started on 1 July 1913; passengers now had to change stations at Newport, and the inferior service and higher costs eventually pushed the FY&NR into bankruptcy. The FY&NR had its locomotives overhauled by the Isle of Wight Railway at Ryde, and the IoWCR charged a toll of £3 to pass them through Newport. The problem of the station at Newport was resolved in August 1914. Grouping of the railways The outbreak of World War I resulted in Government control of the railways; this resulted in infrastructure improvements being deferred and the income of the company was hit. A national strike and post-war Government control of fares, as well as much-improved bus competition and improved wage rates and working conditions for staff all attacked the financial situation of the line. Under the terms of the Railways Act 1921, the main line railways of Great Britain were "grouped" into four large companies; all of the Isle of Wight lines were absorbed into the new Southern Railway from 1 January 1923. The ordinary shareholders of the IoWCR got £3 for each £100 share (The absorption of the FY&NR was delayed until 1 August 1923 due to negotiations over the financial terms; during the period from 1 January, when the FY&NR refused the offered settlement, the company's trains were again barred from the main Newport station). The Southern Railway brought capital to the island to pay for improvements. The two single lines between Smallbrook and St John's Road were converted to a conventional double track by the installation of crossovers at Smallbrook in 1926; the arrangement was applied in the summer months, and the Smallbrook Junction signal box was closed in winter, when line capacity was not an issue. A peak train service of 27 trains each way daily was run on the Newport to Cowes section by 1925. The antiquated locomotive fleet was improved, by retaining the A1X 'Terrier' class and bringing in some LSWR O2 class 0-4-4T engines that had been displaced by the electrification of London suburban services; the four-wheel coaches were also abolished, and bogie coaches brought in. The improvements brought about a marked increase in business, but it was of course highly seasonal, and the buses running on improved roads were far more convenient for many travellers. The short distances on the island meant that goods traffic was at a serious disadvantage against road competition. A new passing place