A look back at the old Isle of Wight railway line

During its existence, the line was never troubled by huge profits, just about managing to break even.

It soldiered on for more than 60 largely unprofitable years, during which time it was amalgamated into Southern Railways in 1923, before passing into the ownership of British Railways in 1948, when Britain’s railways were nationalised.

Post-war, it was widely acknowledged locally that the line had no real future, and nobody was surprised, or all that bothered, when the line was closed in 1953.

The line, which passed through beautiful countryside, came about in the last days of ‘railway madness’ – a condition which led Victorian investors to believe all they had to do to make money was to open a railway between any two points.

From day one it owned no engines or carriages but paid a competitor, the Isle of Wight Railway, to operate the line for them; an arrangement which caused endless arguments between the two companies and led to the agreement ending in 1913.

Carisbrooke Station served the village from the late 1880s until 1953. Today, the site of the station lies buried under the playing fields of Christ the King College on Wellington Road. (Image: Alan Stroud/County Press)

The legacy of the FYNRC and other old lines is a network of footpaths and cycleways through some of the loveliest scenery on the Island.

Much of the FYNRC line can still be traced today, although most of the former track bed is privately owned.

The line was not built to the highest standard, and according to one user: “The line was pretty enough, plenty of flowers and that, but by the time you got to Freshwater you was lucky if you was in the same seat as what you started in at Newport.

“You used to bump around; it was rickety and bumpy as anything.”

The line began at Newport railway station, which was on Medina Way, roughly where Hamilton and Marshalls, the undertakers, are.

It then made its way past Sainsbury’s filling station, across Hunny Hill on an impressive viaduct, and ploughed through Sainsburys frozen vegetable aisle before leaving through the home-baking section.

In the distance in this 1930s photo is Carisbrooke station. Perched in the middle of nowhere, it attracted tourists bound for the castle and the many tea rooms in the village. (Image: Alan Stroud/County Press)

It then crossed Petticoat Lane, where the crossing keeper’s house still exists, and made its way to Carisbrooke Station, now buried under the playing fields of Christ the King School on Wellington Road.

Passing under the road at Gunville near the Spar store, the line carried on across farmland until it came to Betty Haunt Lane where it passed under the road bridge which still stands to this day; a lonely bridge crossing over a line that isn’t there.

In winter and early spring, a crop mark can be seen across the fields showing the line of the long-gone track bed.

The next stop was Watchingwell Station, except that it wasn’t.

The tiny station, which still exists, was solely for the use of the landowner who demanded it as a condition for allowing the line to pass through his land.

It can be found on the public footpath, N149, which starts at Great Park Farm.

The Newport to Freshwater line crossed Hunny Hill on this viaduct, seen here in about 1911. It then made its way through what is now Sainsbury’s supermarket, leaving through the home-baking section. The same view, including the very same wall, can be seen today by looking at Hunny Hill from the water feature in Foxes Road, just down from the Sainsburys entrance. (Image: Alan Stroud/County Press)

Even Calbourne had a station in those days.

It was situated along Elm Lane and was demolished in the early seventies.

A bungalow, Badger’s Bend, now stands on the site, but in the private garden at the rear much of the platform still exists.

A mile further on was Ningwood Station, at the junction of Wellow Bottom Road and Station Road.

Now in private ownership, a surprising amount of the original station still exists, very tastefully restored.

The station building, not open to the public, has become a delightful house and in the back garden a sizeable section of the platforms still exist, complete with original platform shelter.

The Yarmouth station building also still exists.

After years of stagnation in council ownership, in 2014 it was given an imaginative makeover to become the ‘Off The Rails’ restaurant and cycle hire centre, which in 2024 is thriving.

From there, the old track bed to Freshwater forms the cycleway which runs alongside the Yar, with beautiful views of the river, and at the end is the picturesque causeway crossing, just down from the Red Lion pub.

From there, the track bed leads through reed beds to the ‘End Of The Line’ cafe, Honnor and Jefferys, and the Tee Mill factory, all on the site of Freshwater station, the name ‘End of The Line’ being a nod to the past.

Just a few feet away from the men in the photo, in Honnor and Jeffery’s yard, is a little-known secret.

It is still possible to stand on the platform of Freshwater station.

Against all the odds, buried under fence panels and bags of compost, a section of the platform and original station fence has managed to survive.

No doubt the original investors in the Newport to Freshwater railway wouldn’t agree, but for us, their money was definitely well spent.