Yes. It's not a ScotRail suggestion. I've been thinking for a while - we have the Island Line in it's modern-ish form, and we have steam coming to the game. Why not - at some point down the line - do a historic Island Line, featuring all the now defunct lines that were there to see. It's a network of many different routes, with Single-Track Running, Batons being exchanged, and nice rural scenery from the Island. You could also (at a push) throw in the Trams at Ryde Pier. Let's take a look, shall we: Contents The Routes Freshwater - Newport Cowes - Newport Newport - Ventnor West Merstone - Sandown Ventnor - Ryde/Bembridge Ryde - Newport Our Rolling Stock? O2 Class Why this route? Conclusion The Routes Freshwater - Newport Running from the Western-most point of the Islands railway network, the Freshwater Line ran from the Island's Administrative Capital at Newport, out through the 'Back of Wight' and into the Coastal Parish. This branch closed in 1953, having originally opened to passengers in 1889. The Stations are as follows: • Freshwater • Yarnmouth • Ningwood • Calbourne & Shalfleet • Watchingwell • Carisbrooke And • Newport Newport was one of the Central Stations on the Island, being in the Capital of it. The Lines from Freshwater, Cowes, Ventnor (West) and Ryde all meet here. Newport Station, shortly before Closure. Cowes - Newport Running from the Northern Point of the Island at Cowes, back down to Newport, the Cowes Line also often had services come from Ryde as well as Newport. Opened in 1862 as the Cowes and Newport Railway, the branch follows the River Medina closely, although it is a fairly short one, with only a few intermediate stations. It closed in 1966, one of the last lines on the island to do so. The stations on this branch are: • Cowes A station that had pride in being "The prettiest station on the Garden Isle", Cowes heads up the branch line. The station has 3 platforms. • Mill Hill (Cowes) • Medina Wharf Halt • Cement Hill Halt • Newport [See Above] Newport - Ventnor West One of the Isle's shortest lived lines, the Ventnor West Branch line reached Ventnor West (Originally Ventnor Town) in 1900, and closed in 1952 (It opened in 1897, but only to St. Lawrence), and the Branch came from the Capital down the the Southern End of the Island at Ventnor. It was one of two lines into the town, with the other coming down from Ryde via what we now call the Island Line. Our Stations are: • Newport [See Above] • Merstone Merstone served as the Junction where the curve to Sandown met the lines to Newport. See below. • Godshill • Whitwell • St. Lawrence The Original Terminus of the Branch. • Ventnor West The Final Terminus of the Branch. Merstone - Sandown We now leave the Ventnor Branch and go back to Merstone, where we have the Curve between it and Sandown. Opened in 1875 (predating the rest of the above Ventnor West Line), Merstone station was the Western end of the line (Services went to Newport), whilst Sandown, opened in 1867 and it today is on the Island Line, was the Eastern terminus of the Line. This lines stations are: • Merstone • Horringford • Newchurch • Alverstone • Sandown Still Exists today on the Island Line. Opened in 1867, before the rest of the stations here, which dated to 1875. Ventnor - Ryde & Bembridge The Majority of this line was electrified in the late 1960s, and - with the use of old London Underground stock - continued to Operate as the Island Line. Sadly, however, the lines between Shanklin and Ventnor, and Brading to Bembridge, didn't last. Bembridge closed in 1953, marking the end of the 2¾mi branch line, and Ventnor closed in 1966, as it didn't receive the electrification. The Stations are as follows: • Ventnor • Wroxall • Shankin* • Sandown* • Brading* And then either • St Helen's And • Bembridge Head of the 2¾ Mile branch. OR • Ryde St. John's Road* Home of (one of) the Island's main depots. • Ryde Esplanade* And • Ryde Pier Head* * - Indicates the station is still open on the Island Line I won't be going into Detail about the Island Line Stations, as they already exist in TSW, in their modern forms. Ryde - Newport Partly surviving as today's Isle of Wight Steam Railway, the Ryde - Newport line is the final line to look at. Connecting the ferries in the town of Ryde to the Capital at Newport, the IOW Steam Railway took over the section from Smallbrook Junction (which had Platforms open in 1991) to Wooton. The line often extended to Cowes. The stations here are: • Ryde St John's Road* (I don't think services on this line went to the Pier) • Ashey** • Haven Street** • Wooton** • Whippingham • Newport [See Above] * Indicates the station is on the Island Line ** Reopened as the Isle of Wight Steam Railway. Map featuring all routes (From 1914) Rolling Stock 02 Class Steam locomotive The 02 Class was the Isle of Wight's Final Steam loco to operate before the lines closed. Having been built between 1889 and 1896, with 60 having been built, the 02 originally operated on the LSWR (London and South Western Railway) on the mainland, before British Rail and the Isle of Wight became it's home. Thanks to MrSouthernDriver for the heads up about the Class. If anyone knows of any more appropriate trains, please, put it in a reply. Why this route(s)? Well, for starters, we have steam coming. It's 100% now. We've seen it yesterday, we know what we're getting, and such. We also have the Isle of Wight in it's modern form, thanks to Rivet Games, and that could act as the Canvas for this route - the base. It also is an extensive network across the Island, with numerous different routes to choose from. That's my thoughts. Conclusion It would be a nice route to see down the line. Whilst I'd prefer modern routes, we do have IOW in the Modern Day, and it would be interesting to see the island's Network in all it's (former) glory! But I've said all that needs to be said, and I ask: What do you think? Finally, I'd like to share this ride-along type video from Ryde to Cowes. Shot in 1960, the video shows you one of the key arteries of the route. Thanks to a member in the TSC Discord for sharing it. Thanks for Reading.
i believe the most common steam train in the 60s on the isle of wight was the O2 class being the last steam train being used on the isle of wight during that time
The E1s were used but all island used got scraped. The picture is the last solo serving E1 she never run on the island but she has been number 2 and name Yarmouth
If you are wondering the other steam locomotives that can fit here are 4MT Standard LBSCR E2. If made people start turning them into 4MT Steam locomotive as Belle E2 Becoming Thomas.
Ironically something like that might have been better for the first "SOS" route, nice and compact but a network with a nice permutation of timetable options.
