Trains could soon return to the island of Jersey for the first time in 89 years.
The railways of the largest Channel Island have been mothballed since 1936, when Jersey’s extensive bus network outcompeted the train services operating at the time.
Now one company wants to make them available to travellers again. Jersey Western Railway (JWR) has announced plans to bring back trains to provide “affordable, comfortable and sustainable transport for Jersey”.
On a website recently set up to promote the proposals, Jersey Western Railway calls on the public to sign a petition and put pressure on the Infrastructure Minister, the “only …person in the Government that can approve this on the Island. They need to see the interest and wish for the railway to return.”
The firm plans to run the new railway down “a majority of the original Jersey Railway track bed”, which includes a branch to the Airport and Corbière. Particularly exciting for holidaymakers is that JWR wants to provide a dedicated beach service.
“Want to hit the beach but don’t want to get your car sandy? We aim to provide dedicated beach trains to reach your desired beach! You relax, and we do the tidy up!” the website reads.
The train company said there will be free passes for the over-65s and people with a medical or mobility issue.
Alexander Sparrow, founder of JWR, told the BBC that if the plans were backed, trains would run every seven-and-a-half minutes. A journey across the island would cost £4.90.
Jersey’s rail history began in 1870, with a train service that operated between St Helier and St Aubin. It was followed by the Jersey Eastern Railway three years later, which took passengers from St Helier to Gorey Pier.
The two lines lasted for about 60 years, when the bus services on the island outcompeted them.
Just off the coast of Normandy, France and with a flight time of approximately one hour from airports including Birmingham, London and Manchester, the island makes for an ideal destination for a long weekend, or if you’re after a summer staycation.
Despite being the largest of the Channel Islands, Jersey is actually very small in size, measuring just 9 miles by five miles.
Jersey’s slow rolling breaks are the perfect spot to both learn to surf and for experts to hit the waves. You can book a surf lesson as a group or individually with Splash Surf School, located at the original home of surfing in Jersey in St Ouen’s Bay.
Visitors can go well beyond the beaten track and explore the coastline with daily coasteering sessions from Grève de Lecq to be guided through gullies, caves and tunnels to discover secret beaches. Jersey Adventures runs sessions as well as a whole host of other adventurous activities.
The island is home to two famous castles – the medieval Mont Orgueil at Gorey and the 17th century Elizabeth Castle, set on a tidal island in St Aubin’s bay.
Both come with plenty of spots to admire the island views and take in the centuries of history. For more recent history, the island tells the story of the WWII German occupation with bunkers scattered around the island as well as the famous Jersey War Tunnels.
