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Isle of Wight Steam Railway

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by Freshwater, Nov 12, 2013.

  1. JMJR1000

    JMJR1000 Member

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    Great news to hear it's been made official, look forward to seeing an old resident Terrier paying a visit, a pity Freshwater won't be present being under overhaul so we can't have all 3 terriers side by side. That said there is always next year, arguably a more fitting anniversary for Terriers to have a get together.

    Heh as for the row-back I wouldn't be surprised seeing as the IoWSR in some people's eyes is a railway that can do no wrong, being accredited museum status, anything remotely WIBN would be shameful anywhere else but not there.

    Interested fact I didn't realize till pointed out! Chances are probably was an coincidence but certainly makes you wonder if it was intentional aiming for those two specifically, certainly as a result of their long time serving on the island originally they do have more the pedigree to be based on the island. Same with the KESR's Terrier pair, have long running strong links with the railway there more then anywhere else, so made sense for the heritage railway to have those two desired to be based there.

    Slightly off topic but I've always been impressed with how the KESR have taken such good care of their Terriers, as well as still viewing them as valuable assets to the day to day operations of their railway in general. Most heritage railways associated with such old and small engines have long since fallen out of favor with them, the bigger and younger engines now the center of priorities and attention, yet not so with the KESR who seem to view their Terriers as still very much integral to their railway. Only the IoWSR give as much care and importance to the older and smaller engines like the Terriers.

    I once considered the Bluebell in that same category but alas since reaching East Granstead they too seem to have fallen out of favor with their smaller and older locomotives, though fortunately perhaps not entirely as Fenchurch is being overhauled and there also is the gradual restoration of P Class No.27.
     
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  2. Robin Moira White

    Robin Moira White Resident of Nat Pres

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    Kind of you to say. It really wouldnt be the K&ESR without a Terrier or two somewhere nearby - particularly 'Bodiam' that came in 1904 and has only had short visits elsewhere since.

    Robin
     
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  3. Paulthehitch

    Paulthehitch Well-Known Member

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    They are just as they always were:Resistanceisfutile:
     
  4. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    football-goal-dollie-736.png

    Tom
     
  5. Alan Kebby

    Alan Kebby Well-Known Member

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    Don’t feed the troll
     
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  6. Matt37401

    Matt37401 Nat Pres stalwart

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    Your right, I do think a certain someone rather enjoys the attention.
     
  7. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    I doubt even Welsh Pony's most ardent fans would claim last year's (jolly useful) stint in front-line service was going to have been on the cards, but in so dreadful a year, it certainly was one of far too few real high points for all to enjoy. :)

    On the WHR front, I completely get where Paul's coming from, as when I first knew the FR, a succession short trains, packed to the gunwales, were running between Portmadoc, as it still was and Dduallt, crossing at Penryhn - always "interesting" - and T-y-B (Minffordd's loop only seemed to feature at the start and end of the day and Rhiw Goch was so overgrown, you'd never have guessed space for a loop existed!). The normal FfR, let alone the WHR timetable, hardly suggests a line working close to route capacity.

    I've said this before, but none of our lines exist in splendid isolation, even when they happen to be on islands. For other than the likes of us lunatics, there needs to be good reason to drive, sometimes for hours, often with lively excited kids, to reach places. Such journeys have to have been worthwhile to increase chances of return custom. There certainly is a case to answer that the increased mileage, first between T-y-B and Blaenau, then the scenically stunning WHR route hasn't been matched by any increase in bums on seats per mile.

    My own feeling is that, beyond a certain point, any line's ambitions have to be matched by those of the wider community to attract visitors. Not something our lines can be expected to do alone.

    Back on thread (sorry 'bout the digression) ..... Would the IWSR benefit from extending beyond Wootton? Define "benefit" I guess. The greater the route mileage, the higher the fixed overheads. If extension brings a new customer catchment, all well and good. The IoW ain't big, hence pretty much everywhere is within shouting distance, certainly for folks with cars, so in truth, given the current running line isn't remotely at saturation point, there's no imperative to extend and a fair few reasons not to.

    Indeed, were more capacity needed, reinstating the loop as Ashey (potentially tricky unless the former station house came into IWSR ownership) would be a sight more cost-effective than extra mileage. As much as many of us sort of love the idea of extending lines willy-nilly, hard reality is, moreso right now than normally, that anything which ends up draining the pot needs to be avoided like the plague, whilst concentrating on consolidating and developing what's to hand.

