One of the Island’s most well-known Diesel locomotives from the post-steam era is set to return home after an absence of twenty-seven years and a full restoration.

The Class 03 shunter was built at British Rail’s Swindon works in 1962 and worked on the mainland until 1987.

While some new rolling stock was built to commence Island railway operations in the 19^th century, ever since then the Island has operated using mainland rolling stock handed down. Often these were of types being withdrawn from mainland use as time expired; a practice that continues to this day with the current ‘new refurbished’ Island Line trains.

03 179 was one of a pair of the class that survived withdrawal of the class by British Rail in 1987 by being transferred to the Isle of Wight to haul engineering trains.

She was uniquely painted into the now iconic Network SouthEast livery of red, white and blue and remained at work on the Island for ten years before being sold and leaving the Island in 1998.

The locomotive continued to earn its keep with private mainline operators until finally withdrawn and disposed of in 2016. It was the last class 03 in national railway service and required a full overhaul.

03 179 was bought by Andy West, Dale West and Andy Ashton in 2017. Over the following eight years the locomotive has been fully restored to her Network SouthEast condition at their base in Rushden, Northants, with the aim of returning her to the Isle of Wight where she could join the Isle of Wight Steam Railway’s collection of Island rolling stock providing an additional diesel locomotive for shunting and occasional passenger carrying trains.

With a partnership agreement concluded between the restorers/owners and the IW Steam Railway, the time has now come for 03 179 to return to the Island’s rails, resplendent in full Island era Network SouthEast livery, for an initial 10-year period.

Marc Morgan Huws, Chief Executive at the IW Steam Railway said, “The two Andys and Dale have undertaken a superb restoration of the locomotive, and their dedication is a testament to the allure of our railway heritage.  We’re delighted to be able to work with them to provide a home for 03 179 where she both fills an important gap in our collection but also provides us with a much-needed diesel locomotive to help mitigate against the potential to have to operate diesel rather than steam trains in hot and dry spells.”

Andy West says, “to be able to return 03 179 to The Isle of Wight in its iconic livery is something we discussed back in 2017, nine years later that discussion is about to become reality.

Our partnership with the IW Steam Railway will see that 03 179 lives in the best possible place for its long-term future. We are so excited to be able to finally see the many hours of work come to reality and watch 03 179 be enjoyed by others while helping to tell the story of the Island’s railway history.

03 179 has a long and unique history with many highlights and we want to thank the Isle of Wight Steam Railway, Rushden Historical Transport Society and everyone that has helped in anyway during the last nine years in making the restoration possible.”

03 179 will be making the journey home to the Island during October, crossing the Solent with our friends and sponsors ‘Wightlink’, before appearing in service at the Railway’s Island Loco Gala and Festive Ales Festival, in partnership with SWR’s Island Line, over the weekend of 29/30 November.  The Gala will feature Island locomotives in service including 03 179, the equally well-known Island diesel D2554 / 05 001 ‘Nuclear Fred’, Terrier W8 Freshwater and Adams O2 W24 Calbourne providing a variety of services and brake van rides across the weekend.

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We are pleased to announce today that the Isle of Wight Steam Railway has been recognised in Tripadvisor’s® Travellers’ Choice® Awards for 2025. Tripadvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Award winners are among the top 10% of listings around the world on Tripadvisor.

As the world’s largest travel guidance platform, Tripadvisor has unparalleled authority with travellers and diners. This award is based on genuine feedback from anyone in the community who has visited and left an authentic, first-hand review on Tripadvisor over a 12-month period, making it a valuable and trustworthy designation of travellers’ favourites.

Marc Morgan Huws CEO of the Isle of Wight Steam Railway “We would like to thank everyone who took time to review their visit to us and helping us achieve this award. The Traveller’s Choice is one of the most recognized and coveted awards in the travel space, so it is very valuable to us. Thank you to the whole team who welcome our visitor’s”

“Congratulations to The Isle of Wight Steam Railway on its recognition in Tripadvisor’s Traveller’s Choice Awards for 2025,” said Kristen Dalton, President, Tripadvisor. “Ranking among the top percentage of businesses globally means you have made such a memorable impact on your visitors that many of them took time to go online and leave a glowing review about their experience. We hope this recognition continues to drive business to you in 2025 and beyond.”

