Isle Of Wight

we live in challenging economic times, even more so now since the beginning of the year. There are closed storefronts everywhere. I see no reason that IOW should be any different. Just yesterday there was a story about a pork pie bakery that had been going since 1840, 180 years, in the family for 5 generations. Closed forever yesterday. And that was in St Helens, not IOW. Sad.

Roads are pretty good, better than mine in Northamptonshire or in London.

The island is pretty much stuck in the 1950s but that is charming not depressing, unless you want it to be. The 1950s marked the end of war time rationing and people were happy.

No public transport issues that I am familiar with - there is a whole bunch of bus routes, some with open top double deckers, and there is a train line operated by ex-London Underground trains.

I haven't met anybody on the island was unhappy, but I haven't met everybody. I expect that everybody has a bad day from time to time, except in America where everybody is happy all the time, so I hear.

I appreciate the comment. Wise thoughts, esp the first and last ones. I am sad to hear the tale of the heritage pork pie baker. These are dark times.

If anyone has other comments, I’m strongly considering replacing 3 full days in Cardiff with IOW due to beaches.

Nigel, I can promise you that most Americans aren’t happy, period

I’m glad I decided to stay on IOW - it sounds wonderful

Oh Nigel I’m much happier with a pint of Guinness in a quiet pub in London than I am in the Land of La.

Off to Yosemite in a few weeks with friends I’ve known since grad school. I’ll be wearing my Smokey Bear tee shirt with RESIST on it.

Friends and my personal protest will make me happy.

Thx Betsy!

You’re welcome, SOTL - if you go, have a great time!

We visited IOW in the spring of 2023, so I cannot comment as to current conditions, but we very much enjoyed our time there. We stayed only in Cowes, and not having a car, we were somewhat limited, but we found plenty of stuff to keep us busy for a few days. Cowes was easy to reach via the Red Funnel Ferries from Southampton. At the time, the roads were fine, the town was flourishing, and the locals seemed happy enough (it was coronation time, though, if that made a difference). Even if you're not a royal fan, Osborne House is a microcosm of Queen Victoria's life and of the times, and I think worth the day we spent there. The Isle of Wight Steam Railway, which closed to daily traffic in 1966 and is now run by volunteers, now makes 12-mile jaunts through the countryside. There is also an interesting museum and facilities for the restoration of engines and carriages of the 1860's - 1920's. Both are easily accessible by public transport from Cowes. Venturing further, and getting to the beaches and Carisbrooke Caste, for example, would be easiest with a car.

Wanderlust, thanks for the info!

I definitely want to spend half a day (or 2-3 hours) at Osborne

Just FYI,
It looks like the IOW Steam train route is actually only 10 miles, round trip - and they don’t run everyday

Even if you're not a royal fan, Osborne House is a microcosm of Queen
Victoria's life and of the times, and I think worth the day we spent
there. The Isle of Wight Steam Railway, which closed to daily traffic
in 1966 and is now run by volunteers, now makes 12-mile jaunts through
the countryside. There is also an interesting museum and facilities
for the restoration of engines and carriages of the 1860's - 1920's.
Both are easily accessible by public transport from Cowes. Venturing
further, and getting to the beaches and Carisbrooke Caste, for
example, would be easiest with a car.

Betsy is right on both counts, it is 10 miles round trip- Wikipedia is wrong in saying 11 miles and 12 is over egging it . In fact going back to Bradshaw's I would argue it is 9 1/12 miles. Bradshaws gives me Haven Street (as it was originally)/Havenstreet (as it is now) as 1 3/4 miles each way, and Haven Street to Ryde St John's Road as 4 miles. Modern mileage charts give Ryde St John's Road to the modern junction station at Smallbrook Junction as one mile.
So 1 3/4 + 1 3/4 + 3 + 3= 9 1/12. Given there may be a few more chains in it you might stretch to ten as the railway specifies.

Smallbrook Junction is interesting as that is where you transfer from the 'main line' ex underground trains to the Steam Railway, and has no external access- just an exchange station. The only surviving one of it's kind in the UK. This was not an original station- it was specially built to improve public access to the Steam Railway- to improve ridership for both railways.

And yes it is only open on certain days- Island line trains only stop at the junction on Steam Railway operating days.

There used to be a number of such 'no public access' or exchange or ticket check only stations (three different things) in the UK- now all gone. Ireland still has one - at Manulla Junction (and arguably a second- the disused through Phoenix Park Tunnel lind platform at Dublin Heuston- no public access, but a bus from the main station). And the modern Manchester Metrolink trams had one for a time.

Stuart. I’m likely going to end up at Smallbrook Junction first instead of Haverstreet as it’s much easier to get to SJ from Ventnor

I’ll have to take the bus from Shanklin to SJ since the trains will be down until May 2

Betsy, During the full line closure the rail replacement bus is not calling at Smallbrook Junction due to no road access and no footpath access from the nearest access point. The Nunwell Trail gets tantalisingly close but not quite close enough.
I know the bus #37 allegedly gets to Havenstreet but the stop is right at the top of the village, about 15 minutes walk from the railway station. Better by far to get off the #4 from Osborne House at Wootton Bridge for the 6 or 7 minute walk through the village.
The #9 from Ryde to Newport stops at Wootton station every 20 minutes, on alternate journeys as that bus runs every 10 minutes.

Wootton Bridge (or just after) is also where you would use for the car ferry to Fishbourne from Portsmouth (Gunwharf Road) and the nearby Quarr Abbey- one of many less well known attractions on the island.

Stuart, for the reminder about no road access at Smallbrook Junction!

I think that your advice pretty much matches up with advice I received earlier, elsewhere:

Check islandbuses.info to plan your bus route. The stops on the Steam
Rail are Smallbrook (only accessable by the island line, no road
access), Ashey (out of the way, no public transport), Havenstreet
(Really the main hub, but very limited bus access), and Wootton.
Blockquote

Wootton has regular buses. From Ventnor you would get a number 3 to
Newport, then a number 9 to Ryde OR number 3 to Ryde, then a number 9
to Newport. The number 9 Ryde-Newport stretch goes through Wootton.