The Ryde to Ventnor railway line was opened on 10th September 1866 at a cost of upwards of £300,000: over £25 million in today’s money.
After several failed attempts to build a railway to Ventnor, a Bill was proposed by the Isle of Wight Railway in 1860 for a line from Ryde to Ventnor. An Act was passed authorising the building of the line and by 1864 the line had reached Shanklin.
Following objections from landowners, the intended route through Luccombe and Bonchurch was dropped in favour of a new route from the north passing through Wroxall. This route required the construction of a 1,312-yard tunnel under St Boniface Down. The tunnel took 2 years to complete and when the navvies broke through to reach the halfway point, they were said to have celebrated with a punch-up.
At one time Ventnor was served by 2 railway stations: Ventnor West was located a mile west of the town centre and was never well used. Although Ventnor station was also inconveniently sited high above the town, it provided a faster and therefore more poplar route from Ryde.
Under the Beeching cuts, the remaining Island lines were scheduled for closure apart from a 1.2-mile section from Ryde Pier Head to St Johns Road. It was hoped, however, that a further section of the line as far as Shanklin could also be reprieved and in 1965, the Minister of Transport announced that the line between Ryde Pier Head and Shanklin should remain open and be modernised. The remaining section of the line between Shanklin and Ventnor closed on the 18th April 1966.
Since closure. there have been numerous proposals to reopen the line from Shanklin to Wroxall and Ventnor, but none seem unlikely to come to fruition. Both stations have been demolished and the sites redeveloped. Much of the line between Shanklin and Ventnor has been incorporated into one of the Island’s cycleways and Ventnor’s water supply now runs through the St Boniface tunnel.
Such a shame, just imagine the riches this Island would have if they kept all the Steam railways and engines, carriages etc…
Yes, I totally agree there is so much that could be done on this Island to make it a wonderful place to visit instead of ruining it with shoddy housing and destroying the wonderful landscape..
It must have been Dr Beeching. I never knew Ventnor had a railway and two stations. And until recently I had never heard of Military Road. I must go and see the old railway tunnel when I next visit. Thank you for the article.
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I love these articles. Thank you.
Does anyone know what happened to the Noah’s Ark in the large glass case in the booking hall?
I think it was used as a model for the floating bridge by the IW council.