| Re: Solent Tunnel, between Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Posted by CyclingSid at 16:53, 31st August 2025 |     |
I believe there have been more recent proposals for a tunnel to the Isle of Wight, possibly road rather than rail. I don't believe it appeared on Boris' radar.
The St Barbe museum in Lymington is one of those excellent local museums. Another enticement to Lymington is the Saturday market and an excellent fish and chip shop.
| Re: Solent Tunnel, between Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 14:48, 31st August 2025 | |
Fair point: I've amended it to Hampshire. CfN.
| Re: Solent Tunnel, between Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Posted by grahame at 14:31, 31st August 2025 | |
Done! Split off and renamed. CfN. 
Can I be an awkward pedant - even more than normally.
Solent Tunnel, between England and Isle of Wight
Err - the Isle of Wight is part of England and the new title suggests it isn't ....| Re: Solent Tunnel, between Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 13:06, 31st August 2025 | |
Done! Split off and renamed. CfN.
| Re: Solent Tunnel, between Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Posted by ChrisB at 10:09, 31st August 2025 | |
Can we either rename or split off these posts or else we'll not find them easily!
| Re: Solent Tunnel, between Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Posted by Mark A at 09:09, 31st August 2025 | |
The Solent tunnel managed somehow to make its way on to the 1907 Bartholomew map.
Mark
https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=12.6&lat=50.70632&lon=-1.52774&layers=156&b=LIDAR_DTM_1m&o=100
| Re: Solent Tunnel, between Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Posted by stuving at 23:41, 30th August 2025 | |
it says in that article that "they" (the promoters) "bought the London and South Western Railway for £85,000, with the intention of turning the Lymington to Freshwater railway line from a branch line to a main line". Of course that didn't happen. At the end of 1901 the Freshwater, Yarmouth and Newport (Isle of Wight) Railway Company was bought to form part of the tunnel scheme. The reports said it was promoters, or the Solent Tunnel Company, that paid £85,000 for it (or rather for a controlling interest). However, The South Western and Isle of Wight Junction Railway Act 1901 (and those of 1903, 1909, 1914, and later) created and gave the usual powers to a company of the same name. So formally speaking, it must have been that company that was the purchaser.
For most earlier railway companies, there were frequent reports of what they were up to, including company shareholder meetings. That didn't happen here, but there were a lot of rumours of engineering difficulties delaying the start of work, or it being imminent, or just that it all progress had stopped. The sequence of acts was partly to extend the time limit to start construction work. The promoters believed, or found, that the money available from themselves and other private subscribers was too little, but their repeated attempts to get public funds either on the island or from national government failed. Frank Gerard Aman himself died in January1938, despite the other dates being quoted, and the project was abandoned not long after.
| Solent Tunnel, between Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Posted by grahame at 22:06, 30th August 2025 | |
From the Daily echo
Can we get a rail tunnel under the Solent to Isle of Wight?
With Hovertravel facing financial challenges and climate change making our weather increasingly wet and windy, it is becoming difficult to always rely on ferries and hovercraft to provide a reliable service.
If a rail tunnel was constructed under the Solent the cost would eventually be justified.
As well as passengers, the railway line could carry freight, taking it off our crumbling roads.
Our current ferries, especially on the Cowes route, are nearing the end of their efficient lifespan.
With Hovertravel facing financial challenges and climate change making our weather increasingly wet and windy, it is becoming difficult to always rely on ferries and hovercraft to provide a reliable service.
If a rail tunnel was constructed under the Solent the cost would eventually be justified.
As well as passengers, the railway line could carry freight, taking it off our crumbling roads.
Our current ferries, especially on the Cowes route, are nearing the end of their efficient lifespan.
Until recently, I would not have thought of France wanting to take over the Isle of Wight ... but with the USA with designs on Greenland, perhaps it would be a good defensive idea to tunnel to the IoW?
Came across an interesting history of this scheme at
https://www.stbarbe-museum.org.uk/whats-on/online-exhibitions/local-people-and-stories/frank-aman-the-solent-tunnel/
There have been various schemes for constructing a permanent crossing between Lymington and the Isle of Wight. Among the ideas which have been advocated was a Solent Bridge between Hurst Beach and Colwell Bay, a distance of approximately three-quarters of a mile. The proposed structure was to have been similar to the Forth Bridge, with a lifting centre portion, to allow ships to pass through. Another suggestion was to use train ferries, similar to those in use on the cross-Channel routes. However, they would have been subject to the unpredictable English weather and would have been rather clumsy for the close confines of the Solent.
The only idea which was given serious consideration, and came anywhere near to fruition, was the construction of a Solent tunnel. Its principal promoter was Frank Aman, who began petitioning for a tunnel in the 1890’s.
Three main routes were proposed: Fawley to Cowes, Stokes Bay to Ryde and Lymington to Yarmouth, the shortest route and the most suitable, because it was flat on both sides and thinly populated.
In 1901, this decision became official as an Act of Parliament charged the London and South Western Railway and the Freshwater, Yarmouth and Newport Railway, to build a branch line between Lymington and the Isle of Wight.
The only idea which was given serious consideration, and came anywhere near to fruition, was the construction of a Solent tunnel. Its principal promoter was Frank Aman, who began petitioning for a tunnel in the 1890’s.
Three main routes were proposed: Fawley to Cowes, Stokes Bay to Ryde and Lymington to Yarmouth, the shortest route and the most suitable, because it was flat on both sides and thinly populated.
In 1901, this decision became official as an Act of Parliament charged the London and South Western Railway and the Freshwater, Yarmouth and Newport Railway, to build a branch line between Lymington and the Isle of Wight.
Fascinating read at the URL above and for Coffee Shop members I have added a copy to our archive database so that it's available to future searches on the subject.
