Light Railway Set on Isle of Wight

[Frank S.]

As the time for being carted off to the Home For Incontinent Old Men looms ever closer, I'm planning for a small L-shaped layout that I might be able to fit in my new accomodation, and I've decided on a 1950/60-ish Colonel Stephens inspired Light Railway set on the Isle of Wight. As I migrated to Australia in 1970 and have never set foot on the IOW, can I please ask a couple of questions from any Southerners out there ?

1) What company would operate the road buses on the IOW ? Would it be "Southdown" ?

and 2) POLICE PANDA Cars - what type of car did the IOW police use in the 60's, please ?

Any help appreciated,

Frank Savery,

ULVERSTONE, TASmania, AUSTRALIA

[Nick C]

Buses on the IOW were operated by Southern Vectis - which was owned by the Southern Railway until nationalisation, then by the BTC (I think). It used mainly Bristol buses, and there are or were quite a few models available from EFE/Corgi.

 

Can't help with the Panda cars though I'm afraid.

[Ian Simpson]

Not an expert on Panda cars, but it might have been similar to the rest of the Hampshire Constabulary fleet at the time?

If no one here can help, this might have the answer:

https://www.hampshireconstabularyhistory.org.uk/product/from-t-ford-to-t5-one-hundred-years-of-hampshire-constabulary-transport-2/

Edited July 3, 2020 by Ian Simpson

[JZ]

First use of the term Panda car was 1965, so may be a little late for your scenario.

[Nearholmer]

This should help a lot with buses https://www.isle-of-wight-fhs.co.uk/photobus.html

 

This is all about five years too late, but I think it tells us that the c1960 police car in the IoW should be black, since this one was a novelty in white https://www.hampshireconstabularyhistory.org.uk/stories/amazon-volvo-restoration-project/

 

I reckon these people could tell more https://www.hampshireconstabularyhistory.org.uk/

 

And, the film "The Great St Trinian's Train Robbery" is full of Hampshire police cars, all black Wolseleys IIRC. Well, not full perhaps ........ c1:21:00 onwards here, between the casual racism sections. https://ok.ru/video/719638366721

Edited July 3, 2020 by Nearholmer

[Gwiwer]

Southern Vectis has always been the main bus operator on the Isle of Wight.  Originally the Vectis omnibus Company they became linked to the Southern Railway as that took over from the various pre-Grouping operations and the resulting bus company took the railway parent's name.  There was never a "Northern Vectis"; Southern derived from the railway company in the same way as Southern National did on the mainland.  

 

However they haven't quite had a monopoly.  A small independent Seaview Services had the licence for the short Ryde - Seaview route for very many years until they finally gave it up.  Largely a coach operator with some schools work they were known for an eclectic fleet including some quite elderly vehicles with a few double-deckers over the years.  

 

There have also been a number of coach operators based on the Island whose vehicles would typically be lined up at Ryde touting for summer tour business bu otherwise supplied school needs and who found the winters very lean indeed.  Moss Motors of Sandown and Paul's Tours (who I think were commercially connected) come to mind but there have been others.  Also West Wight Motors based in Freshwater.  

 

All of those added variety and colour to the scene.

 

Few coaches and buses crossed the Solent except when new due to the cost of sea transport.  Southdown advertised direct summer services between London Victoria and the eastern resorts but in practice their vehicle ran as far as the ferry terminal which was then in Old Portsmouth at The Point, passengers boarded the car ferry alighting in Fishbourne and were met by a Southern Vectis coach for onward transport.  And vice versa for the return journey.  The passenger ferry to Ryde was not used because coaches could not access the pier head so passengers would have been required to walk the length of Ryde pier or wait for a train or use the tram to the Esplanade.  At that time the connection at Portsmouth for the passenger ferry was also far from ideal requiring a significant walk; the present Hard Interchange is much more recent.  

 

[MJI]

Actually you do not need to do an actual  Colonel Stephens railway as the IOW railways were not that far removed anyway, and using Terriers and LSWR O2 along with pregroup SR coaches would really say Isle of Wight.

 

Read about it and look at the IoW stock

 

Terriers, LSWR O2, perhaps an 05 Diesel shunter with D2554 on it.

 

Rolling stock is basically ancient pre grouping SR stuff. SECR LBSCR and so on.

 

As to models Bachmann SECR stock, a few Terriers, the O2 is limited stock as the manufacturer has gone.

 

Have a look at the Isle of Wight Steam raiwlay web site for inspiration.