Guaranteed to bring a lump to the throat of anyone who remembers this much gentler way of coming to, and travelling around, the island. Why, oh why has it all gone?
Coming from Essex my holiday in 1966 to Sandown was an eye opener. Picked up the train at Ryde after electrics all the way from home. Vaguely remember seeing some Bullieds on the day from Waterloo. Once at our caravan was pleased to find out that the train crossed over the road bridge outside the site. Spent two whole weeks mesmerized by these little engines and their green coaches. From the first train of the day to the last, l just couldn't get enough of them. Was even allowed to walk down to Sandown station to watch them. Happy days and the only clear memory of BR steam
What a wonderful surprise to revisit these old IW tank engines and hear the thump, thump of the Westinghouse braking system. The clip conjured up so many precious memories of my early childhood, during WWII when I lived in Shanklin. Thanks for putting them up.
Yes I remember with pleasure the wonderful family holidays I had at Ventnor in 1957/58. I travelled on the railway on the last working weekend from Shanklin to Ventnor in 1966.
I agree with those of you who say steam engines should have been retained as a working museum. I emigrated to Canada in Feb 1958. My father worked for the I.o.W. railway company as a carpenter. His name was Roy Taylor & he was well known by a great many people. Americans would give their eye-teeth to have such a self contained steam museum, including the old paddle steamers. They would have banned cars from the mainland so that the public rail services & bus services would be in great demand. Furthermore, they should have never allowed the Vectis bus company to buy up all the different privately owned tour coach companies. The island was the ‘poor man’s’ holiday abroad. It could still be a great place for vacations if only there were great attractions & the steam trains would have been a strong attraction for many. Not all improvements are beneficial, sometimes ‘old’ is better especially if it brings back memories for so many people.
i used to love departing Ventnor on the old steam train - it did get quite smoky in the train by the time it got out of that tunnel - it seemed to take forever! I'm sad to see they have now closed this railway - hopefully somebody will find some money to open it again as I expect the track bed is all ready to put the rails down again :-)
They should have kept the shanklin to ventnor line open after the beeching cuts was unnecessary to close that part of the line, I used to walk the old train line and cycle it from lower hyde shanklin upto wroxall I have also walked along the top of the downs from week down along the ventnor downs from shanklin was a great walk and the views up there are breath taking they could reinstate that part of the line or do a re route to ventnor albeit using the old tunnel although the ventnor station is gone and now a industrial estate surely a new terminal could be indroduced amongst the industrial estate, shame it was closed in 66 and knocked down in the early 70s. There is talk of opening the line from smallbrook junction to newport using the steam railway line and extending it from havenstreet into newport to ease congestion from the town, at present islandline are using old 1930s underground rolling stock which is in need of a repaint or replaced with modern trains a think bringing back the trains to ventnor will help rejuvenate the town alot more as we know ventnor is a old victorian holiday resort and the trains had a big part in that too.
Massively enjoyable, I found when I visited the Isle of Wight steam railway that the Westinghouse pumps were incredibly nostalgic, I'd totally forgotten what they sounded like but it came back immediately when I heard it again some 30 years after my last Isle of Wight visit!
Remember the old paddle steamers moored in Portsmouth harbor covered in Seagull **** for probably 15 years?? Yes old sound added, the Bembridge line closed in 1952-3.
A great video or should I say film,it takes me back to the 50's,I can still remember seeing the Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth going along the Solent OH HAPPY DAYS!!
The reason for the demise of the steam railway...was the fact that people wanted their own means of transport, the motor car. I miss steam on the Isle of Wight and last travelled on it in the early 1960's. Take care...
Partly true. There was considerable pruning of the IoW rail network in the early and mid 1950s, which saw a large section of it closing. In the case of the Merstone to Ventnor West line the passenger fares collected did not pay the wages of the staff operating that service. It was the first closure IIRC in 1952; a nationwide survey of the BR network on passenger and freight traffic, week ending 23 April 1961. The data fed into the Beeching 1 report:The Reshaping of British Railways published in March 1963. This report identified all the lines on the IoW as candidates for closure.
