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.
FREE Jersey history newsletter
Don't miss our weekly update on Jersey's fascinating history. We promise never to sell your data to anyone else, and there's a super-easy unsubscribe link on the bottom of each email so you can leave whenever you want.
Other events that occured in April
Ship sinks after crew gets drunk
- When a captain attempted to bring in his ship single handed it was almost inevitable that it would end up sinking.
- Read more…
Corbière lighthouse is lit for the first time
- Corbiere’s 19m-tall lighthouse sits on a tidal island, which lifts the light a further 17m above the high tide mark. It was first lit in 1874.
- Read more…
The National Trust for Jersey is formed
- The National Trust for Jersey held its first formal meeting on 3 August 1936 with Samuel Falle, the Dean of Jersey, in the chair.
- Read more…
Historian George Balleine is born
- George Balleine was honorary librarian of the Société Jersiaise, which gave him the opportunity to produce written works on Jersey’s history.
- Read more…
