The Sport Of Kings 2 (mini blog)
The history of Ashey station is very ordinary as we can see from Nick Catfords "Closed Stations" web site. The only additional detail to add is that in 1953 it was reduced to an unstaffed halt.
But between 1883 and 1929 the station was very busy indeed, but sadly for the Railway Company, only on a few days each year. Ashey was the site of the Island's popular and apparently successful racecourse.
The station also had a branch line, of sorts, marked as "tramway" on the above map. It was to the stone quarry in Ashey Down, diving under the road that led up the hill as shown on this map.
You would call it a short tunnel ....jpg)
...which led to the quarry. It is now firmly blocked up ...
... but the quarry itself can be accessed from nearby footpaths.
Mr Catford has amende the Ashey station map to show an Ashey Racecourse "station", about which nothing is known and no pictures remain. Did it really exist? One account says that railway carriages were parked in the quarry branch but, again, there are no pictures.
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But the "races" were popular with the crowds, attracting the usual band of turf accountants (traders which an innocent young fbb thought sold turf!).
Publicity for the events was readily displayed on the Island and, possibly, further afield ....jfif)
... and the only sensible way to get there was by train!
In 1914 sixpence was a high price to pay for your programme. Train fares from the ferry at Ryde were about one shilling FIRST CLASS.
One picture does show parked coaches, used by some as a pekrsonal grandstand!
These vehicles are definitely parked on the up loop at Ashey station and not in the quarry branch.
But doubtless a good day was had by all and extra trains would convey the racegoers homeward and happy - including the especially happy bookies!
The line of the quarry branch is still visible today from a passing satellite ....jpg)
... curving away from the station (top centre) and crossing Ashey Road clad in undergrowth - but you would never know unless you knew!.jpg)
Tomorrow, we will look at how the station has changed over the years.
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The Easter Jigsaw
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The first person to see the risen Jesus was Mary of Magdala; the one who stayed behind when the embalming party fled in disarray and fear at the empty tomb.
Sometimes you just have to half close your eyes and look beyond the words and beyond artists'' impressions and let the truth envelop you.
These are the words from John's Gospel
“Woman, why are you crying?” came a voice from behind her.
She answered, “They have taken my Lord away, and I do not know where they have put him!”
Then she turned around and saw Jesus standing there; but she did not know that it was Jesus. “Woman, why are you crying?” Jesus asked her. “Who is it that you are looking for?”
She thought he was the gardener, so she said to him, “If you took him away, sir, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.”
Jesus said to her, “Mary!”
And then she knew!
And she went to tell the other disciples ...
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Next New Station blog : Weds 23rd April
Three possible reasons for Ashey Station's location.
ReplyDelete1 - The Chairman of the Ryde and Newport Railway lived at West Ashey Farm.
2 - The station was opened as 'Ashey for Nunwell'. Nunwell house was the home of the Oglander family, Barons since the Noman Conquest and probably the richest and most influential on the island. Brading Station was nearer but Ashey would have been more private for visitors to the big house.
3- At first Ashey was the only crossing place between Newport and Ryde. So with the chalk ballast quarry as well it probably had a stationmaster whose house was part of the large building.
I visited the island in 1969 on a ten day school trip. We walked the old tramway (I can not remember why) through the tunnel and climbed up the chalk pit face. The old chalk ballast was still in place then.
The carriages are definitely not parked in the down loop. They are in the siding behind the down platform
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