Isle of Wight Steam Railway

Hi, yes it was well worth running in my book. Interestingly the first trip wasn't that busy and we carried a fair number on the last train of the day, which is the reverse of normal, though I have no idea why!

 

Had tickets booked for Tuesday 25 August during our week's jolly to the Isle. Very well organised and well attended. No dog to take however, but this didn't spoil a wonderful day on the railway, despite some early liquid sunshine. Luckily we pulled a first class compartment! Very friendly bunch as we expected they would be, excellent exhibition/story of the IoW railways. Pastie, chips and tea were great. Second hand book shop, bagged all three volumes of the Marshal history of the L&Y (home stuff for me!), all in excellent condition for a steal of a price, so they got some extra in the honesty box. Can't have enough railway books can we!! Pix below:

 

Surfing the web today looking for something to illustrate "wooden brake blocks", I chanced upon a familiar outline ...

https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/File:Im1877EnV43-p373.jpg

Wooden brake blocks, handbrake only ...

Tom

 

I see the conductor rail is laid out, ready for installation, when the Newport extension is announced by your MP

 

Purely to avoid doubt, the railway acquired a few lengths of brand new bullhead rail which, by great good fortune, were put in place just prior to lockdown.

 

If you look carefully you will see that there are two rails - Didn't D78 stock run on a 4 rail system??????

More to the point - we have been rerailing part of the Smallbrook section with brand new bull head rail as part of our investment to secure the long term future of the railway.

 

Peter Hendy (Chairman of Network Rail) and Mark Hopwood (MD of SWR) visited this week, sounds like the IWSR had a reasonable summer in the circumstances and there's much talk in Mark's video below of 'synergies' and 'working together'...

https://www.facebook.com/iwsteamrailway/posts/4498982550177190

 

Don't both railways already work together to a degree? but most likily as the head of Network Rail was there also, I wonder if hiring of the IWSR 03,and some wagons, or Fred, to assist in the engineering works between Jan and March was on the agenda and connection whilst needed between the head shunt, and the down line at Smallbrook to facilitate transfer of the engine and wagons

 

I suspect you are reading far too much into this. Sir Peter Hendy is a member of the IOWSR. "Nuclear Fred" is a museum piece which only sees very occasional light duties, normally on special days. It is not equipped with continuous air brakes.

It seems that WIBN is on the march again.

 

Oh come on Martin, surely you can let your imagination run more freely than that? Surely W11 and the LBSCR double bolster set to carry the rails - I'm sure if your asked nicely, the Bluebell would be prepared to send over their SE&CR drop side ballast wagon as well ...

Tom

 

Mark Hopwood loves his Class 50's (https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1762670903815842&id=412897192126560). WIBN........

 

I'm not sure the ferry would be so keen on a 50, and as for the headshunts...

 

If I was to let my imagination run freely, then i would be saying, thatNetwork rail can send over a 73-9 and engineers train,

 

The 03 and a couple of wagons have been hired to Island line before for engineering work. Transferred by road though.

 

SWR's head of infrastructure says an unsignalled connection at Smallbrook may be installed for use by engineering trains use in the latest Modern Railways magazine - there could be some reason(s) why it doesn't happen, but the idea is clearly being taken seriously even if Hopwood and Hendy's visit were a coincidence.

 

That makes sence, especially if the engineering train has to be moved off the line after that days, or nights work is done, it can be either worked to Havenstreet, if spent ballast and soil , dumped in the goosefield, if it needs the land dried out, then worked back empty for the next night, especially if the new 484's are doing testing during the day,

 

It would appear that there may be an un- signalled connection for engineering trains, the reason I thought nuclear fred, is because the 03, may not fit Ryde tunnel, if an engineering train would need to run as far as the pier head with materials to rebuild the pier head platform because of the weight limits of the road pier, , unless they can be unloaded at the pier head from a ferry

 

Watch out @Paulthehitch. The possibility of a couple of track panels being temporarily laid for engineering works will shortly descend into the Ivatts being hired for the engineering trains and a cruise liner converted to transport the Flying Moneypit and 10 mk2s across to the Isle for a visit to Havenstreet

 

I suspect it wouldn't fit under the various bridges...

Oddly enough there was talk of having the replica Rocket over years ago, I'm pretty sure that wouldn't fit under the bridges either, but it is perhaps the only tender loco that might get into Wootton headshunt!

 

I believe the MoSI “Planet” replica has air brakes ...

Tom (absolutely sprinting for cover)