Source: ezinearticles.com
There is nothing more exciting for a fan of the railway than the Isle of Wight Steam Railway. The island once had over 54 miles of railway for the convenience of the residents who live there. Unfortunately most of the track was shut between 1952 and 1966 and now run and maintained by volunteers which began running trains in 1971. The railway as it stands today will give you a great insight to its history. All of the carriages and locomotives have been painstakingly restored to pristine condition and are of a beautiful standard. The railways oldest locomotive was built in 1876 and some of the carriages date back to 1864. Currently running for 5 miles from Wootton right over to the Small brook junction which is an interchange to an electric train that runs from Shanklin to Ryde Pier Head the journey provides a wonderful day out for all of the family. The main station is situated at Havenstreet and offers a large tarmac car park for all of those who arrive by car. Most of the locomotives on the Isle of Wight have spent the majority of their working lives there shuttling people all around the Island. There are also a few diesel engine locomotives on the Island used mainly to shunt other carriages around. Maintenance of these vintage engines is an art form in itself. The skills and knowledge that is required to look after these old engines is fast becoming a forgotten engineering technique. Every 10 years the engines have to be stripped down to allow a boiler overhaul as well as an insurance examination. The Isle of Wight Steam Railway has one of the most magnificent collections of historic railway vehicles available to the public today. The newest carriage that the Island has to offer on, go today, this popular attraction is 75 years old. So you are guaranteed to find yourself on a vintage train no matted when you visit. The steam railway is an ideal day out for the family and is a great way to really see the Island with out too much effort. Why not experience the feel of old time transport and really get see what travel was like all those years ago?
This article was written by Tom Sangers on behalf of Melville Hall who are a Sandown Hotel based on the Isle of Wight.
