Isle of Wight Steam Railway

Lord Peter Hendy, a great friend and supporter of the IWSR, gives his view of the past and future of Ashey Station.

 

I do like this guy! He doesn't just say the right things, he does them as well. He's well in with the RVR as well.
Diamond geezer.

 

Personally I'm delighted to see the railway purchase the station, and indeed hope they'll in time go the whole way into fully restoring the station with both platforms and passing loop, as it seems to me that's probably gonna be their natural course of action with it anyway. It'll certainly be a great asset to have too, being the only what I call a standard or classic station setup, as the only original and genuine original stop on the line is Haven Street and that's had a lot of expansion and development done around it due to necessities.

I believe folks have compared it to Kingscote too on the Bluebell as to it's potential as a pretty isolated station seemingly frozen in time and free from modern developments round it, and I can definitely see it like that.

Plus if nothing else, for galas and such will offer extra flexibility for operations.

 

I should think this is going to be a beautiful place . Shame it's on the flight path into Bembridge airport, just 3 miles away.

 

Bembridge is hardly Heathrow though.

 

I know, I did notice it at least a couple of times during the video though. And yes, the noise is no more than a buzzing and it wouldn't be continuous but some folks do seem to be sensitive to this.

 

I live a couple of miles from Ashey Station and can say with complete confidence that it has no more aircraft flying overhead than anywhere else on the island. Most days you will see one or more Spitfires giving someone the experience of a lifetime.

 

Thanks for the info. I understood that Bembridge and Sandown were very popular destinations for summer weekend fliers.

 

New video showing the interior and some broad suggestions of the work that's going to be needed. A big but exciting job.

 

Around the 6 minute mark they seem to be discussing a signal box, though the dialogue is hard to follow. Was this part of the building a signal box with the lever frame in this room? Was the interlocking in a basement?

 

Yes it was the signal box, presumably the interlocking was underneath.

 

The Ryde Pier tram and trailer takes its first trip to Smallbrook:

https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1208297744424722&set=a.760159079238593

 

I was just recounting on another thread, that when I was 9, my dad took me on a trip to the Isle of Wight on PS Ryde. We travelled on the tram, then, like the Ryde, in its very last weeks of operation. Both were memorable experiences, so for me, this is a very big deal seeing it complete again, and back to life. I'll be over to experience this without a doubt.
Just a shame I won't once again be able to peer down between the rocking carriages, and be mesmerised by the glittering sea below, like that little boy of 1969....

 

Great to see. Only a few years ago the thought of Ryde Pier trams and 1938 Tube stock being a visible part of the railway, either running or on display, was just a dream.

We really enjoyed our shuttle trip on the powered half last time we visited, can't wait to see the trailer in action next time... Well done to all involved.

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