Check out all the reviews and discover more about us here

About Tripadvisor

Tripadvisor, the world’s largest travel guidance platform*, helps millions of people each month** become better travelers, from planning to booking to taking a trip. Travelers across the globe use the Tripadvisor site and app to discover where to stay, what to do and where to eat based on guidance from those who have been there before. With more than 1 billion reviews and contributions, travelers turn to Tripadvisor to find deals on accommodations, book experiences, reserve tables at delicious restaurants and discover great places nearby.

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We are delighted to welcome you to visit Ashey at our exclusive Open Day taking place on Sunday 10th August.

The event will run from 1030-1630 and there will be a rail shuttle service from Havenstreet to take visitors to Ashey. Please note there is no vehicle access to Ashey. 

Refreshments and bar will be available as well music to entertain you.

Their will be guided tours of the house and there are 3 time slots available:

10:45 – 12:30
12:30 – 14:15
14:15 – 16:00

On the booking page choose the time slot for your tour (this is not the train time). You can arrive at Ashey anytime throughout the day but make sure you are there for your booked time slot. When you arrive at Ashey you will be giving an actual time for your tour.

Tickets for the event are £10 and this will go direct to the Ashey appeal. Your £10 includes a return from any of our stations to Ashey and the tour of the house. If you would like additional journeys please book standard train travel here.

We look forward to seeing you on what will be a very special day for our Railway!

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Isle of Wight Steam Railway has launched an exhibition on the story of Newport Station in the Newport and Carisbrooke Community Centre. The exhibition is now open and runs through to November 2025 at Newport & Carisbrooke Community Council’s Community Hub 64 High Street, Newport, PO30 1BA.

Newport station was the hub of the Island’s railway system of some 55 miles in its heyday.  The exhibition initially documents the station from the first opening of Island railways in the 1860s to the early 1920s when there were a number of separate railway companies.  Then came the Grouping when these companies were absorbed into the newly formed Southern Railway in 1923.  The Southern made a considerable investment in the Island network before World War II.  The final phase of the story is the British Rail era from 1948 which saw a gradual decline in traffic until by 1967 all that was left was the electrified line from Ryde Pierhead to Shanklin.  Then in the 1970s the IWSR (formerly The Wight Locomotive Society), based at Havenstreet, gradually re-opened the line from Wootton to Smallbrook Junction, the interchange with Island Line.

By Island standards Newport Station was impressively large and in contempoary photos it looks like a mini-Clapham Junction.  To-day nothing of the station remains.  It was obliterated during the rebuilding of that part of Newport in the1970s onwards.  Most people driving along the current dual carriageway (the so-called ‘motorway’)
are unaware that they are passing through the old station layout.

The exhibition is illustrated by images from the IWSR photographic archive, copies of paintings, archive material and tickets, as well as a small collection railway related artefacts.

The exhibition curators hope it will give visitors a clearer idea of how Newport station fitted in to the layout of the town as well as a better understanding of the economic and social importance of Island railways over 100 years.

Also celebrated in the exhibition are the opening of the Ryde and Newport Railway 150 years ago in December 1875 and the national celebration ‘Rail 200 – 200 years of railway travel since 1825’.

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The Isle of Wight Steam Railway and The Isle of Wight Red Squirrel Trust have joined together to install an exciting addition at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway.

Nature enthusiasts and wildlife lovers will be thrilled to learn about the unveiling of a new squirrel hide in the heart of Havenstreet. It has been a joint project between both charities and the hide blends seamlessly into the woodland and visitors will be delighted to see our native Red Squirrels from the sheltered hide. The hide was officially opened by Cllr Ian Dore Chairman of the Isle of Wight Council on Wednesday 18^th June 2025.

The squirrel hide was crafted with sustainability in mind, using locally sourced timber and eco-friendly materials. Its strategic location allows visitors to enjoy unparalleled views of the activity among the treetops, where squirrels thrive. The design also ensures minimal disruption to the environment.

This hide also features educational boards about the Islands Red Squirrel population, their behaviours, and the pressing challenges they face in today’s changing ecosystems.

