Isle of Wight Steam Railway

Double track or two singles lines? I believe the two lines were used as bidirectional single lines during the quiet season to avoid opening Smallbrook box. The lines were only used as double track during the high season when Smallbrook was opened.

 

From Esplanade to Smallbrook is largely as in steam days, the double track section is where the two units in daily use cross.

 

In the winter months, the st Johns to Smallbrook was indeed run as two separate lines with the box at Smallbrook switched out when the line was electrified from esplanade to Shanklin, much was left un altered from steam days ,even the release shunt from shanklin to reach platform 2 was still in operation for the first few years, colour light signals at Smallbrook being the main addition.

 

To reply to some of the comments on this thread since it was started:

Although an extension to Newport remains an aspiration, it would probably take between £5 and £10 million just to get to the outskirts. This is far beyond the railway’s financial capacity and it would only come about if someone else was prepared to pay for it of which there is absolutely no prospect at present!

An extension eastwards to Ryde St John’s is much more likely and could come about in the not-too-distant future. With double track between Smallbrook and Ryde St John’s already in place and a relatively suitable platform arrangement at St John’s it would be far less complicated than many extensions on other railways. It would also give a much needed economic boost to the south side of Ryde, with thousands of visitors arriving by train every year.

Pushing on to Ryde Esplanade would give the railway a much higher profile but is only likely if Island Line were to close, something that is not anticipated. It would also create some major infrastructure problems. Firstly, the floor of the tunnel would need to be lowered, thus rendering it liable to flooding once again. Secondly, half of the platform at the Esplanade is actually on the pier, so to allow enough space for a five coach train plus room for the loco to run round, some 300ft of pier would be needed!

2014 promises to be a great year for the railway: the three original Island engines will all be in steam for the first time since 2002, the new storage and display building will be opening in the spring which will give our visitors much more to see and plans are afoot to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Ryde to Shanklin line.

 

I think the occasional special to Shanklin would be a good thing and would certainly help raise the IOWSR's profile. Mind you, I took a trip down to Shanklin a couple of years ago and the driver of the ex-Tube train was really going for it, the whole experience resembling something you pay good money for at Paulton's Park! Seriously though, I'd be wary of the effect of the dropped rail joints on an engine's springs, much the same way the MHR found out some 30 years ago as they pushed to Alton on secondhand track. Having said that, the Mid Norfolk line had a distinctly up-and-down feel when I took a ride in their railcar back in May but they ran-in a 'King' without any (publicised) detrimental effects, but I digress.

Anyway, the IOWSR is a great line and the more Terriers the better - eventually!

 

Might give you a chuckle, the april fools joke the blog I write for did.

Steam will soon be returning to the town of Newport thanks to a very generous donation by a group of businessmen based on the Island. It’s long been the goal of the Isle of Wight Steam Railway to connect to Newport which was the central hub of the islands former railway network. The group who have offered to put up the funds to extend the Isle of Wight railway on the old track bed which runs alongside the A3054 into Newport. (Read to countine)

Steaming into Newport http://t.co/GeNyKpyTMg

 

35029 Ellerman Line requiring a light overhaul made me chuckle!

 

Come on Gary, you know a MN makes sense, what with all the heavy rolling stock you have to drag about! I assume fitting airbrakes wouldn't be a major difficulty, once you've got a working scheme on the Ivatt?

Tom

 

Air brakes would be the easy bit!

 

Well been on a non April 1st mode, the track bed to the outskirts of Newport looks to be more or less intact so this could be done if the money and labour was found.

 

Which section will need the light overhaul as it isn't very steam tight currently.

 

E-mailed the IoWSR a couple of weeks ago via the web site but a reply was never received. Perhaps they'd like to be as energetic on that front as they are on the C&W and loco fronts.

 

Bad form from the NRM spokesperson, they could've at least been honest and said it'll need a few stays replacing!

 

I did hear they were going to rename Ellerman Line to WightLink to honor one of the islands ferry companies

 

I'm looking at attending the island days event on Sunday is it just the red timetable with the freight trains thrown in?

 

The 150 Anniversary would be a good excuse to get 24 back to ryde st Johns, on static with one of the restored 4 wheelers if Ryde works was opened to the public or even better if the IOWSR is operating to st johns, would be a evening topped and tailed , with 24, the bogie rake, and one of the ivatts, special run ,invited guests only trip down the line to shanklin

 

Ah! More"wouldn't it be nice" Sorry for saying so but it's true.

PH

 

it would have zero inpact on the railway, im talking along the lines of a one off event with island line or do you not think that having a static display at ryde not worth it, if they chose to celibrate the 150 years since opening the line? if island line and SWT decided to offer the IOWSR the chance to have a display at ryde depot

 

It is the blue timetable with the Goods running as an extra, the red timetable would leave no paths for the Goods. Where possible both trains will have Island locos, most likely W24 on the passenger and W11 on the Goods.

 

Martin the 150th was last year!