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Isle of Wight Steam Railway halts plans for Island Line link

BBC Isle of Wight Steam RailwayBBC
Isle of Wight Steam Railway currently runs steam trains between Wootton and Smallbrook

A heritage railway has dropped plans to run steam trains on part of the Isle of Wight main line network.

The Isle of Wight Steam Railway had been in talks with Island Line operator South Western Railway (SWR) about running trains to Ryde.

A statement from the steam railway group said "regulatory concerns" and "costs" made the idea unsustainable.

SWR said it would consider "other opportunities" for co-operation with the charity.

The Isle of Wight Steam Railway currently connects with the 8.5 miles (13.7 km) Island Line at Smallbrook Junction south of Ryde.

It had been in talks over extending the route in a bid to gain "significant local economic benefits".

However, it said SWR's vision for the Island Line was "significantly different from that of the previous franchisee [Stagecoach]."

Ryde St John's Road
The heritage line had wanted to run steam trains to Ryde St John's Road

Peter Conway, chairman of the steam railway group, said: "We examined all options to return steam trains back into Ryde St John's but, in the end, regulatory concerns and the costs involved made the project unsustainable.

"Our ambition remains to return steam-hauled trains to Ryde at some point in the future but it is unlikely to be within the term of the current South Western Railway franchise," he added.

A SWR spokesman said they "understood" the "disappointment" and that the rail franchise would "continue to work hard to promote the interchange we have with them at Smallbrook Junction, as well as look at other mutually beneficial opportunities that may arise in the future."