Why Railways Disappeared from the Channel Islands
- markdarrenwilkinso
- 3 days ago
- 1 min read
How Buses Replaced the Channel Islands’ Railways
Guernsey launched its first motor bus in 1909, quickly proving more flexible and affordable than the island’s trams. By the 1920s, buses were denting profits, while steep terrain and hard granite made railway expansion costly.
In Jersey, the line to St Aubin was built cheaply along the beach, leaving it exposed to erosion and high maintenance bills. Guernsey’s system faced rising costs too, with rusting wires, aging carriages, and a failed investment in a cargo ship.
Rail closures followed: Jersey’s Eastern line in 1929, Guernsey’s trams in 1934, and the original Jersey Railway in 1936 after a fire destroyed carriages at St Aubin.
German forces briefly revived rail during World War Two, building light railways to move supplies, but these were dismantled after the war.
Today, Alderney is the only Channel Island with a working railway, run by volunteers as a summer tourist attraction. Guernsey retains only a miniature “Little Train” at Sausmarez Manor, while experts agree a return of trams is unlikely.
