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Home > Island Line > Island Line fact file
Ryde Pier

Island Line fact file

The Island Line on the Isle of Wight operates between Ryde and Shanklin, serving Smallbrook Junction, Brading, Sandown and Lake intermediate stations.

It has always been the Isle of Wight’s main line, even when the Island boasted a complex 53-mile rail network with 36 stations and halts. The first services between Ryde (St Johns) and Shanklin, with intermediate stations at Brading and Sandown, ran on 23 August 1864.

Fierce opposition from local landowners and the need to cut a 1,312 yard tunnel through St Boniface Down delayed the opening of a four-mile extension of the line to Wroxall and Ventnor, 11.5 miles from Ryde, until 15 September 1866. The Ryde to Ventnor Line, serving the developing seaside resorts along the Islands east coast, was an immediate success.

Statistics

Operated by: Stagecoach South Western Trains Ltd

Route  To Miles Yards
       
Ryde Pier Head    Ryde Esplanade        704
       
Ryde Pier Head St Johns Rd 1 418
       
Ryde Pier Head Smallbrook Junction   2 330
       
Ryde Pier Head Brading  4 1210
       
Ryde Pier Head Sandown  6 902
       
Ryde Pier Head Lake   7 604
       
Ryde Pier Head Shanklin  8 616

 

Historical facts about Island Line

Please click here for the Island Line Historical Train Map and learn some interesting facts about the island's transport history.

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Transport link

Wightlink High speed catamarans run the route between Portsmouth Harbour station and Ryde Pier Head in around 18 minutes.

Isle of Wight Steam Railway (to Wootton) from Smallbrook Junction station

Hovertravel Hovercraft service to Southsea at Ryde Esplanade station

Southern Vectis bus services at Ryde Esplanade

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Lines opened
  • Ryde St Johns Road – Shanklin opened 23 August 1864
  • Ryde St Johns Road – Ryde Esplanade on 5 April 1880
  • Ryde Esplanade – Ryde Pier Head on 12 July 1880
  • Lake station on 11 May 1987
  • Smallbrook Junction station on 20 July 1991
  • Steam worked: Until 31 December 1966
  • Electrified: January 1967 – March 1967
  • Electric worked: From 20 March 1967
  • Present trains: Class 483 Electric Multiple Unit (EMU)
  • Based:  Ryde St Johns Road traincare depot
  • SignalBox: Ryde St Johns Road (Up side – lever & panel operated)
  • Signalling systems: Ryde Pier Head to Ryde St Johns Road – Track Circuit Block
  • Smallbrook Junction to Sandown – Tokenless Block Sandown to Shanklin – One train working
  • Double Track: Ryde Pier Head to Smallbrook Junction (2 Miles 330 Yards)
  • Single Track: Smallbrook Junction – Shanklin (6 Miles and 286 Yards)
  • Passing Loop: Sandown
  • Sidings/Yards: Ryde St Johns Road traincare depot (down side) Sandown – Engineers yard (Up side)
  • Tunnel:  Ryde – 391 yards (357.4 metres)
  • Level Crossings: None
  • Freight Crossings: None

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