Branch visit to the Isle of Wight - 11th July 2009
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| Island Line 006 and 008 approaching Ryde Pier Head. Martin Higgs |
The Windsor and Maidenhead branch chose the Isle of Wight for its first long-distance trip – “overseas” trip as members inevitably referred to it – and we set off from various points on a Saturday morning, resulting in eight of us gathering on Guildford station. One obvious early success was finding the one drizzly day in an otherwise very good summer!
We caught the 1004 South West Trains service (0930 from Waterloo), and our 8-car Class 450 “Desiro” (formed of 450007 and 450112) was soon hurrying down the Portsmouth Direct line. This prompted much discussion among participants as to whether it constituted a down-grading from 444s, and it is known that many a medium to long distance passenger regards these units as “suburban”. Whether you agree with this view or not, it is certainly a long way from malachite green “Schools” 4-4-0s, or even the “Nelson” 4-CORs.
The journey was trouble-free and punctual, and it’s a credit to South West Trains and First Great Western that every service we caught, or even observed that day, was to the same high standard. So having passed Fratton depot, home to the 444s, (which do at least pass its doors on Waterloo via Eastleigh services), we were soon making our way down the slipway at Portsmouth and onto the FastCat catamaran, which had us at Ryde Pier Head in barely 15 minutes. Once again nostalgia gripped the older members of the party. There is still a pier, of course, and rail-served at that, but no longer exclusively, and no longer operated by those sparkling little O2s, which looked wonderful in their lined black livery with red nameplates.
No, for us it was the 1938 tube stock, now the sole providers of service on the Island Line, a 4-car train made up of two 2-car Class 483 sets Nos. 483008 and 483006 (although only the last three digits are carried). And an efficient and regular service they provide too, by and large, rattling along the pier and on to St Johns and beyond. It’s just a pity that operating constraints prevent the service connecting better with the ferries and buses, and that the stations are quite so run down.
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| Party in reserved Compartment at Smallbrook Junction. Martin Higgs |
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| Alan Doe talks to the group at start of tour of Haven Street |
Then it was all change at Smallbrook Junction, and on to the Isle of Wight Steam Railway. Before long, Austerity J94 0-6-0 No. 198 Royal Engineer puffed into the station with an attractive rake of malachite green coaches, manly of SECR origin, and our first pleasant surprise of the day – a reserved compartment! We experienced the splendid craftsmanship in the upholstery, installed by the line’s resident workmen, as the train made its way through the headquarters at Haven Street, and on to a brief stop to reverse at Wootton, the westerly terminus.
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| Haven Street Signal Box Lever Frame. Steve Ollive |
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| Haven Street Signal Box Diagram. Steve Ollive |
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| 0-4-0ST Invincible at Haven Street. Steve Ollive |
Here, at Haven Street, and occasionally on the train, could be heard the strains of folk music accompanying Morris dancers, as part of the railway’s FolkStation weekend, of which the centrepiece was a collection of stalls and tented activity in a field beside the line at Haven Street. We were alright, but those dancers certainly deserved better weather!
The next stage of our visit was the highlight, and a real treat. We were greeted back at Haven Street by Alan Doe, Operations Manager for IoWSR. Alan gave us a detailed and informative tour of the railway’s installation there, for which he generously took time out of his busy schedule, as he was also Duty Manager that day. We saw the extensive stock of coaches and locomotives, and were particularly fascinated by the nineteenth century four-wheeled coaches, many of which had done time as chicken coups or whatever; now superbly restored and re-upholstered they are mounted on modern under-frames, to give a genuine and almost unique ride when matched with such as the splendid Terrier W8 Freshwater.
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| D2089 at Haven Street. Steve Ollive |
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| D2554 in PW Sidings at Haven Street. Steve Ollive |
But one of the buildings contained a special surprise, ex-LMS “Mickey Mouse” No. 46447, and two Ivatt tanks, 41298 and 41313, both of which were identified by me, the party’s West Country exile, as one time Barnstaple Junction engines. All three have been donated to the railway, the 2-6-0 the first ever tender engine on the island, and the prospect of one of the Ivatts operating on this delightful and professionally run line is a mouth-watering one.
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| Ivatt 41296 inside Haven Street Workshops. Steve Ollive |
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| Southern 'Freshwater' at Haven Street. Jim Tucker |
After expressing grateful thanks to Alan, we went back to Smallbrook, and rounded off the day by riding down to Shanklin, glimpsing at Brading part of the amazing web of lines which the island once boasted. We could not fail to see the irony of SmartCard readers on the platforms of somewhat run-down stations, served by 1938 vintage trains. And so, at 1540, now in 2-car set No. 483004, we set off for Ryde again, and the ferry back to “North Island”, as the locals have it.
This was a great day out, well organised, good company, and fascinating trains. I for one cannot wait for our next trip.
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| Island Line 004 at Shanklin. Jim Tucker |
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| SWT 450909 and 450096 at Portsmouth Harbour. Steve Ollive |
Jim Tucker
27/07/09