On 20th December 1875, the Ryde & Newport Railway opened Ashey railway station, serving the village of Ashey on the Isle of Wight.

In 1887, the Ryde & Newport Railway was amalgamated with the other island railways to form the Isle of Wight Central Railway.

There was also a branch line that ran from Ashey station to Ashey Quarry, and an additional station opened on this line in April 1884 to serve the adjacent racecourse. This station ceased operation around 1929 when the racecourse closed.

In 1923, the Isle of Wight Central Railway was absorbed by the newly-formed Southern Railway, which was formed by the railways serving the south coast of England being grouped together. In 1926, the Southern Railway extended the up platform to accommodate longer trains.

There was even a passing loop at Ashey, but this was turned into a siding when the Southern Railway opened a passing loop at Havenstreet station in 1926.

In 1953, the station was downgraded to an unstaffed halt due to declining passenger numbers.

In 1961, earth movement meant that the up platform could no longer be used so the track was realigned onto the line of the former passing loop until the closure of the line in 1966.

After closure, the station buildings were sold for private ownership in 1968.

On 2nd May 1993, the Isle of Wight Steam Railway reached Ashey and reopened the station. But only on the former passing loop as the former station buildings were still under private ownership and the up platform had long since had its edge removed.

The former station buildings were under private ownership for 57 years until 2025, when the Holbrook family (who had lived in the former station buildings since 1980) finally sold them to the Isle of Wight Steam Railway to restoration to railway use.

Now the IoWSR is planning to restore Ashey station to 1926 condition, with the station buildings to be restored to railway use and the up platform to be fully restored with its 1926 extension.

But all this is going to a staggering £550,000. But this is where you and my special sponsored event come in.

Sponsored Bike Ride

I intend to raise money for the project by doing a sponsored bike run along the entire 15 miles of the Bristol to Bath Railway Path, starting from Trinity Street in Lawrence Hill and ending on Brassmill Lane in Bath.

I have all the essentials for a bike ride. Bike, helmet, clothes, shoes and a flask to keep a cold drink in.

The sponsored bike ride starts on Trinity Street in Lawrence Hill, at the corner of a park, with a metal sculpture of branches going over it and a blue sign saying Bristol & Bath Railway Path. It ends on Brassmill Lane in Bath, right next to the Brassmill Enterprise Centre. There will be rest stops at Mangotsfield, Warmley and Bitton to catch my breath. Anyone is welcome to join me if they wish.

The sponsored bike ride takes place on 14th September. Please be ready for that date. Time to be decided.

I very much appreciate any money you can spare in these hard times for this project that is very much close to my heart.

Thank you.