Freshwater Station was the little-used terminus for one of the lesser-used railway lines on the Isle of Wight, running from rural West Wight to the County Town of Newport.
Transport links between West Wight and the rest of the Island had been dire until the coming of the railway. In 1790, it was claimed that 52 gates needed to be opened and closed across roads when travelling between West Wight and Newport.
Public transport to Freshwater began in 1858 when the Rocket coach began a twice-daily service between Yarmouth and Freshwater, and then, in 1860, all the way to Newport on market days. By 1866, there was an omnibus 3 days-a-week, all year round, between Freshwater, Yarmouth and Newport.
Construction of the railway line to West Wight started in 1886. By June 1887, enough of the line had been completed for a train to make its way between Yarmouth and Freshwater to mark Queen Victoria’s Jubilee. It was claimed that many of the West Wight residents on the 1st journey had never even seen a train before let alone travelled on one.
The first train to manage the whole length of the line – from Freshwater through Yarmouth to Newport – did so on 10th August 1888. The line to Freshwater opened for goods traffic on 10th September of that year.
Originally, it was intended that the line should reach Totland and Alum Bay, but a lack of funds prevented any further extension beyond Freshwater.
Furthermore, an extension to Alum Bay met with the strong objection of then Poet Laureate Alfred Tennyson, who had moved to Farringford, near Freshwater, in 1853 for its solitude and quiet. On 29th December 1888, Lord Tennyson had written to the Times, stating:
“The company which has just completed the railway from Newport to Freshwater now proposes to extend the line to Totland Bay. Against this proposal, allow me to make an emphatic protest.
By such an extension, no end would be served which could by any degree compensate for the loss of what remains to us of quiet beauty in this, our narrow peninsula.”
Tennyson had friends in parliament to speak for him. On 23rd May 1889, Mr Chamberlain said in the House of Commons that there was no need or demand for a railway further west of Freshwater that would spoil the scenery and divide the peninsula.
The Freshwater, Yarmouth and Newport Railway never went further than Freshwater. The selected terminus on marshland near School Green served nowhere in particular, being a lengthy walk to Freshwater Bay in one direction and Totland Bay in the other.
The formal opening of the Freshwater Station was on Saturday 20th July 1889. This was the main event in West Wight for many a year.
The station was the largest on its line, with a single platform and a two storey brick building at the end of a short approach road. It had a run round loop, 2 goods sidings and a cattle dock. There was also an engine shed and two carriage sheds which were demolished in 1927.
There was a signal box at Freshwater, which was relocated first to Newport when the line was taken over by the Southern Railway and then to Wootton on the Isle of Wight Steam Railway in 1987.
The early years of Freshwater Station were not without incident. On 16th August 1906, the Portsmouth Evening News reported that a Mr Abraham Bouman, a 55-year-old tourist from the Netherlands, had died suddenly on the railway platform after rushing to catch his train.
Cabman frequently fought for customers outside the entrance to the station. On 27th April 1903, cabman Alfred Gustar was fined 2s 6d and ordered to pay 4s costs (32.5p in total) for blocking access to the station to prevent other drivers from picking up passengers.
The same year, cabman George Grimes came to blows with railway porter Jesse Kissick and passenger Sir William Crosbie in a dispute as to who would take Sir William’s luggage, during which Grimes had been “struck senseless”.
In October 1911, Lady Tennyson (daughter-in-law of Alfred Lord Tennyson) was injured when a horse attached to her carriage bolted outside Freshwater Station.
The line to Freshwater was little used. However, after Southern Railway took over the line from the Freshwater, Yarmouth and Newport Railway Company, they introduced a Tourist Express linking Freshwater with Sandown in 1932, which proved a considerable success, and necessitated the lengthening of the platform.
The line to Freshwater inevitably closed on 21st September 1953.
The Portsmouth Evening News reported:
“After one of the busiest passenger-carrying days in its 64 years of operation, the last train left the crowd-packed West Wight terminus at 9.31 p.m..
“Hauling the tree-coach train was the Alverstone. When it left Newport at 8.50 p.m. on its last outward journey it carried about 50 passengers – about 41 more than usual for a Sunday night.
“A woman in Edwardian dress made her way to a compartment, while at the rear of the train five “Militia Men” in colourful uniforms prepared to give the train service full military honours at its “funeral”.
“The “Militia” with a black draped Union Jack, performed their first ceremony, which ended with the sounding of the Last Post as the train was about to leave Freshwater.”
The “Militia” stated:
“We are the Freshwater train band, so called because we have had our train banned.”
Sadly, the main station building has been demolished and its site is now occupied by a clothing factory. However, sections of the platform still remain in the Garden Centre behind the factory.
Freshwater Station closed over 70 years ago. Are there any Island Echo readers who travelled on the line between Freshwater and Newport?
Such a shame the Railway Lines was closed, it would be
wonderful if these stations were re-opened.
Thankfully the Isle of Man kept their Railway.
Re-opening the Island Railways would be great for
tourism and us locals.
No better way of travelling than by train.
The Isle of Man likewise had a lot of railways which are now closed and also have a preserved line like we do. Trouble is no one these days would be prepared to walk sometimes miles to the nearest railway station.
Interesting article. Thanks for putting that one together