Ventilator
Crossing the Line – The Ryde Ventilator – Saturday June 3 1871
On Saturday the 18th ult, one of the locomotives belonging to the Isle of Wight Railway crossed the new line over St John’s road. A pony and cart belonging to a man named West, in the employ of Mr Blackall Simmons, happening to be passing by at the time, the unexpected appearance of the fiery monster so frightened the pony that it started off at a violent pace, and three persons had a very narrow escape. If locomotives are to be allowed to cross the line the sooner gates are put up the better.
The following photograph shows the junction of Monkton Street and St John’s Road before the railway bridge was built.
