Freshwater, Yarmouth and Newport Railway
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The Freshwater, Yarmouth and Newport Railway was railway line in the Isle of Wight, United Kingdom, connecting the named towns. It was intended to connect the thinly populated west of the island, and it opened in 1889. At Newport it relied on the existing Isle of Wight Central Railway station, but trains entering it had to shunt back from the junction. The IoWCR worked the line.
The line was never commercially successful, and a break with the IoWCR in 1913 obliged the FY&NR hastily to build its own Newport station and acquire locomotives and rolling stock while in receivership.
After the Southern Railway absorbed the FY&NR in 1923 the SR developed holiday traffic, but it was highly seasonal and the heavy losses resulted in closure in 1953.
By 1880 the Isle of Wight was well supplied with railways in its eastern and northern areas, connecting Ryde with Newport and Cowes, and Ryde and Newport with Sandown and Ventnor. The more beautiful, but more thinly populated west was untouched. Newport was the industrial centre on the Island, and its geographical position on the River Medina made it a natural connection point. The Cowes and Newport Railway had a junction station there.
In 1868 a Bouldnor, Yarmouth and Freshwater Railway was proposed, but it was not proceeded with. In 1872 a Freshwater, Bouldnor and Newport Railway was promoted; Bouldnor is a hamlet a mile or so east of Yarmouth; this venture was unsuccessful.
A Parliamentary Bill was submitted for a line connecting Freshwater and Newport, and this received the Royal Assent on 26 August 1880, authorising the Freshwater, Yarmouth and Isle of Wight Railway. Share capital was £100,00. The new company was encouraged by support from the London and South Western Railway, which operated a ferry service from Lymington to Yarmouth. There were many wealthy residents in the area to be served, and some also expressed support for a railway which, they believed, would facilitate their journeys to the mainland.
The line was surveyed between 1883 and 1885, a second Act of 20 August 1883 having authorised a further £42,000 of share capital. Construction started in 1886. The relaxed pace of events indicates a serious failure to generate share subscription.
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Wikipedia