New Milton Advertiser 1st Jan 2021

10 · Friday 1st January 2021

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News

The 120-year-old plan for Forest-Island tunnel

Flood improvements at meadows footpath

IMPROVEMENTS have been made to an often waterlogged footpath in Fordingbridge to give better access to residents. The district council has made the enhancements to Sweat- fords Meadows as part of its Greenway project which aims to improve walking routes in the district and divert activity from sensitive areas of the New Forest. Among the work undertaken is the resurfacing of 500 metres

of footpath with a hardwearing mix of compacted gravel. The narrowest sections have been widened and overhanging vege- tation cut back. The council’s cabinet mem- ber for planning and infrastruc- ture, Cllr Edward Heron, said: “By creating more and better walking routes in the district we can help protect our Forest by reducing visits to some of the most sensitive areas of the na- tional park.”

Scheme would have seen a new railway station at Milford

boat from Cowes or Ryde. But the plan met opposition from Lymington residents and then the start of the First World War scuppered its progress. When the idea was suggested post-war it got even less trac- tion, mostly because by that time the Southern Railway had invested heavily in piers and ferryboats. Its growing expense was also beginning to put off the lo- cal authorities, and Mr Aman knew he needed to revitalise the possibility of his vision. So in 1925 he organised and conducted a survey of Islanders, which involved dropping a post- card into every household ask- ing it to declare whether it was in favour of pursuing the tunnel. The majority of those who responded were positive, but the plans hit the buffers when Islanders subsequently decid- ed they were not prepared to raise the capital. It was finally laid to rest by the Isle of Wight Council in 1930. But still the idea did not dis-

BY JON WALLER

TRAVELLING across the So- lent is reputed to be one of the most expensive per mile in the world. But 120 years ago there were plans to bypass ferries al- together by building a tunnel linking the Isle of Wight to the New Forest. The scheme even progressed as far as a parliamentary bill giving permission for a sev- en-mile connection, with fur- ther proposals to divert the railway line at Brockenhurst to link to Keyhaven and create a new train station at Milford. Labelled an “Islander’s dream”, the proposal ran out of steam when the First World War broke out – but enthusi- asm was rekindled later when a widespread postcard drop gar- nered support. However, nearly four decades after it was first mooted it was eventually sunk by spiralling costs and wider transport de- velopments. The extraordinary story has been laid bare in the third of a series of Bygone Brockenhurst books which chronicle the vil- lage’s history, written by resi- dent John Purkess and edited by David Bennett. Mr Bennett, chair of the Friends Brockenhurst Station, said: “We know this plan died – it was over ambitious – but we have now tunnelled under the English Channel. “And if you’d said then to people that within half a cen- tury there would be craft hov- ering on a cushion of air play- ing their part in the link, they’d have been equally incredulous. “Yet the hovercraft came into being, and indeed many were built on the Island. Brocken- hurst and its station would be

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appear. Two years later famed railway histo- rian Chapman Dendy Marshall wrote to The Engineer magazine, proposing a three-mile tunnel. While the idea created a lot of curiosity nothing came of it. Mr Bennett added: “In many ways it’s a shame this plan didn’t go ahead and who knows, it may be revisited one day.” While that idea might seem far-fetched it has

A map of the proposed tunnel and (right) a postcard of an ‘Islander’s dream’

very different today if the tun- nel scheme had gone ahead. “There would be far more trains, especially freight, and the Isle of Wight would ben- efit from a link which wasn’t weather dependent.” The idea for a tunnel sur- faced in the 1890s, amid wide- spread frustration among Is- landers at the time it took to get to London and a growing feeling of isolation during foggy or stormy weather. Seizing upon that, busi- nessman Frank Aman – who owned the Totland Bay Hotel – promoted the possibility of a Solent tunnel. He reckoned a link would boost tourism by extending the holiday season on the Island.

By 1905 support for the idea ensured a bill made its way to parliament authorising the creation of a “South Western and Isle of Wight Junction Railway” by construct- ing a seven-mile tunnel.

It stipulated two-and-a- quarter miles would be under the Solent, from Keyhaven to a point between Yarmouth and Freshwater. The railway track would leave the Lymington branch- line north of Ampress to run west to Pennington and then to Keyhaven, with a spur for a station at Milford. At the other end of the tun- nel was proposed a triangular junction on the Newport,

Yarmouth and Freshwater Railway. This would have provided access to Newport and the other island lines. Electric traction would be used on the tunnel section and the locomotives would have run through to Brockenhurst, long before actual electrifica- tion in the 1960s. Through-trains from the Is- land to Waterloo would have been quicker than crossing by

Students are honoured in online awards ceremony Since 2014, a group called Pro-Link has promoted the idea of a “Solent Freedom Tunnel” as an alternative to Wightlink and Red Funnel fer- ry crossings, plus a pedestrian tunnel under the Medina River at Cowes to replace the chain ferry. College went online to overcome pan- demic restrictions and make sure it could still honour high-achieving students this year. The gala awards ceremony was broadcast via the college’s social media and began with a message from outgoing princi- pal Di Roberts. Ms Roberts, who is retiring after 14 years, talked about the unique challenges of 2020 and commended staff and students for their efforts in the face of ad- versity. The big winner on the night was Kathryn Brooks, who took the coveted title of Student of the Year, winning a £100 Ama- zon voucher. Kathryn, who achieved two A* and two A grades in the sum- mer in A-level biology, chemis- try and maths was described by her teachers as “academically very strong and a gregarious student, always willing to help her fellow learners”. The 18-year-old former Noad- swood School pupil, who now studies biomedical sciences at the University of Oxford, said: “I am delighted to win this award. I have really valued my time at Brock and it means a great deal to be recognised in this way.” The Access to Higher Educa- tion Student of the Year award went to Rosa Quental. She im- pressed teachers with her quiet dedication and ability to juggle family and employment com- mitments with learning. Rosa, who is now working to become a nurse, received a £50 Amazon voucher. Speaking afterwards, Ms Roberts added: “My warmest congratulations go to all the award winners, as well as all of those in contention for awards who pushed the winners all the way. “The patience, resilience and fortitude of all our students and staff in the face of this year’s unique challenges has been nothing short of extraordinary. “I am very proud of each and every one.” Read by not stopped Islanders frustrat- ed by ferry prices from trying to launch a modern bid. BROCKENHURST

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