Beyond a proposed bridge in the following article (one of a number of projects), what if the Isle of Wight had more road and rail links to the mainland? - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23587557
In the case of the latter, what would have the most feasible way to establish rail-links between the mainland and the island where the ATL Isle of Wight Railway / Island Line, Isle of Wight is integrated into the National Rail network?
The Rail Map Online link suggests the former Isle of Wight Railway stations at either Freshwater or Yarmouth being located at a part of the island where it is the closest to the mainland between the Solent would likely be the last stops before crossover to the mainland, yet otherwise unsure how it would link up with the rest of the National Rail Network towards either Lymington or even Hinton Admiral. - http://www.railmaponline.com/
At the same time what would have been the best way to establish a rail link between the mainland via the Fawley branch line to the former stations at Cowes (from Newport and the rest of the island)?
A much more ambitious (if very unlikely) rail-link given the larger distance between the mainland and the island would somehow be either from Fareham to Gosport towards Ryde (and the rest of the island) (Gosport currently the largest town in the UK without an operational railway station) or even from Portsmouth to Ryde plus via Gosport (entailing a bridge to cross Portsmouth harbour). With both rail-links to mainland linking to some form of the former Stokes Bay line via either tunnel or bridge across the Solent.
In the case of the latter, what would have the most feasible way to establish rail-links between the mainland and the island where the ATL Isle of Wight Railway / Island Line, Isle of Wight is integrated into the National Rail network?
The Rail Map Online link suggests the former Isle of Wight Railway stations at either Freshwater or Yarmouth being located at a part of the island where it is the closest to the mainland between the Solent would likely be the last stops before crossover to the mainland, yet otherwise unsure how it would link up with the rest of the National Rail Network towards either Lymington or even Hinton Admiral. - http://www.railmaponline.com/
At the same time what would have been the best way to establish a rail link between the mainland via the Fawley branch line to the former stations at Cowes (from Newport and the rest of the island)?
A much more ambitious (if very unlikely) rail-link given the larger distance between the mainland and the island would somehow be either from Fareham to Gosport towards Ryde (and the rest of the island) (Gosport currently the largest town in the UK without an operational railway station) or even from Portsmouth to Ryde plus via Gosport (entailing a bridge to cross Portsmouth harbour). With both rail-links to mainland linking to some form of the former Stokes Bay line via either tunnel or bridge across the Solent.
Last edited: