History of the Isle of Wight proposal. History of the Isle of Wight The Isle of Wight is rich in historical and archaeological sites, from prehistoric fossil beds with dinosaur remains, to dwellings and artefacts dating back to the Bronze Age, Iron Age, and Roman periods. The River Solent was the largest tributary of the Channel River that drained the Hampshire Basin from the Early Pleistocene or late Pliocene. During the Mesolithic period, sea levels in northern Europe were some 30 to 40 metres lower than today, and the land that became Britain was a peninsula of northern Europe. The island was formed at the end
Railways on the Isle of Wight much of the former Merstone–Ventnor West and FYN lines have no public access, the main exception being the route between Yarmouth and Freshwater. In August 2017, the franchise was taken over by South Western Railway who have maintained the brand name. There are numerous plans for the island's rail system, including: Railways on the Isle of Wight There once existed a network of railway lines on the Isle of Wight. They were opened by several companies between 1862 and 1901, and all but the Island Line closed between 1952 and 1966. A further have reopened as the Isle of Wight