6th April 1873
Jersey Eastern Railway Company is registered
The Jersey Eastern Railway Company was registered on 6 April 1873 and immediately began construction of the line between St Helier and St Catherine’s. The first part opened exactly one year later, which is remarkable by modern standards. However, the section linking Gorey at St Catherine’s was never completed, and neither was the connection across St Helier. The capital therefore had two termini, and passengers had to change trains if journeying from one side of Jersey to the other.
No line was ever constructed along the north coast or up the middle of the island. Following the closure of Jersey’s two railways and the railway on Guernsey, Alderney now has the Channel Islands’ only working line.
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Other events that occured in April
British European gobbles up Jersey Airways
- Jersey Airways had been flying between the island and the mainland for 14 years when it became part of the larger British European Airways.
- Read more…
The St Saviour wireless case show trial
- By 1943, the war was turning against Germany, and its forces realised they needed to control the flow of information. They banned radios.
- Read more…
The States starts dismantling Jersey Railway
- After a fire, and facing stiff competition from road transport, Jersey Railway was sold to the States, which began demolishing the track.
- Read more…
Jersey Airport crash kills 26 on a plane
- The only survivor of a fatal crash at Jersey Airport was the stewardess, 23-year-old Dominique Sillitere. 26 others were killed.
- Read more…
