History & Background Bridge 12 is situated about 0.4 miles west of Havenstreet station and was constructed in circa 1875 by contractors building the Ryde & Newport Railway. The bridge was built as an accommodation crossing to allow the landowner the cross the line. The land either side of the railway is now in separate ownership and the railway has no obligation to maintain a link. Until the extension to Smallbrook, Bridge 12 was the only bridge crossing the line. It therefore has historical significance both to the line and the IWSR. As is well known, significant sections of our rai ..read more

Peter McCulough shares his memories of travelling to school by train in the 1950s… I started school in Newport in April 1951 and every school-day my brother and I would make our way down Hooke Hill to Freshwater railway station, urged on by the earnest panting of the brake pump of the train waiting to leave at 7:50 for Newport.   The engine was invariably an Adams 02 and usually three coaches made up the train.   The railway staff got to know us quite well and if we were late arriving, the guard would stop the train and take us into the guard’s van, from which we would emerge at ..read more

We may not be open to the public, however there’s lots of activity around the Railway as we get ready for the 2023 season. New Track laid Each year we relay a section of track as part of our rolling programme of renewals. Our intrepid track gang have been out in all weathers replacing the track immediately to the east of Havenstreet station. We’re using brand new bullhead rail – these come in 60ft lengths which cost around £1,000 each. A tamper will visit the line in late February – this specialist self-propelled vehicle will travel along the line, carefully packing the ballast under t ..read more

Pete Jardine awarded an MBE for services to Railway Heritage Peter Jardine has been awarded an MBE for services to Railway Heritage in the New Year’s Honours List. Pete is a long-standing volunteer and employee at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway who has masterminded the restoration of the line’s iconic Victorian carriages. Back in the 1970s, the Railway started collecting grounded carriage bodies from across the Island where they had seen use as beach huts, garden chalets and farm stores. In the 1981, Pete and his team of volunteers started work on the first of these – IWR 46, which had origin ..read more

 Isle of Wight Steam Railway orders new boiler for W2 Yarmouth Work to restore the Isle of Wight Steam Railway’s E1 Class locomotive has taken a giant leap forward with the ordering of a brand new boiler from Israel Newton & Sons Ltd. The locomotive is the sole survivor of her class, and the Railway aims to restore her in time for her 150th birthday in 2026. Four similar locomotives came to the Island in the 1930s, primarily for goods traffic, but also to haul ‘the Tourist’ through trains from Ventnor to Freshwater. The last E1 to run on the Island was withdrawn in 1960s with all four ..read more

Volunteers are the beating heart of our Railway. Our 400+ volunteers play a crucial role in looking after our visitors, maintaining our locomotives, carriages, stations and track in great condition, and operating the railway safely. Whilst many of our volunteers have an interest in railways, others get involved because they enjoy meeting our visitors and working alongside other volunteers. Some of our volunteers have retired from full-time work and are seeking new ways to keep active and use their skills. Other spend time at the Railway at weekends or during holiday periods, and enjoy doing ..read more

Isle of Wight Steam Railway staff and volunteers say #thankstoyou National Lottery players. Train Story, our interactive discovery centre at Havenstreet, was built thanks to funding from the National Lottery #heritagefunduk back in 2014. The National Lottery Heritage Fund also helped with the construction of our Carriage & Wagon workshop and the restoration of numerous historic wagons. We have begun to plan for the future, ensuring that our collection of historic locomotives and carriages, plus all our other wonderful artefacts which tell the story of the railways on the Island, are car ..read more

Looking for an exclusive hire or way to celebrate a special occasion? Make your visit to the railway even more special by booking one of our exclusive packages. Whether you’re celebrating a wedding, anniversary or a landmark birthday, or just planning a fantastic day out with your friends and family, we have a range of options to make your day extra special. BOOK NOW: For more information please contact our commercial department on 01983 882204 or send us a message HERE. Edwardian Hamper Experience Add a touch of class to your celebrations with exclusive use of a luxur ..read more

Naming locomotives on the Isle of Wight Right from the dawn of railways locomotives have carried names with famous engines such as Rocket, Puffing Billy or Locomotion springing to mind. The Isle of Wight was no exception. In 1862, the Cowes & Newport Railway bought two locomotives, appropriately named Pioneer and Precurser for the opening of the Island’s first line. However it was the Isle of Wight Railway, which ran between Ryde and Ventnor, which set the trend of naming their locomotives after the Island’s towns and villages. Their first three engines, built by Beyer Peacock ..read more

“It’s not all glamour”, is the cry of the Fireman when tourists see them merrily waving from the footplate. To give you an idea of the duties and jobs involved in just a single firing turn, volunteer Roger Millward takes us on a candid behind the scenes candid look of what goes on…. Well it all starts at 0730 (although I normally arrive early) with signing on to confirm attendance and that you’re fit for duty, to read the notices and to review the locomotive log sheet to make sure there aren’t any outstanding defects……next a cup of tea.   Safety Checks As soon as possible work starts on ..read more