St Lawrence railway station (Isle of Wight) explained

St Lawrence
Status:Disused
Borough:St Lawrence, Isle of Wight
Country:England
Platforms:1
Pregroup:Newport, Godshill & St Lawrence Railway (1897-1913)
Isle of Wight Central Railway (1913 to 1923)
Postgroup:Southern Railway (1923 to 1948)
Southern Region of British Railways (1948 to 1952)
Years:20 July 1897
Events:Opened
Years1:15 September 1952
Events1:Closed

St Lawrence railway station is a former railway station in the village of St Lawrence on the Isle of Wight.

History

It opened in 1897 and was the original terminus of the branch line from Merstone until the 1½ mile extension to Ventnor was completed in June 1900. From 1927 the station was downgraded to the status of an unstaffed halt.

Stationmasters

Location

The station was located between a steep cliff face and a public road. During the early years of the line's operation, rock falls were common. This problem was alleviated when the undergrowth took hold on the cliff face.

The short distance between the south portal of the St. Lawrence tunnel and the station was widely regarded as one of the finest views to be had on the island's railways.

Today the station building is a private residence. The trackbed has been filled in up to the level of the platform. The steep road bridge crossing at the eastern end of the station is still evident. The trackbed towards Ventnor is now covered by modern housing.

Other stations on the branch

See main article: Ventnor West branch.

The other stations on the Ventnor West branch were:

External links

50.5874°N -1.2457°W

Notes and References

  1. News: . Ventnor . Isle of Wight Times . England . 4 April 1912 . 25 July 2021 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .