W8 Freshwater

Just noticed W8 Freshwater is back in traffic on the IoWSR. Im looking forward to seeing her this summer, she should make a wonderful sight with the 4 wheeler set - if people arent aware, its now up to six coaches, all in SR livery. Always good to have an island engine back in steam

for more info and some pics, see http://www.iwsteamrailway.co.uk/pages/l ... n%2009.htm

Chris

 

Amazing picture that. All the coaching stock and engine in the same colour. I will have to push my plans to visit the Isle of Wight forward so i can see it running.

Well done to all involved.

 

now thats got to be wrth travelling to see,,,,

 

Very Nice, if all loco's in pre BR colours had matching stock like that they would be a far more pleasing sight.

 

SO HAPPY! Such unexpected news! I love that railway, but haven't been there since No.8 bowed out. Looking forward to the good grub at Havenstreet too!

There doesn't seem to be a loco roster on the website. Is the IoW Railway helpful if one phones to enquire about such matters?

Ta.

 

Although these opportunities are a while away and the roster may have to change, here are some dates when W8 is likely to be in service; 4/5 July for the 1940s Experience, 4/5/6 August, 25/26/27/28/29/30/31 August which includes the August Bank Holiday Steam Show (Friday to Monday). All of the dates indicated are two-train service days. If seeing 'Freshwater' is your main objective I would suggest giving the railway a call before you go.

http://www.iwsteamrailway.co.uk

 

Thanks for the info, Islander. Much appreciated! I know I can be accused of being a bit snooty, but an ex army industrial seems incongrous (is that how you spell it?) on your lovely railway. Terriers and 02s are so right somehow! Will visit more than once this Summer!

 

Of course I would prefer to be out on one of the Island engines but, over time, I have come to appreciate the Austerities for what they are; efficient, capable, and reasonably user friendly. And, as we all know, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

I don't think the Austerities look too badly out of place as long as there are bogie coaches at the ends of the train, they do dwarf the 4-wheelers. If you look back in time, before the Southern's upgrading of the fleet, the Island was home to a very mixed bag of locomotives - including some which could be described as ugly and industrial! Maybe we have, of necessity, continued the old Island railway companies tradition of using whatever second hand equipment was available to keep the show on the road - they very rarely did 'new'.

 

good news the the old girl is back, this just shows the value of having a new boiler made for this engine, less expensive boiler repairs and a quicker turn round
now, i wonder as there are 2 terriers that have carried the name freshwater, which is the correct one? did sutton recieve the name first? or is it w8 it would be an interesting problem if sutton were to one day visit the island , especially if its in southern livery what name could it carry?

 

To my knowlage no other Terrier carried the name Freshwater. The engine that is currently numbered 32650 was named Fishbourne when on the island in the 1930's and has a larger bunker to prove it. There my have been an O2 named Freshwater, but I do not have my books with me to check.

 

Wikipedia does infact have O2 W35 named Freshwater, though this will have happend once W8 had gone to the mainland

 

have i got my lines crossed here, i thought she carried several names whilst on the island or was it only when the 02s began to arrive and took the names that the terriers carried but if i am wrong it would be nice to see the southern liveried terriers with their island names