Helen Butler from the Isle of Wight Squirrel Trust said “The Isle of Wight Red Squirrel Trust is delighted to be working with the IW Steam Railway to promote the Island’s red squirrels.  The Isle of Wight is a nationally important stronghold for our only native squirrel species and it’s a good opportunity for people to see a red squirrel.”

Marc Morgan Huws from the Isle of Wight Steam Railway said “The squirrel hide is an excellent addition to the Steam Railway and offers visitors a place to escape and see what wildlife they can spot. We are extremely grateful to Helen and her team for helping us turn this idea into fruition”

Come and explore the new squirrel hide and don’t forget your camera.

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The Isle of Wight Steam Railway’s trains returned with the reopening of the line through Ashey in 1991 but passing the original station buildings and grounds and only stopping across the track. The original buildings have remained relatively untouched, with modifications in private ownership being relatively minor.

The hope of acquiring the original station buildings was set out in the railway’s first ‘strategic Vision’ published in 2009. Fast forward to February 2024 and the time felt right to let the Holbrook family, owners of the station since 1980, know of our continued interest should they ever decide to sell.

Today, we are delighted to announce that, 57 years after being sold by British Railways, Ashey Station is back in Railway ownership.

We are immensely grateful to the Holbrook family for their willingness to enter into exclusive negotiations and a sale directly to us. We have acquired the full station grounds, the station buildings and land to the North.

PHASES

To fully restore the platform, return the buildings to period condition and bring them up to a standard in which they can be utilised we estimate will cost in the region of a further £550,000.

Reinstatement of the passing loop and potentially other features on the down line would be further phases and are not included in this estimate.

· Phase One – the purchase of the Station grounds and buildings has been achieved.

· Phase Two – will return the station to 1926 Southern Railway period condition externally, restore the public rooms, and allow us to achieve an income from the remainder of the property from holiday letting. This is now our priority, but we expect phase two to take up to two years, with much research, planning and statutory approvals required before we can start the renovations.

We need your help no matter how small – every single penny will go into our work to return Ashey Station to its 1926 appearance, fully restored and protected for the future.

The post Ashey Station Purchased by IWSR Co Ltd appeared first on Isle of Wight Steam Railway.

Ashey station was opened in 1875 as part of the Ryde and Newport Railway. At the time, it was the only intermediate station with a passing loop. It also had a short branch which ran south from the station for about half a mile to a quarry in the downs. The chalk from here was used to ballast the line during its construction. The attractive station building was very grand for its remote location and for most of the year Ashey had very few passengers. However, in 1882, a racecourse opened to the south of the station which meant that on several days each year up to 3000 people would use it.

In 1926, a passing loop was opened at Havenstreet, and that at Ashey closed. From then on, all trains used the up platform with the former down loop becoming a siding and the station became unstaffed, By 1961, earth movement meant that the up platform could no longer be used so the track was realigned onto the line of the former loop until the closure of the line in 1966.

The post Ashey Station History appeared first on Isle of Wight Steam Railway.

Built 150 years ago in 1875 for the opening of the Ryde to Newport Railway, reduced to an unmanned halt in 1953 and sold into private ownership in 1968 when the line closed, Ashey Station has gradually disappeared in private ownership behind the trees and hedges.

The Isle of Wight Steam Railway’s trains returned with the reopening of the line through Ashey in 1991 but passing the original station buildings and grounds and only stopping across the track. The original buildings have remained relatively untouched, with modifications in private ownership being relatively minor.

The hope of acquiring the original station buildings was set out in the railway’s first ‘strategic Vision’ published in 2009. Fast forward to February 2024 and the time felt right to let the Holbrook family, owners of the station since 1980, know of our continued interest should they ever decide to sell.

Today, we are delighted to announce that, 57 years after being sold by British Railways, Ashey Station is back in Railway ownership.

We are immensely grateful to the Holbrook family for their willingness to enter into exclusive negotiations and a sale directly to us. We have acquired the full station grounds, the station buildings and land to the North.

PHASES

To fully restore the platform, return the buildings to period condition and bring them up to a standard in which they can be utilised we estimate will cost in the region of a further £550,000.

Reinstatement of the passing loop and potentially other features on the down line would be further phases and are not included in this estimate.

· Phase One – the purchase of the Station grounds and buildings has been achieved.

