Isle of Wight- Strategic Vision

Having just received my copy of the "Island News" is reminded me to start a thread on the strategic vision..
i love the ambition of it, and agree that for the railway to continue developing as an attraction these ideas need to be implemented

however i wondered what everyones opions are?

with 11 steam locos, the fleet having doubled in the past year, and an almost unrivalled collection of coaching stock, it is a substantial and sustainable railway
any ideas?

 

They have that carriage shed on the go, anyone got more info on this (I have seen the website BTW)

 

Any details of what their strategic vision might be?

A glance at the website reveals nothing.

 

It has only been revelaed in draft version so far, and will be revealed in full at the upcoming members day
but i believe to indclue the development of wooton as an example of a pre-grouping station, plus the development of ashey station and extension through to ryde st johns road
+
the carriage shed is a 5 road shed, in which the coaches can be stored, rather than being exposed to the elements

the only question i would have would be a lack of coaching stock, with only two smallish sets currently available

 

What about the extension to Newport that has been talked about in the past? Is that still a possibility?

 

The first major obstacle would be that the bridge has been filled in at the end of wooton station, due to a landslip in the 1960's. However beyond this there is a footpath, passing through the delightful station of whippingham, it serving Osbourne House, but then i do not no how far into Newport the line could reach

also there is a diagram of the proposed rolling stock storage facility
go onto the isle of wight railway homepage
and on the left hand side there is a link to "stock storage appeal"
on here there is a diagram of the proposed builing and updates on fundraising

 

Steam railway 360 had an article on p38 about the IoWSR's 20 year strategic vision. it said the railway wanted to have, at any moment, 3 large engines capable of pulling 6 bogies at 25mph, 2 smaller engines, seek out engines appropriate to the island (eg E1 at ESR), and also lists seeral deelopments. These being

a railway museum
heavy engineering being moved to griffin sidings
development of a station at wootton
acquiring ashley station if it became available
extend services to Ryde St Johns
extend services to Newport

the magazine also comments on the viability of building replicas of extinct island engines, such as the 2-4-0T beyer peacocks. But i'm not entirely sure how much of this is their guesswork and how much is what the IoWSR is thinking

 

I'm not sure now what the reasoning is for getting to Ryde st Johns, its not very close to the "holiday centre" of Ryde, & getting to Ryde esplanade seems unlikely. They already have a free (to them) means of getting the punters from the seafront to Smallbrook via Island line. having said that, I did notice a park less than 100 yards from the sea front, on the right side of the Tunnel, right next to the island line, now if they could smooth talk the council into using the edge of it for a runround loop, never say never.
Myford

 

I think the reasoning is it would give their trains a longer run, but at less cost than extending the line to Whippingham or Newport. No filled in cuttings to excavate, and the track is already is place.

 

The Terrier on the Spa Valley Railway, and one of the KESR Terriers were used on the IOW in SR days. No doubt the IOWSR would like to get their hands on them given the chance!

 

It makes a lot of sense; not only do you get a longer run but unlike Smallbrook Jct you get a decent car park and bus stop alongside the main road through the town. Fingers crossed it'll come about when NR get around to resignalling Pier Head-Shanklin.

Chris

 

The site of Newport station has dissapeared under the Islands only dual carrigeway! The tunnel /bridge under the main road to Ryde is used as a footpath/cycleway. Any extension from Wootton would need to stop some distance short of the former station site in an area of housing, so that wouldn't be a popular option.

Going back to Ryde should be easier. Watch that space, NR and SSWT are in discussions about spending serious money on the Island electric line with some infrastructure changes.

Regards, Neil

 

So is the re signalling going to mean that the island line will then be single track all the way from RSJ to the pier head?
Myford

 

My guess is that the loop will be moved from sandown to brading and the double track from smallbrook to esplanade singled, perhaps with the signalbox being made redundant and and made available to the IoWSR. However, i wouldnt be suprised if the loop at sandown and the second track from st johns to esplanade/pier head are mothballed, or the latter kept for a pier shuttle, we'll just have to wait and see.

Chris

 

Can't see Sutton going anywhere, unless the London Borough of Sutton decide to sell it. However it's in the middle of a major overhaul and we're hoping that its stay in the only original LB&SCR steam shed in preservation, will be for a number of years to come!!!

I'm sure a visit to the Island, maybe alongside the other island Terriers would not be out of the question at some point though \/

Matt

 

Having only been the Island once, i dont know the area or layout very well but, could the IoWSR run from Smallbrook to Ryde at least on the mothballed line? Are there any sidings or anything on that side to cause problems ?

LMG.

 

Yes that's the theory behind the plan to extend to Ryde. It would still require some track work and resignalling so that the steam trains could run independently of the main line electric trains.

As said the plan would be to extend to Ryde St Johns. There's not much hope of the steam trains going any further into Ryde, as they wouldn't fit through Ryde tunnel.

 

Not sure anymore Terriers would be high on the shopping list being realistic, with increasing train weights and length the time when high passenger number days are beyond capabilities of W8 and W11 can't be too far away, nothing the Austerities, Ivatt's and W24 can't handle mind.

 

Good luck to the IoWSR, I love the place, has a terrific vibe about it, and it feels not like a preserved railway but more like BR forgot it was there and has been left to continue going on its own! I love it! I really hope they're able to extend it, the link down toward Osbourne house (closer to the ferry as well) could be quite successful! My family used to live on the IoW next to Yarmouth train station...shame thats not a viable extension, could turn the IoW into the new Island of Sodor!

Good luck chaps!!!!!

 

I had the good fortune to fire both terriers. I would stack W8 up against a lot of other, larger locos. It keeps the fireman on his toes, and is ideal for the line. It is useful to remember that IoW also has its 'quieter days', when the terriers prove ideal.

The new boiler for W11 is an example that the terrier is far from dead.

Ian.