Channel 4 Programme

The I.W.R never achieved steam heating which was left to the Southern Railway to provide. By chance, the present Havenstreet museum does have a metal footwarmer stamped "I.W.R." which, very likely, was used aboard No. 10.

PH

 

Predicted text malfunction or dining areas? If so catering on the IOW trains Paul Hitch!

 

“Break” was the general spelling of what later became known as “brake”. Not unusual to find pictures of vans in the 19th century labelled “Break” van.

Tom

 

Checking through my references, No.10 was withdrawn well before grouping (Mr Snow's programme mentioned 1920, though Maycock & Silsbury mention receipts totalling £58 for the sale of stock in Feb 1916 and the replacement Met carriages as being purchased from 1912 onwards, with the last being outshoped in 1915). It occurs therefore that the likely last time No.10 trod the IWC rails west of Smallbrook was probably a prewar 'special' for the Ashey Races.

Although just one of twent-two obsolete Oldbury carriages withdrawn during that period, I note the No.10 slot remained unfilled for the remainder of the IWR's existence.

 

Would an IWR coach have been used on a IWCR train?

 

Not regularly, though it seems when it came to the Ashey race meets, trains through from the IWR were a regular feature. "A little piece of the action" or just not enough IWC stock to cater for what was a major event before WWI?

I like the tale of one particular Victorian Whippingham (for Osborne) Royal Train. IWR stock was hired in due to the appalling state of the IWC's motley collection being totally unsuitable for Royal patronage. Reports from the time suggest that during inclement weather, IWC 1st class passengers stayed dry only if they brought a brolly! The IWC only became more (what I regard as boringly) professional following installation of Mr Charles Conacher's regime.

Just why HMQV (EofI) needed to travel by Island train in the first place is a bit more of a mystery, what with Osborne House being on t'other side of the Medina from the one-time C&N line to Cowes and a ways from the heaving fleshpots of Ryde, plus enjoying it's own secluded waterfront.

 

There are conflicting dates of 1920 or 1923 quoted. Perhaps at a guess it ceased to be used in 1920 and was removed from stock in 1923

Firstly, the I.W.C. is believed to have borrowed a vehicle for the one and only journey Queen Victoria is believed to hqve made by rail on the I.O.W.
Second;y it seems there were special services in relation to Ashey races.
Lastly, workmen's traffic to Cowes increased largely in W.W.1, leading to stock being borrowed.

Paul H

 

Interested to know what wagon the wheel sets and buffers etc came from?

Has the IOWSR started stock piling suitable wagons for future restorations (like it does with PMV etc underframes)?

 

Are you familiar with the kit owned by the earliest incarnations of the IWC and it's predecessors? The earliest workmans' carriages provided (second-hand of course!) were truly awful and (build quality wise) reminiscent of some larger version of the FfR's* earliest roofed quarrymans coaches. A few grainy early photos show something resembling a heavily framed, low roofed shed on a bulky timber underframe, devoid of any glazing and the drawing (in Weddel's LWSR Carriages Vol.1) shows bench seats around the sides and ends. IMO, today's IWSR could find gainful employment for one to carry unruly sproggits!

Edited to stop @Matt37401 moaning. I'm nice like that .... sometimes!

 

Can you please give this 'Festerbahn' thing a rest please?! It is bloody irritating! Since when the Ffestiniog been taken over by the Germans?! Sorry to be pedantic, but you wouldn't describe say 7714 as being out shopped from 'Brooknorde' would you! It's just really starting to annoy!

 

I have known several F.R. supporters use thisexpression.

PH

 

Major events indeed, we overlook how popular things like this were. The "Ballyheen races" which took place behind where I used to live are folklore in this part of the world and yet you'd be hard pressed to find Ballyheen on the map. The big event around here were the Banteer Sports and my little branch line was reported to have transported 6000 people to them, practically the whole population. At that time (1950s) the only other choice generally was to walk. Edit...checked my facts my facts and it was 1894 and the 6000 was the total attendance , but special trains were run on the branch whichwas about 8 miles long. https://www.independent.ie/regional...special-function-on-november-10-27064227.html

 

No intention to aggravate .... it's been the familiar term to me since ..... (strewth, I'm getting old!). For the record, it's purely been that 'FR' crops up in reference to (most often) the Furness Rly, though Foxfield is another potential source of confusion.

Anyhoo ..... info assimilated ..... from now on, I'll go with the halfway house 'FfR' (Incorrect according to the line's legal title, but 'RhFf' would be meaningless to monoglot English speakers) ... but Blodge remains Blodge. So there! Happy now?

 

Impressive restoration and excellent program. I have to admit I am finding Peter Snow slightly annoying with some of his comments, but all in all the tone and content of the program is much better than previous attempts centred around heritage railways.

Just as an aside I notice there was a grey sheeted polytunnel shown outside the carriage shed. Could someone from the IOWSR advise who supplied that? It looked heavy duty and tall enough to get a carriage through but with narrow footprint across width. I am trying to source something like big enough to store a carriage in but not too wide to foul the clearance on an adjacent siding.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

Try james@cabinlocator.co.uk they supplied the one at Havenstreet, very reasonable price. Bit of a pain to assemble but well worth it.

Gary

 

Thank you for that information.

 

I very much enjoyed last evening's programme, which was better than the first episode in content, and dare I say trumped the Llangollen in the end result.

I hope you will all go to visit the IOWSR as it is a very special preserved railway, and currently has a fleet of operational locos that many preserved lines would be very envious of!

The carriages have always been splendid, though many years ago I remember sleeping in the SECR brakes as volunteer accommodation and queuing up to shave in the morning in the Gents loo at Havenstreet station.

The IWR railway from originally Ryde St Johns Road to Shanklin to later Ventnor was initially a very odd railway. It revolved around in principally the summer conveyance of 'toffs' and the gentry to their summer residences . Especially in the Bonchurch area. No ordinary 'caulkheads' /locals could afford the exhorbitant fares, and instead used the very poor roads as they had always done.

Cheers,

Julian

 

Indeed ..... this has always been something even the most casual visitor couldn't fail to notice. Back when it all seemed 'just about the locos', Haven Street was a real eye-opener. It's a source of enduring delight that the IWSR now has serious competition, with several superb restorations nationwide.

The story of railway promotion and construction on the island reveals how a virtually feudal land owning structure still held sway as late as the 1860's.

Worth mentioning that the line between St.Johns Road and Ryde Pier Head (opened to Ryde Esplanade 5th April 1880 and extended to Pier Head 12th July 1880) was a "joint line" constructed and owned (until grouping) by the LSW & LBSC. Both the IWC & IWR were too perennially skint and just got to operate it, hence the somewhat surprising provision of double track, with Esplanade curve plus the tunnel being a major factor defining the equally 'surprising' loading gauge we still 'enjoy' today.

 

Some of the story of the restoration of Oldbury No.10