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Isle of Wight Steam Railway

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by Freshwater, Nov 12, 2013.

  1. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

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    Regular steam, no, it would not do anything that can't already be done by catching the train at Small brook, but for one offs and special occasions, then yes having a connection makes sence, plus there is the engineering side of things, far easier to hire the 03, and some wagons, than to bring anything over, plus arrivals and departures, would not effect the running of Island lines timetable, If the two railways can work together locally, then much can be achieved People are focassing on the idea of a steam train on Islands lines metals, but at the same time, as 484's seemingly can run on battery power as well as 3rd rail, whats to stop on a future deisel gala, as part of an joint IOWSR/ Island line open day event a 484 running from Pier head to Wotton, and back, reverting back to 3rd rail at Small brook to save battery life,
     
  2. Paulthehitch

    Paulthehitch Well-Known Member

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    Still basically W.I.B.N. I fear Martin, There are all kinds of regulatory hoops to jump over. We are dealing with wooden bodied passenger stock all of pre-Grouping design. B*****r W.I.B.N!
     
  3. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Oh come on Paul, what's your dream WIBN? You must have one fantasy thing you'd like to see in the preservation world but that you know isn't practical. Indulge us! :)
     
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  4. Paulthehitch

    Paulthehitch Well-Known Member

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    Yes, getting one job finished before starting another.
     
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  5. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

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    That's hardly unpractical Paul!! Come on, be daring, something you'd like to see that ordinarily you'd shoot down in flames.
     
  6. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

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    No where have i in the post you hi lighted said about wooden stock, in fact i said no to it, the only possible thing that could be said to be WIBN is the suggestion idea that if an 484 could run on battery power, for an extended time, in between trips on the juice, it might visit the line, on a gala, ran in connection, with Island line, running a couple of Pier head to Wotton Trips, no where have a seriously made any suggestion about steam on Island lines metals, apart from a possible wish based idea for the terriers, but that as part of an "IF IT WERE POSSIBLE" scenerio, not a cast iron wish, when i have my serious head on, my stance is always that, there would be a lot of problems, possibly some are not solvable to make woodern bodied stock compatible . the nearest that might be possible is an engine in steam, not running services but on display in the works yard, at Ryde, along with one of the four wheelers, should Island line ever decide to have an open day.
     
  7. Paulthehitch

    Paulthehitch Well-Known Member

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    It appears to be so for a lot of places
    Q.E.D.
     
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  8. weltrol

    weltrol Part of the furniture Friend

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    Out of interest, what is the maximum speed on the Island Line please? Surely it is not much over 25mph with all the restrictions?
     
  9. andrewtoplis

    andrewtoplis Well-Known Member

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    I know we are always having new members here, but we have done this subject to death in the past, probably on this very thread!

    For the benefit of kwrail and anyone else new, the IWSR has had a long standing ambition to extend into Ryde when it is practical and economical to do so. Many of us thought it would come as part of the current 'upgrade' plans but seemingly not.

    In my opinion this is because it would involve substantial modifications to the signalling in the Ryde area, and on this occasion the big railway chose not to do this. Opening up the signalling is when a railway project goes from simple to complicated and the price goes up accordingly, so I can understand why it wasn't done this time.

    The other factor is that, as much as I would personally love to see it, going to Ryde doesn't add much apart from another mile or so of track which you can already travel on today, it doesn't open up new markets like, say, Bluebell's East Grinstead connection did. So it risks adding cost to IWSR without substantial benefits once the initial interest has died down. I'm sure we will see it in time, but not this time!
     
  10. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    ..... unless the IWSR builds the Solent Tunnel and reopens the Hayling branch for a better mainline connection ..... any takers? Thought not! :D
     
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  11. Paulthehitch

    Paulthehitch Well-Known Member

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    o_O
     
  12. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

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    i am not 100 per cent sure but i think the maximum is 45 mph
     
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  13. Monkey Magic

    Monkey Magic Part of the furniture

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    A restored Hayling Island branch with a connecting bridge to the IOW, with a through service hauled by 9fs at the head of a fine train of mk1s, four toilets in every carriage and every third carriage an rmb.

    A restored Ellerman Lines as Paul's personal engine to chauffeur him between Hayling and Havenstreet. (A bit like Drummond's bug, a Director's Saloon (with personal rmb)).

    A Merchant Navy running tender first into Ventor or Cowes at the head of some modern air conditioned carriages. ;)
     
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  14. Paulthehitch

    Paulthehitch Well-Known Member

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    I'm disappointed. Thought you were a person of taste.:rolleyes:
     
  15. kwrail

    kwrail New Member

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    Many thanks for the updates. Apologies if the subject has been done to death.
    Running services onto the IWSR is probably going to be easier than running steam into Ryde. My guess is that the locos would need to be fitted with AWS and the carriages adapted to be lockable. The Island Line doesn't feel like a main line, but I would expect the same safety controls. For an extra mile of track it would be adding a lot of cost
    All the best. Hope to get over to the Island sometime soon to pay the line a visit
     
  16. andrewtoplis

    andrewtoplis Well-Known Member

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    The railway is double track from Smallbrook to Ryde, so the plan was to give one line to the IWSR, along with part of the station. The track would then be two single lines in parallel like Spa Valley is down to Eridge. I think this is where the signalling mods (and cost) comes in though as this is different to today's setup.

    There is also a question about how you configure the station to work for both parties with access etc on non steam railway running days.

    It's all do-able with a will!
     
  17. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    I might be wrong, but I think there are restrictions on the Spa Valley operation along the parallel section, including no use of four-wheeled vehicles - I believe a Network Rail stipulation so as to minimise the risk of derailment on a line parallel to Network Rail causing disruption to the mainline service.

    Whether the same consideration would apply on Island Line I don't know.

    Tom
     
  18. andrewtoplis

    andrewtoplis Well-Known Member

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    It was just the nearest example I could think of! It would be a real shame if we couldn't take the four wheel rake down there... Portable GSMR handsets might work, if they can do an emergency call.
     
  19. Steve

    Steve Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    TPWS would be a legal requirement, not something Network Rail could exempt if the tracks could be used by Island line. Having said that the ORR have the power to grant such an exemption.
     
  20. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

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    In theory, Island line could use platform 3 at St johns, the side nearest the works, then that leaves platform 1 for steam services and 2 to run round, when steam services are running, when they are not, island line could use platform 2 to pass up and down, , on days when island line is running an enhanced serice, then steam serives would have to wait in platform 1, for the island line trains to pass, then once the ryde bound has left, it can run round, and then waits for the returning train from pier hear, and again that clears the section, it can leave for Ashey and havenstreet.
    Thats the only way i can see anything working, but it would need everything being worked by Ryde box with signals and interlocking from Small brook to the run round points in St Johns station.
    The cheapest option is that the steam railway stays as it is and does not venture beyond Smallbrook .
     

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