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Whitwell Halt
The entrance to Whitwell Station in late 2008.
General information
Location	Whitwell, Isle of Wight England
Platforms	2
Other information
Status	Disused
History
Original company	Newport, Godshill & St Lawrence Railway
Pre-grouping	Isle of Wight Central Railway
Post-grouping	Southern Railway Southern Region of British Railways
Key dates
20 July 1897	Opened as Whitwell
1 July 1941	Renamed Whitwell Halt
15 September 1952	Closed

Whitwell Station, on the Ventnor West branch of the Isle of Wight Central Railway, was opened on 20 July 1897 along with the other stations on the branch (with the exception of Ventnor West which opened in 1900). It was equipped with a passing loop, two platforms, a signal box and a substantial station building.

History

The station was opened on 20 July 1897, and was originally named Whitwell. At the time of opening the route was popular featuring a passing loop and two platforms, the only station on the line to have this. It was renamed Whitwell Halt on 1 July 1941.

Stationmasters

• James Cooper ca. 1899
• Samuel John Urry ca. 1907 (afterwards station master at Freshwater)
• F. Newland from 1908 (formerly station master at Freshwater)
• Mr. Hawkins ca. 1935

Present

The station is now a private dwelling house, but a good deal of its original railway-station features remain, such as the waiting shelter on the old up platform, which has been restored.

Location

Unlike neighbouring Godshill, the station was closer to the community it was meant to serve. It also served the nearby villages of Niton and Chale.

Other stations on the branch

The other stations on the Ventnor West branch were:

• Merstone (where the branch joined the Newport-Sandown line)
• Godshill
• St Lawrence (the original terminus of the line from 1897 to 1900)
• Ventnor West

References

1. ^ Butt, R.V.J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations. Yeovil: Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 249. ISBN 1-85260-508-1. R508.
2. ^ "Disused Stations Site Record - Whitwell Station". www.subbrit.org.uk. Retrieved 6 December 2008.
3. "Whitwell Station Homepage". www.whitwellstation.co.uk. Retrieved 6 December 2008.
4. "Ex-convicts suicide". Portsmouth Evening News. England. 8 October 1907. Retrieved 31 July 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
5. "New Station Master". Isle of Wight County Press and South of England Reporter. England. 3 October 1908. Retrieved 31 July 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.

External links

• Subterranea Britannica: SB-Sites: Whitwell Station

50°36′06″N 1°15′49″W / 50.6018°N 1.2636°W / 50.6018; -1.2636

• Disused railway stations on the Isle of Wight
• Former Isle of Wight Central Railway stations
• Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1897
• Railway stations in Great Britain closed in 1952