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History of the Islands Railways

1897 Newport, Godshill & St Lawrence Railway

1897 Newport, Godshill & St Lawrence Railway 150 150 Isle of Wight Steam Railway

The final railway on the island to be constructed ran from Merstone to Ventnor West. It reached St Lawrence on 20th July 1897 and Ventnor in 1900 on a rock…

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1889 Freshwater, Yarmouth & Newport Railway

1889 Freshwater, Yarmouth & Newport Railway 150 150 Isle of Wight Steam Railway

This lengthy railway opened to passengers on 11 July 1889 to serve the sparsely populated West Wight. The line was mainly a speculative venture in the hope that new ferry…

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1887 Isle of Wight Central Railway

1887 Isle of Wight Central Railway 150 150 Isle of Wight Steam Railway

The amalgamation of the Cowes & Newport, Ryde & Newport and the I.W. (Newport Junction) Railways was a logical conclusion and took place in 1887.

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1882 Brading Harbour Improvement Company

1882 Brading Harbour Improvement Company 150 150 Isle of Wight Steam Railway

The short 2¾ mile branch from Brading to Bembridge was opened on 27th May 1882. It came about as a direct result of plans to reclaim Brading marshes, the railway…

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1880 Ryde Pier Head – Ryde St John’s Road

1880 Ryde Pier Head – Ryde St John’s Road 150 150 Isle of Wight Steam Railway

Dismayed at the treatment and inconvenience to its passengers once on the Island, the mainland railway companies who ran the ferry service built a new pier and railway to replace…

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1875 Ryde & Newport Railway

1875 Ryde & Newport Railway 150 150 Isle of Wight Steam Railway

This new line ran from Smallbrook Junction, near Ryde on the I.W.Railway, through Ashey, Haven Street and Whippingham to Newport where it connected with the Cowes & Newport Railway. It…

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1875 I.W. (Newport Junction) Railway

1875 I.W. (Newport Junction) Railway 150 150 Isle of Wight Steam Railway

This line was planned to link Sandown, on the Isle of Wight Railway, with Newport. However there were problems with finance and construction at the Newport end; the line only…

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1871 Ryde Pier Tramway Extension

1871 Ryde Pier Tramway Extension 150 150 Isle of Wight Steam Railway

For some years there had been considerable inconvenience to visitors travelling between Ryde Pier and the station at Ryde St John’s Road. The tramway was extended in 1870, along the…

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1866 Isle of Wight Railway

1866 Isle of Wight Railway 150 150 Isle of Wight Steam Railway

Three years after the opening of the Ryde-Shanklin section of this railway, the final stage to Ventnor, which incorporated a 1312 yard long tunnel, opened on 10th September 1866. Sadly…

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1864 Ryde Pier Tramway

1864 Ryde Pier Tramway 150 150 Isle of Wight Steam Railway

The Ryde Pier Company constructed a horse-worked tramway along the ½ mile pier. The Pier Company also experimented with steam tram engines, steam tram cars and ultimately became pioneers in…

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