wrote on 10 February 2018
at
9:59 pm
Hello Chris, I have just watched your DVD of the Ventnor West to Merstone line on the Isle of Wight. When we did the Iain Allan rail tour on 12th April 1950 we passed through Merstone and I can remember it as a Junction station of some size and by Island standards quite modern. I could see the Start of the Ventnor West branch leading enticingly away into the distance, immaculate as indeed were all the Island lines at this time and of course the trees and hedges were always keep in check unlike today's landscapes. I also visited with a friend while on holiday all the Island stations during the week 26th to 31st July 1958. At St Lawrence we stood on the bridge overlooking the station which had its original Isle of Weight Central Railway bridge registration plate in place despite several near misses from vehicles. I thoroughly enjoyed the film and appreciated the time and effort it must have taken to plan and make it. Just wish the technology and finance had been available to do the same 60 plus years ago! Nevertheless it was always with a sense of excitement and enjoyment that we set forth on our travels into unknown territory, plus the fact that in the past we had the bonus of seeing working steam around us. I knew Charlie Woodnutt who was I think a founder member of the RCTS and was born and later retired to the Island, he was very eccentric but very knowledgeable about the IOW railways and it's rolling stock. He always said that the Ventnor West line was the prettiest line on the Island and I think this comes across in your commentary.