could widen and thus make the private road into a public one, and for another while complete as a station, could simply serve as a halt or simply a station you can only arrive and leave via the train. As you said yourself, we cannot speculate in matters we do not know, then by that logic you shouldn't be able to speculate why it would be unequivocally impossible to reopen the station.

Certainly was interesting to learn you actually wrote up these restrictions and stipulations, quite brave too, as I can't imagine a man that admit to hindering the prospects of a heritage railway would be popular on such a forum as this! But I digress, I certainly hold no ill will, for you are just doing your job after all, and that's all in the past.

Ultimately only time will tell, we can only hope matters will be resolved if and when such an event of Ashey being purchased by the IOWSR comes about.

 

Also there is the old gricer assumption that extensions produce extra business. "It ain't necessarily so" once the first rush of curiosity dies down but what is pretty certain is that operating expenses will go up.

 

If it becomes too popular then prebooked seats will be the way to go, like some other railways.
Modern Railways magazine say if the Island line get DFT approval this year, steam trains could run to Ryde St Johns 2021 after the Brading loop and resignalling is done.
One major problem is platforms 2 and 3 are restricted for people with limited mobility, so all trains will have to use platform 1, unless lifts are installed or some other type of access is provided.

 

One option would be either a boarded crossing between platforms 1 and 2, or a lift installed from the road bridge to the island platform, with steps for the more mobile I would imagine that platform 2 could still be used by island line as well as a run round for the steam services, as I would imagine it would all have to be controlled by Ryde panel and having the ability to loop trains at St johns would allow more flexibility .

 

What I would like to see to done is this, assuming the Steam railway is running to St Johns by then, who, knows if it isn't then what a better way to celebrate 50 years than by having the first train headed by Calbourne, first time back since it left for Newport, with time on display in Ryde yard with the SWR having an open day , with the works open for visitors etc, this done in connection with the launch of the new 230's possibly with a first ever special run Ryde pier head to Wotton run by a 230 , with photo opportunities at Havenstreet with the terriers on a four wheeler train, but no steam either to Shanklin or to pier head, just yet,

 

@JMJR1000 - it's not quite true to say that the restrictions on Kingscote have been lifted. The initial planning permission only allowed it to be a temporary terminus; that has in effect become a moot point by virtue of extending to East Grinstead. (I suspect that the clause was inserted in order to ensure the railway either built the whole northern extension or none). There are though still some of the other planning restrictions remaining in place at Kingscote, of which the most notable (and possibly somewhat pertinent to Ashey) is that there is no customer parking. So the only way to reach the station is under your own power (i.e. on foot or bike); by public transport (i.e. taxi) or starting from another Bluebell station. Hence the traffic that originates from the station is negligible, though it is becoming an increasingly popular place to stop off, particularly for families with young children.

Tom