Milestone For Isle Of Wight Steam Railway As 600,000th Visitors Welcomed

The Isle of Wight Steam Railway’s Train Story attraction has welcomed its 600,000th visitors.

The heritage railway marked the occasion by rewarding the Shitu family from Binfield, near Bracknell, Berkshire, with gifts and a certificate.

Train Story Discovery Centre opened in 2014 and has been a big hit with the Havenstreet attraction’s visitors.

The National Lottery provided £1.2 million of funding for Train Story, where visitors can find displays of Victorian and Edwardian carriages alongside a collection of rare rolling stock, all preserved undercover and protected from the elements.

Children can dress up as drivers and guards and re-enact stories from the past.

The centre follows the timeline of steam railways through to the modern-day Isle of Wight electric line.

Mum, Michelle Shitu, said it was the first time the family of herself, husband Mutiu and children Maxwell and Millie had visited the Isle of Wight.

She said:

“It was a huge surprise to be the 600,000th visitors - the lovely surprise made a brilliant day out even more special. 

“The children enjoyed dressing up and shovelling the coal in the play train area!

“We all loved being up close to the real trains and being able to go inside and take a look at them.”

Michelle thanked the isle of Wight Steam Railway for their goody bag, voucher and certificate and said they plan to return to the Island, and to the railway, in the summer.

An Isle of Wight Steam Railway spokesperson said:

“We were delighted to mark this milestone by giving the Shitu family a gift or two.

“To have reached 600,000 visitors in just ten years shows the appetite for living history attractions such as this.”

The Isle of Wight Steam Railway is open throughout the year and hosts a wide range of events, from real ale festivals to seasonal events for families.

You can find further details online.