Full Island Line services resume after nine-month closure of pier

Trains on the Island Line returned to Ryde Pier on May 2 after an absence of nine months.

The line between Ryde’s Esplanade and Pier Head station has been closed while new rail and sleepers were laid. The pier sub structure and steel girder that sits between it and the sleepers and rails were also refurbished.

George Murrell, Network Rail’s Wessex route renewals director, said he was “delighted” the line was open in time for the May Day bank holiday weekend.

He said: “We’re aware this has been a long project and I’m grateful to the support we’ve received and patience and understanding from businesses, residents and the wider Island community .

“The Isle of Wight deserves a safe, reliable and high performing railway and the completion of this significant and complex programme of vital repairs and maintenance will greatly support us in meeting this aspiration.

“I’d also like to pay tribute to the many engineers and colleagues who have worked so hard and in all manner of weather conditions to complete this important work ahead of schedule.”

During the closure a shuttle bus has run along the parallel road pier to connect with the Wightlink ferry connection to Portsmouth.

New composite sleepers replace 450 worn-out wooden versions, while final work before reopening has included testing the signalling, removing materials and temporary buffer stops on Ryde Pier, and moving cabling from one side of the track to the other at Brading.

Further closures are expected later this year when rails between Ryde Esplanade and Ryde St Johns Road will be replaced.

Speaking earlier this year, Murrell told RAIL: ”We haven’t agreed access dates yet, but there will be other works on the line outside the tourist season.

“Probably October-November. There will be rail replacement, work to signalling and some tamping work to realign the track and make it as comfortable for passengers as possible.

“We also have to replace rail and sleepers between Ryde Esplanade and Ryde St Johns Road. We have gifted track to the Isle of Wight Steam Railway. They are making use of our old track: it’s new to them, and they are replacing very old track to enable them to run a more reliable service.”