By Isle of Wight Observer
It was a double celebration at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway last week, as they formally opened two new buildings to add to the heritage attraction’s facilities.
The much smaller of the two structures is a reconstructed 1923 signal box, at Smallbrook Junction, which controlled the lines between Ventnor and Cowes. Despite the isolation of the historic structure (there are still no roads or pathways to it) it was reputedly the busiest signal box in the country, with a train every six minutes on summer Saturdays.
The signal box was removed in 1967 after the closure of the line the previous year.
In 1991, Smallbrook Station was built between the newly extended Steam Railway’s tracks and Island Line, to act as an interchange between the two services.
On Friday, invited guests gathered at Havenstreet, before steaming down to Smallbrook to view the replica signal box and the new customer information board, which is solar powered as there is no electricity supply.
To mark the historic occasion, Neil Drury, of South Western Railway, ceremoniously passed a token to the steam train driver.
This traditional system, developed in the 19th century, was used to prevent collisions on single-track lines, by ensuring that only one train occupies the line at any time. Before the section of line, the driver must possess a physical token, which he returns to the signalman when leaving it. The method was known as the One Engine in Steam system.
After the visit to Smallbrook, guests returned to Havenstreet, where they joined Peter, Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill, the Chairman of Network Rail, for the official opening of the much larger building, the new Barn Café. Built during the Covid-19 pandemic, the barn has become a favourite among visitors and newly upgraded, it now boasts bar and café facilities. During the ceremony, Lord Hendy also unveiled a large railway sign that had been taken out of storage and displayed in the barn.
Following the ceremonies, guests had the opportunity to travel again on the trains or explore the Steam Railway’s Train Story exhibition, to soak up over 150 years of railway history, and find out more about the skilled restoration work that goes on at Havenstreet.
Visit iw.observer/railwayprojects to view our on-line gallery of the event.