This footage has been taken from the Patric Whitehouse films made for the BBC and is currently available on DVD in The Railway Roundabout series and also in my film Return to Smallbrook. All originally shot on 16mm film, hence the superior quality.
The worst thing they did was close all the stations and get rid of steam .They should all have been kept. What a year round tourist attraction they would have been
The IoW CC had an ideal opportunity to run the Smallbrook junction to Newport/Cowes section of the line as a heritage line, in the mid 1960s, when that line closed. Sadly they lacked the vision and forward thinking to do so.
Memories of this line back in early 60's. Was at Boy's Brigade camp at Whitecliff Bay and did this a couple of times. Also at Newport but cant remember where we went to from Newport. Carriages had chandeliers and moveable armchairs then with bench type seats along the side of the carriage.
I would assume that the summer service was a 10 minute one from Ryde PH to Shanklin and a half hourly one to Ventnor. The bulk of passengers during the summer season (June to September) alighted at Shanklin and some caught a bus into Ventnor, which delivered them into the town centre. Ventnor station for all its charm and sea views was some 200ft above the town and a walk down steep hills, to get to the town Centre. Basically in the wrong place. Climbing up a 1 in 4 hill with two suitcases and kids and souvenirs in tow was no joke. Winter time saw next to little or no passengers at all. BR knew this from ticket receipts and sales, and when the closure notice was made public in March 1964 were of the view that it uneconomic.
Yes and no. The line through Brading is the Ryde to Shanklin line which is now electrified with ex-Underground trains. This video is of that line and its (now-closed) extension to Ventnor. Today's steam line runs from Smallbrook Junction near Ryde to Wootton, part of the old Ryde to Cowes line.
Ah, where do you get these things? Is any of this the steam line that's still running to Brading? Excuse any ignorance here; I don't know much about trains!
I can remember standing at Ryde St John's Rd in June 1966 and watching those little O2s attack the gradient- sparks flying from their chimneys- quite a din. The next time I went over -on the paddle steamer Ryde, it was all over. What a great film- and what a loss.
Ha - I know now! I came back from the island last night and had intended to go out to Brading via the train on Wednesday but cancelled because of the rain. My parents live nearby and my mum swears there is no station at Brading. She's been corrected now.
what a great shame someone never hand the hindsight to keep all the railways on the island open and use it as an working museum,and why terminate at shanklin,why not all the way to ventnor
The business case for the retention of the line from Shanklin to Ventnor was poor, and BR knew this from ticket receipts and sales, as the bulk of passengers alighted at Shanklin and got the bus into Ventnor. Ventnor station for all its charm was in the wrong place for the town. Also to electrify down to Ventnor would cost an extra £264k as a 4th 33kV/750V DC traction substation, 33kV OH line connection, conductor rail and extra rolling stock would be needed. Money BR did not have sanctioned by government. BR only just managed to electrify down to Shanklin from Ryde PH on £500k.
patlaws: Well most of the drivers I worked with years ago were glad to get off the old steamers and onto diesels and electrics. Of course there were also those that remembered the old steam with alot of fondness. But I think most of the old boys thought that they were bloody hard work...Mind you the old locos built them up kept them fit...at least while they were firemen.
Well spotted Steve! The station announcement and train noises are from an old recording superimposed onto silent film (only nine years apart!) Sorry for the confusion and the tardy reply!
Coming from Essex my holiday in 1966 to Sandown was an eye opener. Picked up the train at Ryde after electrics all the way from home. Vaguely remember seeing some Bullieds on the day from Waterloo. Once at our caravan was pleased to find out that the train crossed over the road bridge outside the site. Spent two whole weeks mesmerized by these little engines and their green coaches. From the first train of the day to the last, l just couldn't get enough of them. Was even allowed to walk down to Sandown station to watch them. Happy days and the only clear memory of BR steam
1966 was the last year of IOW steam, remember it quite well.
Great ride from Newport via Ventnor to shanklin then Sandown. Loved every minute. Thanks 👍😊👍😊
What a wonderful surprise to revisit these old IW tank engines and hear the thump, thump of the Westinghouse braking system. The clip conjured up so many precious memories of my early childhood, during WWII when I lived in Shanklin. Thanks for putting them up.
