Vectis Steam: The Last Years of Steam on the Isle of Wight Book

In this outstanding new title, author Laurie Golden records the decline of steam from the early 1950s onwards. This beautifully illustrated album follows the Isle of Wight Railways in perfect detail depicting the last years of steam on the Islands intricate networks and lines. The Isle of Wight, despite its relatively small size, possessed an intricate and complex network of railway lines. Built originally by a number of companies, management of the network passed to the Southern Railway in 1923 and to the Southern Region of British Railways in 1948. Physically separated from the railways on the mainland, although there were proposals (which came to nothing) for the construction of a tunnel under the Solent to link them, the lines also suffered from a smaller than usual loading gauge. This made modernisation of the network difficult and the bulk of the island's system was abandoned with the final withdrawal of steam in the mid-1960s. The last remaining section was electrified and was supplied with ex-London Transport Underground stock. Part of the closed network has been restored as the Isle of Wight Steam Railway and examples of the locomotives and rolling stock operated on the island's network are on display or operational there. During the final years of steam operation the Isle of Wight was a magnet to countless enthusiastsRead More