    We've collectively 'preserved' all this stuff, which comes with an implicit responsibility to look after it. This is why I particularly like projects such as the IWSR's 'Train Story', which gives a real 'value added' factor to the essential, if not particularly glamorous matter of undercover storage.
     
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  8. Spitfire

    Spitfire New Member

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    Bodiam actually arrived on the K&ESR in 1901
     
  9. Robin Moira White

    Robin Moira White Resident of Nat Pres

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    I was waiting to see who would spot my deliberate error first.
    Robin (aka Captain Mainwering)
     
  10. DcB

    DcB Well-Known Member

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    I think some will be covered by the current Government sponsored feasability study which includes the IOWSR, SWR, Newport Harbour development, council etc. Hopefully it will take all options into consideration and if there is a good case to get part of Grant Shapps £500m rail restoration fund?
     
  11. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

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    Whilst the physical problems, are solvable, Wotton land slip, Bridge works, a new formation to bring the line in to the Harbour area, are at first glance the major issues, Any other appears for other rail projects must surely weaken the case as it will dilute the funding and possible approval for this venture, Might it be best to forget Shanklin Ventnor, or any other idea to re instate closed railway routes, and instead to throw everything behind the Harbour venture plans, The problem then though is what public transport provision do you include, for instance, would any rail link be just for leisure, operated by IOWSR, Or would there be a need for an DMU / battery powered service early and late possibly running beyond Small brook possibly a joint venture between Island line and IOWSR ?
     
  12. Alan Kebby

    Alan Kebby Well-Known Member

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    Any link wouldn’t be purely for leisure. With the amount of money the authorities would need to put in to it, they would accept nothing less than a regular public transport service.

    I’m not sure how they could co exist with the current IOWSR service. The best option really would be to uplift the IOWSR operation and set it up on a disused line elsewhere. But that would cost many more millions of pounds.

    The idea of extending to Ventnor and Newport comes up every few years, and then fades away again once everyone realises the costs involved. I would love to see it happen, but sadly it still seems very unlikely.
     
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  13. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    The £500m rail restoration fund isn't there to fund rail restoration; it is there to do feasibility studies into future rail restoration ... So just supposing there was a good case - there is still no money, and you would be fighting for funds alongside everyone else.

    I'm also cynical enough to believe that the primary beneficiaries of the funds will be in marginal red wall constituencies in the north, not in solid Tory shires in the south.

    Ultimately I think it is all smoke and mirrors. The purpose of the "rail restoration fund" isn't to restore rail: it is to give the impression that the Government wants to restore rail, which is a rather lesser ambition.

    Tom
     
  14. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

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    Paragraph 2, would never happen, but there is an other option, on some preserved lines, their LRO allows for DMU's to operate at 35mph, Now , i don't know if that would be possible or not, for the IOWSR. But If, and it's a very Big IF, it were to, it would need to be an joint agreement of some kind.
     
  15. DcB

    DcB Well-Known Member

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    There is talk of updating the signalling, but we will be in unchartered area combining a 25mph steam operation with a modern fast regular public transport service on a single line. I hope the software and safety aspects are looked at in the study?

    A full Gala to raise a lot of extra income looks optimistic for June. Hope it works out OK, delaying it to later in 2021 might be better?.
     
  16. Monkey Magic

    Monkey Magic Part of the furniture

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    Most of these projects will take longer than a single session of parliament to come to fruition. Thus a party runs the risk of doing all the spade work and then their opponents being in power to claim the credit.

    You will probably see a big announcement maybe 6 or so months before the next election announcing money for projects. As you say it is all about the perception rather than the reality.
     
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  17. Kingscross

    Kingscross Member

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    Oh, this'll be fun. So in the very unlikely event that the IOWSR were required to give up their line so that 'main line' trains could return, where on the Island would it be best relocated to? Sandown-Newport? The Ventnor West Branch? The "withered arm" to Freshwater? Discuss......
     
  18. Paulthehitch

    Paulthehitch Well-Known Member

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    Here we go again:rolleyes::rolleyes:
     
  19. Alan Kebby

    Alan Kebby Well-Known Member

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    Yes here we go again having a light hearted discussion.
     
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  20. Monkey Magic

    Monkey Magic Part of the furniture

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    Well, if you want to stick the whole sleepy branchline vibe then why not the Bembridge branch :) Ready made connection at Brading, not too long.

    If you want to be bold Ventnor West to Freshwater, means you'd hit the honeypots of Newport, Ventnor, Carisbrooke :)
     
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