Yes I remember with pleasure the wonderful family holidays I had at Ventnor in 1957/58. I travelled on the railway on the last working weekend from Shanklin to Ventnor in 1966.
Very nice indeed. It must have been a very pretty jorney, onwards from Shanklin to Wroxall and Ventnor.
The late 1940's Ryde pier sound recording is beautiful.
The world war one veteran on the loud speaker...
Privileged to here such lovely stuff.
Lots of my friends worked on the steam railwal, and it must have been a brilliant job.
I agree with those of you who say steam engines should have been retained as a working museum.
I emigrated to Canada in Feb 1958. My father worked for the I.o.W. railway company as a carpenter. His name was Roy Taylor & he was well known by a great many people.
Americans would give their eye-teeth to have such a self contained steam museum, including the old paddle steamers. They would have banned cars from the mainland so that the public rail services & bus services would be in great demand. Furthermore, they should have never allowed the Vectis bus company to buy up all the different privately owned tour coach companies. The island was the ‘poor man’s’ holiday abroad. It could still be a great place for vacations if only there were great attractions & the steam trains would have been a strong attraction for many. Not all improvements are beneficial, sometimes ‘old’ is better especially if it brings back memories for so many people.
i used to love departing Ventnor on the old steam train - it did get quite smoky in the train by the time it got out of that tunnel - it seemed to take forever! I'm sad to see they have now closed this railway - hopefully somebody will find some money to open it again as I expect the track bed is all ready to put the rails down again :-)
They should have kept the shanklin to ventnor line open after the beeching cuts was unnecessary to close that part of the line, I used to walk the old train line and cycle it from lower hyde shanklin upto wroxall I have also walked along the top of the downs from week down along the ventnor downs from shanklin was a great walk and the views up there are breath taking they could reinstate that part of the line or do a re route to ventnor albeit using the old tunnel although the ventnor station is gone and now a industrial estate surely a new terminal could be indroduced amongst the industrial estate, shame it was closed in 66 and knocked down in the early 70s. There is talk of opening the line from smallbrook junction to newport using the steam railway line and extending it from havenstreet into newport to ease congestion from the town, at present islandline are using old 1930s underground rolling stock which is in need of a repaint or replaced with modern trains a think bringing back the trains to ventnor will help rejuvenate the town alot more as we know ventnor is a old victorian holiday resort and the trains had a big part in that too.
Wow! That brought back memories. Had a holiday in Sandown in 1959 and I've still got a photo I took of W27 Alverstone at Sandown Station.
Massively enjoyable, I found when I visited the Isle of Wight steam railway that the Westinghouse pumps were incredibly nostalgic, I'd totally forgotten what they sounded like but it came back immediately when I heard it again some 30 years after my last Isle of Wight visit!
Remember the old paddle steamers moored in Portsmouth harbor covered in Seagull **** for probably 15 years?? Yes old sound added, the Bembridge line closed in 1952-3.
Thank you ..any film of Ventnor West line?
A great video or should I say film,it takes me back to the 50's,I can still remember seeing the Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth going along the Solent OH HAPPY DAYS!!
The reason for the demise of the steam railway...was the fact that people wanted their own means of transport, the motor car. I miss steam on the Isle of Wight and last travelled on it in the early 1960's. Take care...
Partly true. There was considerable pruning of the IoW rail network in the early and mid 1950s, which saw a large section of it closing. In the case of the Merstone to Ventnor West line the passenger fares collected did not pay the wages of the staff operating that service. It was the first closure IIRC in 1952; a nationwide survey of the BR network on passenger and freight traffic, week ending 23 April 1961. The data fed into the Beeching 1 report:The Reshaping of British Railways published in March 1963. This report identified all the lines on the IoW as candidates for closure.
Remember it so well ...i must be old lol
Nice little film but too much distortion. Ventnor looks glorious.
Shame to think Beeching destroyed this fine railway network.
There were a number of closures before he came to office back in the early to mid 1950s when a number of lines were closed as they were unviable.
This footage has been taken from the Patric Whitehouse films made for the BBC and is currently available on DVD in The Railway Roundabout series and also in my film Return to Smallbrook. All originally shot on 16mm film, hence the superior quality.
