Lost Railways of the UK: The Story of Cowes Station

[@TheHoveHeretic]

Though Cowes did indeed close during the height of the Marples/Beeching cuts, it had been slated for closure since the 1956 tranche of closures, being reprieved for 10 years to allow road improvements (!). The real surprise in the 60s was that the Ryde-Shanklin line not merely stayed open, but was electrified!

[@terryjacob8169]

!'ve got an old copy of Railway Modeller, from 1960, somewhere, that contained a plan for a layout closely based on the Cowes, I.O.W , terminus

[@alantunbridge8919]

As a railway enthusiast l visited the I.O.W. more than once in he 1960’s ,travelled both the Cowes line and the Ventnor and have good memories and photos of both.

[@ianmcclavin]

I wish I could say the same! I first visited the island in 1974, when all we had left was Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin, and that was by then electrified with old tube trains!

[@Anonymoususer_8823]

If only the Isle of Wight still had its railways and stations remained open. If it was for Dr Beeching who closed lots of railway lines and stations across the UK.

[@ianmcclavin]

Beeching only had Ryde to Ventnor, Cowes and Newport to consider. Yarmouth, Freshwater, Bembridge, St Lawrence and Ventnor West had already gone, he recommended closing everything that was left, but they decided to keep Ryde to Shanklin open and electrify it.

[@gregkiteos1936]

I do like your videos but I find it difficult to listen to your commentary and read the captions at the same time without pausing the video. This is just a suggestion, but maybe you could include fewer captions or make a longer video covering everything you need to say, going forward.

[@Andrewjg_89]

Cowes is separated isn’t it. You got West Cowes and East Cowes. So sad to see so many railway lines and railway stations now completely gone because of the Beeching Axe.

[@RalphHeron-d6w]

What's green and steaming and comes out of cows backwards? Cowes ferry.

[@Nick-zp3ub]

Closing the railway was one of the dumbest things the tories did. I hope one day the line to cowes is rebuilt so tourists can visit on the steam train

[@porno6361]

Unfortunately that will never happen unless loads of houses are going to be demolished,the route around cowes/Mill Hill area has been built on,can still see the tunnel and platform edge at Mill Hill though

[@xr6lad]

I know this might disappoint the chip on your shoulder, as it seems you types whether on purpose or amnesia or rewriting history like to blame everything on the Tories. In 1966 the UK had, had a Labour government for TWO YEARS. It was closed by Labour.

[@porno6361]

@@xr6ladyep,Barbara castle

[@Nick-zp3ub]

Beeching was a tory and the cuts were implemented by the previous tory government. It’s hard for a new government to undo the previous government’s mistakes especially after just a few years in power

[@AdrianLee-i7g]

Labour closed the railway lines. It is true the cuts were proposed at the time of the Conservatives. In opposition, Labour said that they would reverse them. When they got into power at the end of 1964, they changed their minds and supported them 100%.