by Mark Collins

When you visit the Isle of Wight people say it’s like stepping back 20 years or so but when you visit the Isle of Wight Steam Railway, it’s like stepping back 100 years.

Again we were lucky with the weather and the loco I wanted to feature, No8 “Freshwater” was working the train that day. For each piece we recorded for the series I tried to concentrate on a particular item rather that an overall view and after a friend had told me about the old steam loco outside the “Hayling Billy” pub on Hayling Island, which was now running again on the Isle of Wight, I thought this was the ideal item to feature.

Thanks go to Viv Orchard who delightfully explained the workings of the signal box, Jim Loe the Commercial Manager and his assistant Leo Roberts who was kind enough to show me around.

The last piece to camera when I’m leaning out of the carriage talking about how authentic the Railway is, actually took about 7 or 8 takes and the passengers in the next compartment gave me a round of applause when I finally got it right.

It was a great day out and one I would recommend if you ever get to go to the Island.

Trainspotting.links (will open in a new window)

www.ukhrail.uel.ac.uk
www.iwsteamrailway.co.uk
www.havant.gov.uk/council/HayBilly/history.htm

Books

:"Branch Line to Hayling" by Vic Mitchell & Keith Smith published by Middleton Press