Ventnor railway station: Difference between revisions
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The station occupied a ledge {{convert|294|ft}} above sea level which had been quarried into the hill side. The station was at the end of a {{convert|1312|yd}} long tunnel through St Boniface Down. A [[Turntable (railroad)|turntable]] was used to allow steam engines to runaround their trains.<ref>[https://maps.nls.uk/view/105990991 Ventnor on Ordnance Survey 25 inch map showing turntable (1907)]</ref> In later years it was replaced by a three way switch.<ref>[https://maps.nls.uk/view/105990988 Ventnor on Ordnance Survey 25 inch map after removal of the turntable (1939)]</ref> The tracks merged just before the tunnel and the locomotives had to enter the tunnel during runround manoeuvres. |
The station occupied a ledge {{convert|294|ft}} above sea level which had been quarried into the hill side. The station was at the end of a {{convert|1312|yd}} long tunnel through St Boniface Down. A [[Turntable (railroad)|turntable]] was used to allow steam engines to runaround their trains.<ref>[https://maps.nls.uk/view/105990991 Ventnor on Ordnance Survey 25 inch map showing turntable (1907)]</ref> In later years it was replaced by a three way switch.<ref>[https://maps.nls.uk/view/105990988 Ventnor on Ordnance Survey 25 inch map after removal of the turntable (1939)]</ref> The tracks merged just before the tunnel and the locomotives had to enter the tunnel during runround manoeuvres. |
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The station had a platform connected to the station buildings and a narrow island platform. There was only one track between the side platform and the island platform. When this track was occupied, an incoming train arrived at the outer face of the island platform and passengers had to pass through the train on the inner track. When this train then departed, a temporary bridge that was a ship's gangway, as used on the Portsmouth to Ryde ferries was manually pushed across the intervening track to allow passenger access to the train on the outside of the island platform. Further away from the station buildings were goods sidings which mainly served coal merchants who operated from caves in the chalk sides of the station cutting. |
The station had a platform connected to the station buildings and a narrow island platform. There was only one track between the side platform and the island platform. When this track was occupied, an incoming train arrived at the outer face of the island platform and passengers had to pass through the train on the inner track. When this train then departed, a temporary bridge that was a former ship's gangway, as used on the Portsmouth to Ryde ferries was manually pushed across the intervening track to allow passenger access to the train on the outside of the island platform. Further away from the station buildings were goods sidings which mainly served coal merchants who operated from caves in the chalk sides of the station cutting. |
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The station closed to all traffic in April 1966, when the line south of {{rws|Shanklin}} |
The station closed to all traffic in April 1966, when a decision was made by BR that the line south of {{rws|Shanklin}} would close permenantly and would not be electrified like the {{rws|Ryde Pier Head}} to {{rws|Shanklin}} line would. In the main for two reasons; firstly the bulk of the footfall was to Shanklin where the bulk of the Guest Houses, B & B's and Hotels were. There was very little footfall at Ventnor, and BR knew this from the ticket sales. Secondly, the budget set for the electrification was £500k, and the project always hovered on being canceled due to cost overruns. To electrify down to Ventnor from Shanklin would require a fourth 33kV/650V DC substation plus its own 33kV OH line connections. BR were certainly not going to finance that, but tried to encourage the Local Authority to provide funding for the capital and running costs. Tihs they refused to do citing that it would cause an unfair financial burden on its rate payers, the bulk of whom were retired anyway. The track was lifted by 1970 and the station subsequently demolished. The site is now an industrial park and [[Southern Water]] runs water pipes through the tunnel. |
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This station should not be confused with [[Ventnor West railway station]]. |
This station should not be confused with [[Ventnor West railway station]]. |
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Revision as of 23:43, 26 April 2023
Ventnor | |
|---|---|
 Ventnor railway station in 1963 | |
| General information | |
| Location | Ventnor, Isle of Wight England |
| Platforms | Two |
| Other information | |
| Status | Disused |
| History | |
| Pre-grouping | Isle of Wight Railway (1864 to 1923) |
| Post-grouping | Southern Railway (1923 to 1948) Southern Region of British Railways (1948 to 1966) |
| Key dates | |
| 10 September 1866[1] | Opened (Ventnor) |
| 1923 | Renamed (Ventnor Town)[citation needed] |
| 1953 | Renamed (Ventnor)[citation needed] |
| 17 April 1966 | Closed |
Ventnor railway station was the terminus of the Isle of Wight Railway line from Ryde.
History
The station occupied a ledge 294 feet (90 m) above sea level which had been quarried into the hill side. The station was at the end of a 1,312 yards (1,200 m) long tunnel through St Boniface Down. A turntable was used to allow steam engines to runaround their trains.[2] In later years it was replaced by a three way switch.[3] The tracks merged just before the tunnel and the locomotives had to enter the tunnel during runround manoeuvres.
The station had a platform connected to the station buildings and a narrow island platform. There was only one track between the side platform and the island platform. When this track was occupied, an incoming train arrived at the outer face of the island platform and passengers had to pass through the train on the inner track. When this train then departed, a temporary bridge that was a former ship's gangway, as used on the Portsmouth to Ryde ferries was manually pushed across the intervening track to allow passenger access to the train on the outside of the island platform. Further away from the station buildings were goods sidings which mainly served coal merchants who operated from caves in the chalk sides of the station cutting.
The station closed to all traffic in April 1966, when a decision was made by BR that the line south of Shanklin would close permenantly and would not be electrified like the Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin line would. In the main for two reasons; firstly the bulk of the footfall was to Shanklin where the bulk of the Guest Houses, B & B's and Hotels were. There was very little footfall at Ventnor, and BR knew this from the ticket sales. Secondly, the budget set for the electrification was £500k, and the project always hovered on being canceled due to cost overruns. To electrify down to Ventnor from Shanklin would require a fourth 33kV/650V DC substation plus its own 33kV OH line connections. BR were certainly not going to finance that, but tried to encourage the Local Authority to provide funding for the capital and running costs. Tihs they refused to do citing that it would cause an unfair financial burden on its rate payers, the bulk of whom were retired anyway. The track was lifted by 1970 and the station subsequently demolished. The site is now an industrial park and Southern Water runs water pipes through the tunnel.
This station should not be confused with Ventnor West railway station.
Stationmasters
- Mr. Crutchley ca. 1867 ca. 1868
- Jeremiah Savage Elgee ca. 1869 ca. 1875
- William Wetherick ca. 1878 ca. 1905 (formerly station master at Brading)
- William Wheway ca. 1908 ca. 1910
- Philip Jenkin 1912 - 1927[4] (formerly station master at Wroxall)
- Percy Hawkins 1930 - 1936[5] (formerly station master at Horsley, afterwards station master at Newport)
- Oliver William Bennett from 1936[6] (formerly station master at Ottery St Mary)
| Preceding station | Disused railways | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terminus | British Rail Southern Region IoWR : Main line |
Wroxall |
See also
References
- ^ Southern Region Record by R.H.Clark page 89
- ^ Ventnor on Ordnance Survey 25 inch map showing turntable (1907)
- ^ Ventnor on Ordnance Survey 25 inch map after removal of the turntable (1939)
- ^ "Death of Station Master". Portsmouth Evening News. England. 13 May 1935. Retrieved 25 July 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "New Stationmaster for Newport". Portsmouth Evening News. England. 28 December 1935. Retrieved 25 July 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Promotion for Mainland Chief". Portsmouth Evening News. England. 28 December 1935. Retrieved 25 July 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
External links
50°35′51″N 1°12′32″W / 50.5976°N 1.2088°W
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