25th October 1870

The first train runs on the Jersey Railway

The Jersey Railway Company, which owned a line between St Helier Weighbridge and Corbiere, ran its first services on 25 October 1870. It was separate from the Jersey Eastern Railway, which took passengers from St Helier Snow Hill to Gorey Pier and commenced operations three years later.

Initially, the railway only took passengers from its St Helier terminus to St Aubin, which perhaps explains why, despite the excitement of its opening, it wasn’t a financial success. Despite services continuing to run, the operating company was declared bankruptcy and sold several times over the years.

A second line

Although initially built to standard gauge, with a track width matching that on the mainland, the line was re-laid in the 1880s in a narrower format, and over time the network grew until, fifteen years after its first day of operation, it ran its first train as far as Corbiere.

Despite its financial problems, format changes and multiple owners, it operated for close to 70 years. However, by the 1930s it was struggling to remain viable as cars became more popular and, in a 1936 fire proved to be the last straw. The line finally closed and was bought by the States of Jersey, which pulled up the track.