Island Line Railway - current state and the future

[cav1975]

AIUI Wightlink no longer has a 'spare' older catamaran as back-up to Wight Ryder I & II, so if one of those is out of action for maintenance or repairs, they can only offer an hourly service at best. In that situation the hovercraft may pick up extra business. Hovertravel seemed to have around 3 or 4 available last time I was at Ryde.

Both companies have two machines.

Hovertravel had two AP1-88s which have been replaced by the new Griffon 1200D machines. The 1200Ds took almost two years to debug so they had to keep the old craft until earlier this year. That will be why you saw four machines together.

Wightlink have the two catamarans and occasionally hire Wight Scene from the Blue Funnel line, particularly when one of the Wight Ryders is away for maintenance.

 

[DelW]

Both companies have two machines.

Hovertravel had two AP1-88s which have been replaced by the new Griffon 1200D machines. The 1200Ds took almost two years to debug so they had to keep the old craft until earlier this year. That will be why you saw four machines together.

Wightlink have the two catamarans and occasionally hire Wight Scene from the Blue Funnel line, particularly when one of the Wight Ryders is away for maintenance.

Thanks for that information, I did wonder at the time why they had quite so many craft on the slipway at Ryde.

 

[K.o.R]

Guess I only ever travel on weekends and bank holidays then.

And the award for most useless and misleading timetable goes to...

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Which since Wightlink run services to Fishbourne and Yarmouth the latter of which is nowhere near a rail connection and the former a fair way from it seems somewhat pointless don't you think?

What is the bus service that comes near to the Fishbourne ferry terminal and how far is the nearest bus stop from it?

 

[James Wake]

What is the bus service that comes near to the Fishbourne ferry terminal and how far is the nearest bus stop from it?

The 4, 9 and Downs Breezer stop at the end of the road that leads up to the ferry terminal. At about midnight each night, a 9 in each direction goes into the ferry terminal.

 

[A0]

What is the bus service that comes near to the Fishbourne ferry terminal and how far is the nearest bus stop from it?

The Fishbourne ferry isn't very popular for foot passengers, not least because at the Portsmouth end it means getting to the Gunwharf Quay terminal for departure.

The other car ferry terminals (Southampton, Cowes, Lymington and Yarmouth) are better sited in that respect and are more accessible for foot passengers.

 

[K.o.R]

TIL the ferry to Fishbourne is actually £3 cheaper than the one to Ryde for foot passengers.

Interestingly I can't buy a "rail" ticket from Portsmouth Harbour to Ryde Pier Head (NRE shows no tickets available, though the journey exists, but RYP to PMH does have tickets). PMH to Ryde Esplanade is possible and with a railcard is cheaper than the ferry standard price.

 

[adamello]

Interestingly I can't buy a "rail" ticket from Portsmouth Harbour to Ryde Pier Head

That's because there is no rail element in your journey

 

[K.o.R]

That's because there is no rail element in your journey

The ferry is counted as a train by the ticketing system, and the reverse journey is available.

 

[adamello]

I've always found that you cant buy tickets for just the ferry element (eg Southampton Central - West Cowes) but you can with a bit of a rail trip - like the Fratton example.
Maybe the RYP - PMH is a bit of an anomoly

 

[K.o.R]

I mean, there's no real reason not to get the ticket to Esplanade anyway, so a bit of a moot point. Just thought it was odd.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I mean, there's no real reason not to get the ticket to Esplanade anyway, so a bit of a moot point. Just thought it was odd.

Last time I checked a through ticket to Esplanade was near enough always cheaper than to Ryde Pier Head.

 

[Chris125]

Having read the speculative suggestions so far put forward on this thread, is there a date when the replacement traction unit type will be officially announced?

IIRC there was some hope that following the submission of the 'costed option' we'd hear more by the end of the year, but that presumably depends on how discussions between the DfT and SWR progress.

 

[43074]

IIRC there was some hope that following the submission of the 'costed option' we'd hear more by the end of the year, but that presumably depends on how discussions between the DfT and SWR progress.

Given the other problems with the SWR franchise at the moment I seriously doubt the Island Line is a priority, I'd be very surprised if we hear anything anytime soon.

 

[InterCity:125]

Are there any plans to extend the island line, say to cowes, Newport or Yarmouth?

 

[A0]

Are there any plans to extend the island line, say to cowes, Newport or Yarmouth?

Not that are remotely viable.

The link to Newport is now what is the IoWSR. They can't extend all the way into Newport because the formation has been built on.

Not sure what extending to Cowes would offer - the ferry crossing from Southampton is much slower than the Portsmouth - Ryde option.

And Yarmouth's even smaller with a population of 865 according to Wikipedia....

The only extension which was even remotely viable was Shanklin onto Ventnor, but I think that's too far gone now to recover as well.

 

[Dougal2345]

Are there any plans to extend the island line, say to cowes, Newport or Yarmouth?