· Phase Two – will return the station to 1926 Southern Railway period condition externally, restore the public rooms, and allow us to achieve an income from the remainder of the property from holiday letting. This is now our priority, but we expect phase two to take up to two years, with much research, planning and statutory approvals required before we can start the renovations.

We need your help no matter how small – every single penny will go into our work to return Ashey Station to its 1926 appearance, fully restored and protected for the future.

The post Ashey Station appeared first on Isle of Wight Steam Railway.

The Isle of Wight Steam Railway (IWSR) is saying a fond farewell to one of its locomotives, which is going to a new home near Northampton.

The 1918 Barclay 0 6 0 T locomotive Ajax is to leave the railway to join the Northampton & Lamport Railway (NLR).

It has been on the Isle of Wight for more than 50 years and although it was once used as a working locomotive, in recent years it has been a mainstay of the Train Story Rail Discovery Centre.

The IWSR owns 13 steam locomotives, of which eight are in its operational fleet.

Of the others, two are already on loan to other heritage organisations, while the remaining three are available for display. The 13th, Haydock, donated by the National Trust, is a recent arrival, leaving Ajax surplus to requirements and facing being placed into storage.

The trustees decided to look for a new home for Ajax, where it would be returned to operational use.

Following the NLR’s visit to the Island and inspection of the locomotive, an agreement was reached for the transfer for a nominal sum.

Its new owners aim to use Ajax on the two-mile heritage line in the Midlands, where it will join the NLR’s fleet of heritage steam and diesel engines.

The story of Ajax

Ajax was built for the Sulphide Corporation of London in 1918 but was requisitioned on completion by the Ministry of Munitions and sent to Persia, where she remained for many years, latterly in the service of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company.

The locomotive returned to the UK, working at Llandarcy Refinery, near Swansea, and later at the Stanton Iron Works, Sheffield. She finished her industrial service at Harlaxton Ironstone Quarries, near Grantham, being withdrawn in 1968.

Ajax was bought by Henry Frampton-Jones, who placed her on loan to the IWSR in 1972.

No major restoration work was carried out for more than 20 years, until a full overhaul was completed.  Ajax hauled its first public passenger train during 2005 and was in service until the end of 2014, when it was withdrawn for overhaul.

By then the IWSR had been able to build a fleet of more suitable locomotives to haul its ever more frequent and busier trains, and Ajax was placed on display in Train Story.

Visitors have been able to climb onto the footplate to see how a steam locomotive is controlled.

Ajax’s new home

The Northampton & Lamport Railway is a volunteer-run heritage railway a few miles north of Northampton. It uses part of the former LNWR Northampton to Market Harborough line, which was closed by BR in 1981.

Volunteers have rebuilt the railway from scratch since 1984 and the NLR now operates two miles between Pitsford and Brampton, and Boughton stations, offering steam and/or heritage diesel trains most Sundays, as well as on some Saturdays and Bank Holidays during special events.

A quarter-mile extension project for the NLR is currently under way.

Northamptonshire has a long history of ironstone quarrying, and iron ore trains are synonymous with the history of the line.

Historically, the line was not only a frequent route for ironstone trains passing through the county, but also had several ironstone quarries along its route, including Pitsford Quarry (closed in1965), where the exchange sidings are preserved as part of the NLR.

The NLR’s dream is to recreate the scene of mineral wagons being shunted in Pitsford Sidings, as would have been a daily occurrence between 1925 and 1965, and Ajax will perform a central role in this.

The project also includes the creation of supporting educational and interpretive information to help enrich public understanding and appreciation of the area’s history of iron-stone quarrying.

What they say

Peter Taylor, chairman of the IWSR, said “We’re delighted to have found a new home for Ajax where she will be returned to steam and will operate in service again for people’s enjoyment.

“We’re looking forward to seeing the NLR overhaul Ajax and are pleased to be able to support another growing heritage railway by transferring Ajax into their care.”

Adam Giles, chairman of the NLR, said: “We are very grateful to the IWSR trustees for giving us the opportunity to overhaul Ajax so that it can be returned to operational condition and form a central part of the ironstone train project.”

Ajax is being prepared by the IWSR ready for the journey to her new mainland Britain home and is expected to depart at the end of November.

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