The worst thing they did was close all the stations and get rid of steam .They should all have been kept. What a year round tourist attraction they would have been
michael hampton to
The IoW CC had an ideal opportunity to run the Smallbrook junction to Newport/Cowes section of the line as a heritage line, in the mid 1960s, when that line closed. Sadly they lacked the vision and forward thinking to do so.
Astonishing! Nostalgic!My first visit was 1964
Memories of this line back in early 60's. Was at Boy's Brigade camp at Whitecliff Bay and did this a couple of times. Also at Newport but cant remember where we went to from Newport. Carriages had chandeliers and moveable armchairs then with bench type seats along the side of the carriage.
Why did the train split at Shanklin?
I would assume that the summer service was a 10 minute one from Ryde PH to Shanklin and a half hourly one to Ventnor. The bulk of passengers during the summer season (June to September) alighted at Shanklin and some caught a bus into Ventnor, which delivered them into the town centre. Ventnor station for all its charm and sea views was some 200ft above the town and a walk down steep hills, to get to the town Centre. Basically in the wrong place. Climbing up a 1 in 4 hill with two suitcases and kids and souvenirs in tow was no joke. Winter time saw next to little or no passengers at all. BR knew this from ticket receipts and sales, and when the closure notice was made public in March 1964 were of the view that it uneconomic.
Yes and no. The line through Brading is the Ryde to Shanklin line which is now electrified with ex-Underground trains. This video is of that line and its (now-closed) extension to Ventnor. Today's steam line runs from Smallbrook Junction near Ryde to Wootton, part of the old Ryde to Cowes line.
There was a big station at Newport.
Ah, where do you get these things? Is any of this the steam line that's still running to Brading? Excuse any ignorance here; I don't know much about trains!
Love to know if you have any more of this lovely film. Video125co
I can remember standing at Ryde St John's Rd in June 1966 and watching those little O2s attack the gradient- sparks flying from their chimneys- quite a din. The next time I went over -on the paddle steamer Ryde, it was all over. What a great film- and what a loss.
Thanks for a wonderful reminder of a childhood holiday on IOW in 1963, when steam and pier-tram were still running.
Ha - I know now! I came back from the island last night and had intended to go out to Brading via the train on Wednesday but cancelled because of the rain. My parents live nearby and my mum swears there is no station at Brading. She's been corrected now.
what a great shame someone never hand the hindsight to keep all the railways on the island open and use it as an working museum,and why terminate at shanklin,why not all the way to ventnor
The business case for the retention of the line from Shanklin to Ventnor was poor, and BR knew this from ticket receipts and sales, as the bulk of passengers alighted at Shanklin and got the bus into Ventnor. Ventnor station for all its charm was in the wrong place for the town. Also to electrify down to Ventnor would cost an extra £264k as a 4th 33kV/750V DC traction substation, 33kV OH line connection, conductor rail and extra rolling stock would be needed. Money BR did not have sanctioned by government. BR only just managed to electrify down to Shanklin from Ryde PH on £500k.
good footage. i love the IOW and the railway. Can you tell me what music this is?
What is call the background music?
Saw the paddle steamer "Ryde " dumped and rotting away just outside Fishbourne I.O.W , its still a lovely site but quite sad really : (
I would like to show this video at Brading Station Museum on the 150th anniversary in August. Can I buy a DVD or MP4 download?
Great video 5+ , my site has Sandown railway station
When is this film meant to be - 1952 or 1962? Why does it say you could travel Newport to Freshwater, closed in 1953, when this film is from 1962?
16mm?
patlaws:
Well most of the drivers I worked with years ago were glad to get off the old steamers and onto diesels and electrics. Of course there were also those that remembered the old steam with alot of fondness. But I think most of the old boys thought that they were bloody hard work...Mind you the old locos built them up kept them fit...at least while they were firemen.
i love steam but my mother hated steam trains as she always got soot marks on her clothes!
Well spotted Steve! The station announcement and train noises are from an old recording superimposed onto silent film (only nine years apart!) Sorry for the confusion and the tardy reply!
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