Yes there are, I've made extensive plans for a high speed network connecting these cities ("HS2 and a quarter"), with branches to Alum Bay (for the chairlift), the Needles (for the UK's space port) and Bembridge (for the Airport and the Windmill). Unfortunately none of those crazy politicians take me seriously. But I'll show 'em... come the revolution!

 

[InterCity:125]

And Yarmouth's even smaller with a population of 865 according to Wikipedia....

But gives access to the needles.

 

[jon0844]

Yes there are, I've made extensive plans for a high speed network connecting these cities ("HS2 and a quarter"), with branches to Alum Bay (for the chairlift), the Needles (for the UK's space port) and Bembridge (for the Airport and the Windmill). Unfortunately none of those crazy politicians take me seriously. But I'll show 'em... come the revolution!

Don't forget the tunnel to the mainland.

 

[A0]

But gives access to the needles.

Not realistically it doesn't - it's about 6 miles away. And I very much doubt the tourist trade to the Needles would even come close to building a viable business case for that particular reopening. The Yarmouth & Freshwater railway was a very early closure in 1953 to be precise, so long pre Beeching.

 

[A0]

Yes there are, I've made extensive plans for a high speed network connecting these cities ("HS2 and a quarter"), with branches to Alum Bay (for the chairlift), the Needles (for the UK's space port) and Bembridge (for the Airport and the Windmill). Unfortunately none of those crazy politicians take me seriously. But I'll show 'em... come the revolution!

Not for the first time I wish there was a 'like' button.

The problem is there are one or two crayonistas around here who might actually think you're being serious....

 

[K.o.R]

Light rail along all the former rail routes. Or Ryde-Newport direct plus Ryde-Newport via coastal circle route (Ventnor, Blackgang, Freshwater, Alum Bay, Yarmouth, Newport).

 

[Journeyman]

Not realistically it doesn't - it's about 6 miles away. And I very much doubt the tourist trade to the Needles would even come close to building a viable business case for that particular reopening. The Yarmouth & Freshwater railway was a very early closure in 1953 to be precise, so long pre Beeching.

Absolutely, any railway closing that early would have been performing absolutely woefully badly.

 

[A0]

Light rail along all the former rail routes. Or Ryde-Newport direct plus Ryde-Newport via coastal circle route (Ventnor, Blackgang, Freshwater, Alum Bay, Yarmouth, Newport).

Given Southern Vectis can't justify a regular bus between Blackgang Chine and Alum Bay - the one which runs is the seasonal tourist one - how on earth do you even begin to think a light rail link there could even be remotely viable?

And between Ventnor and Newport there isn't very much, certainly not enough to justify a light rail link.

 

[K.o.R]

Given Southern Vectis can't justify a regular bus between Blackgang Chine and Alum Bay - the one which runs is the seasonal tourist one - how on earth do you even begin to think a light rail link there could even be remotely viable?

And between Ventnor and Newport there isn't very much, certainly not enough to justify a light rail link.

I know, I just hate travelling on buses everywhere, and the sheer amount of rail that was lost just annoys me.

I didn't know it went from Blackgang to Alum Bay; I just assumed most of the network was radial from Newport.

 

[sprunt]

Yes there are, I've made extensive plans for a high speed network connecting these cities ("HS2 and a quarter"), with branches to Alum Bay (for the chairlift), the Needles (for the UK's space port) and Bembridge (for the Airport and the Windmill). Unfortunately none of those crazy politicians take me seriously. But I'll show 'em... come the revolution!

Get it sent to the Taxpayers Alliance, they'll sort it out for you!

 

[Journeyman]

I know, I just hate travelling on buses everywhere, and the sheer amount of rail that was lost just annoys me.

It was lost for a reason. The bulk of the island's railways were hopeless basket cases right from the very beginning. I'd argue that even the remaining bit is a hopeless basket case, but there you go.

 

[A0]

I know, I just hate travelling on buses everywhere, and the sheer amount of rail that was lost just annoys me.

I didn't know it went from Blackgang to Alum Bay; I just assumed most of the network was radial from Newport.

There's always been a limited service between Ventnor, Blackgang and Needles - but aimed at the tourist trade, there's precisely no demand once you get beyond Niton as a quick glance at an OS map shows.

The bulk of the Island's railway closures were pre Beeching, in addition to the Yarmouth line, the Newport - Ventnor Town closed in 1952, the Bembridge branch in 1953 and Newport to Sandown in 1956.

You may hate travelling on buses, but a full island rail network isn't viable for the Isle of Wight. Equally it isn't viable for the Isle of Man - they're very similar in that respect.

 

[aylesbury]

You only go the Alum Bay complex once and then only for five minutes its tacky ,and a place to avoid ,but if you are on the open top bus the journey is excellent and you only stop for a minute.The idea of extensions to rail are not viable as the passenger year round would not support them plus the buses provide excellent services with good connections.Oh and the price of the stair lift down to the bay is very expensive back in the fifties I walked down there for nothing!

 

[urpert]

Don't forget the tunnel to the mainland.

I presume you mean the French mainland?

Perhaps they could reuse some of the PLUTO tunnel.