Isle of Wight Steam Railway - (Havenstreet,Station) — Attraction in Havenstreet and Ashey

I have visited the Island for donkeys years but never visited the railway. I've been missing out. Initially i thought it was quite expensive even though you get a good discount for booking on line first. However having spent five hours there , I have changed my mind. Easy to find with two large car parks we booked our train ride at 1130 hrs. It is an hour ride up the line to Smallbrook and back past Haven to Wooton and back again. You can get off at either station but we stayed on . There was a long queue but boarding was very quick with each ticket holder alloted a carriage number. Once on board you can't change carriages so its quite peaceful . The train rumbles along at a steady speed , don't expect an express train speed , there's not a lot to see , it's just beautiful countryside. We then walked round all the sheds wondering at all the new carriages being re fitted , it's such good work. Beautifully and lovingly repaired. There is plenty to see and read. Almost too much in fact. There are two Cafes and a large restaurant , I saw the food on display the Lasagna looked delicious. We took a packed lunch and there is plenty of tables and benches available to sit outside at. They are having some events soon and the large green area was being prepared. There was also a Falconry display from the Haven Falconry which is situated within the grounds. That was tremendous , the compere was hilarious. You can also visit the Falconry for a small entrance fee. I thought it was a great day out Very interesting and just typically British...

I attended the IOWSR last week with my mum as part of another holiday to the Isle of Wight & it was one of the most exciting experiences I have ever had at a heritage railway. :)

We visited the Steam Railway as a time-filler between travelling from Sandown to Newport & I could not think of a better way to spend that time. All the staff & volunteers were all so lovely & friendly from the moment we arrived; you could see that they all love their jobs & love interacting with the general public. It was very exciting being able to sit & ride in a piece of history which was so perfectly preserved & tidy.

The Train Story exhibition was so interesting, insightful & taught us numerous facts about steam engines which we did not know beforehand, plus the opportunity to sit in one of the previous Island Line trains in the workshop really enhanced our visit due to the missed opportunity to ride on them when they were in service on the Island.

I loved learning about the history of the Island’s railway system & even though we spent about three & a half hours at the Railway, we could have spent a lot longer just simply reading about the entire history of it all.

If you are reading this & debating whether to visit the IOWSR, definitely pay it a visit! The price for a ticket is very reasonable & you get access to a variety of different things on-site. It’s a railway lover’s fantasy! Will definitely be paying another visit when we return to the Isle...

SANTA SPECIAL 🤶 🧑‍🎄 WOW, what an amazing day. We took our granddaughter daughter and son in law to the santa Special for her first proper trip to santa as she is now 21 months old. What an absolutely fantastic experience from start to finish. I booked our tickets online beforehand, which was so simple. The weather was awful, but it didn't spoil the atmosphere. It was so well organised and Christmasy. The staff were all happy welcoming and really in the spirit of the occasion. The steam train ride/carriage was all new for our granddaughter, and as everyone had their Christmas jumpers and hats on, it made it more magical. Then, a short walk to see the big man and the elves. It was set out really good, under cover as the weather outside was horrible. There was so much to see whilst waiting, and the queue wasn't too bad. Again , all set out so magical and exciting. Santa in his carriage was so friendly and welcoming and didn't rush you at all. The elf was on hand with a lovely gift and card. So worth the money. There are also other things going on like the model village and rides, but due to the weather , we didn't partake. Definitely recommend this experience for children and adults alike. Plenty of parking available and places for hot food and...