Isle of Wight Steam Railway

Not quite IOWSR, but a new proposal to extend Island Line to Newport. These ideas seem to come and go, but this is the first time I’ve seen a proposal to use the old route from Sandown. It would avoid the problem of the IOWSR being in the way.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-57751347

 

I wonder how they will deal with the 4(5)? level crossings, one being the main Newport road ???

 

I'm wondering how they propose to deal with the flood prevention measures undertaken since the line closed 65 years ago. Slight issue too, that Ryde - Sandown - Newport doesn't sound the most direct route, even if the old junction at Sandown faced the right way round, which it didn't!

 

Indeed. The Smallbrook to Newport line is a better option, apart from that pesky steam railway that’s in the way!

They have clearly decided that despite its shortcomings, using the Sandown route is preferable to relocating the steam railway or sharing its tracks.

In any case very unlikely to happen, but interesting that thoughts have turned to the Sandown route.

 

It does make you wonder, What if the IOWSR had set up base at Sandown , and purchased the old track bed to Merstone and then on to Newport, rather than setting up home at Havenstreet,

 

Some of what I've seen advanced looks so far removed from reality that it must surely come from people who have only ever seen the IoW on a road atlas!

 

As I wrote elsewhere:
I, you, we - spent £50k on this 'report'!
Pat

 

I make that a little over 0.08p each

 

Was most pleased to read in the latest issue of Heritage Railway magazine that the IoWSR is finally pushing ahead with designing and building a new boiler for the LBSCR E1 Class, engaging with an engineer to work out the detailed design work before seeking tenders for it's construction. Work is being progressed too on it's chassis too.

It's ended up happening much later then I reckon many of us thought it would, even though I'm aware stuff was slowly progressing on it in the background, but all the same I am delighted to see real progress finally be made towards seeing this unique engine returned to steam as No. W2 'Yarmouth'.


Also mentioned that currently the railway's main priority in the loco works in Terrier 'Freshwater', in hopes to have it ready for the big celebration next year, the 150th anniversary of it's class. No doubt a big highlight milestone for many to celebrate, certainly it is one for me. A pity though that this has pushed back the overhaul of 'Invincible', but all being well once the Terrier is finished full efforts can turn to getting the ex-RAF resident back into working order sure enough.


And finally, in what was quite the big surprise for me, both the railway's Ivatts will be renamed into W1 'Ryde' and W5 'Cowes' respectively for the upcoming 1960s weekend in September. Strictly for just that weekend though from what I understand, presenting a kind of What If scenario.

It's funny seeing that news though, for I recall well I was remarking on this thread how I believed the Ivatts should be given previously used Isle of Wight numbers and names, as is tradition on the island in years past. But a strict condition placed on the locomotives specified they were not to do that.

Of course this is still case alas as it's only temporary, but for folks like me that fancied the idea, it'll be great to witness if only for a short time all the same. Be curious as to how they'll arrange where the name goes exactly seeing as an Ivatt tank engine has never carried a name from the Isle of Wight before. My guess would be somewhere roughly in the middle of the side tanks, with the BR crest moved temporary down to fit below the name? That's how it was done for 'Calbourne' and the rest of the O2s in their BR guises.

 

The ivatts are certainly an " What might have been" but If Standard 2's had been transferred, to the island, wouldn't they have kept their own numbers? after all, it as only because Southern had duplicate numbers, that they used the W prefix for IOW , to denote what region, or sub shed that loco was from, As it would have been quite late, who knows, the engines might have acquired BR Rail Blue, with double arrow , then white and black, lining out, similar to how the VOR engines turned out. So, are the IOWSR, going to turn out an Ivatt in rail blue, with double arrows ?

 

At the head of a train of Mk1 and Mk2s?

Why not go the whole hog and paint one in NSE colours?

Of course, the old problem is the loading gauge so why not repaint the IOWSR's carriages in a mix of rail blue, blue and grey and NSE. Very fetching.

Or in honour of the 483s why not paint the other in the dinosaur livery? The IOW - the Island of Dinosaurs and Pre-historic fossils, and that's just the locals.

 

With any donated machine the wishes of the donor have to be respected, Hence a machine running in khaki which actually makes B.R. Express green interesting.

 

Has anyone ever done a photoshopped immage on one of the ivatts in lined out Rail Blue with double arrow on the tank sides, be an interesting one to look at .

 

So if the donor wanted Mk1s and an RMB?

 

They’d’ve had to offer to donate those too, which might have been accepted - or not.

 

Hopefully not

 

It’s the prerogative of the donor to make any offer they wish - and the prerogative of the railway as to whether they wish to accept it! (And yes, there is a serious point in there).

Tom

 

Very little point as they would be out of gauge.

 

Indeed, it is hard to say 'nothing to do with us, it was the donor's decision'.

I am reminded of black comedy moments in history. During his kangeroo court trial, Nicolae Ceausescu is asked by one of the prosecutors if he had agreed x,y and z. To which Ceausescu replies 'Yes, and you should know because you were in the meeting and agreed'. I think it was Ceausescu's trial, it might well have been the last round of WSR blood letting. (Sorry, I digress).

As with all principles, authenticity only survives so long when challenged by a pound sign.

And if the donor says they'll pony up the cash to resolve it?

While I am being flippant there is a serious point about how far and how dependent should lines be on a single or a few large donors and how their whims, interests and desires should shape the decisions that the railway makes. No one wants a line which is one person's 12 inches to 1ft scale model railway.

 

If any offer is made that does not fit the IOWSR ethos I can quite confidently say that it would be refused.