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Friday 2 May 2025

COMPLETED: Full Island Line services resume EARLY following critical repairs to historic Ryde Pier

Region & Route:

Southern: Wessex

This morning (Friday 2 May) marks the resumption of Island Line services from Ryde Pier to Shanklin, following a complex programme to repair and refurbish the historic structure.

The first service departed Ryde St Johns station at 05:23 and arrived at Ryde Pier Head station at 05:29, while the first train from Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin departed at 06:03.

The line between Ryde Esplanade and Ryde Pier Head had been closed since September 2024 while teams of Network Rail and South Western Railway (SWR) engineers carried out vital repairs and maintenance to ensure the Pier can carry trains safely and reliably for generations to come.

Over the past eight months, engineers have worked tirelessly and braved the elements to install 590m of new rail and replace 450 worn-out wooden sleepers with new composite sleepers which are more resilient to the extreme weather. The teams also installed 2,500m of new rail bearers – the steel girder that sits between the Pier sub structure and the sleepers and rails – and refurbished the underside of the Pier sub structure.

Ahead of this morning’s reopening, which has come four days earlier than planned, the entirety of the Island Line was closed for a week, while final preparations were completed, which included:

• Building a new under track crossing at Brading to safely allow essential cabling to be transferred from one side of the railway to the other, which has been brought forward thanks to additional funding from the Department for Transport.
• Removing all materials and the temporary buffer stops at Ryde Pier.
• Testing signals to ensure the railway can operate safely and reliably.
• Completing train driver training to refresh knowledge

George Murrell, Network Rail’s Wessex route renewals director, said: “I’m delighted that full Island Line services have resumed this morning, four days ahead of schedule and in time for the May Day Bank Holiday. This is a busy and important time for the Island’s tourism industry in which the railway has a critical role to play.

“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.”

Neil Drury, South Western Railway’s Infrastructure and Engineering Director, said:

“We’re very pleased to be running trains along the full length of the Island Line, from Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin, after a long but vitally important closure. In the year we celebrate 200 years of the modern railway, it’s great to see that the historic Ryde Pier structure has been repaired and refurbished to support the railway long into the future. We are very grateful to our customers and stakeholders for their patience over the last eight months and look forward to welcoming them back on our services.”

Joe Robertson MP said, “I'm really pleased to see Ryde Pier reopen. I hope that with this much-needed work now completed, there will be minimal disruption for islanders using the railway.”

Dean Murphy, Director of Port Operations for Wightlink, said: "We are pleased that Island Line is now running normally again from Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin, after extensive works. 

"This will be welcome news for commuters and business people, Islanders travelling to and from the mainland and holidaymakers who want to explore the coast and countryside of the Isle of Wight and link up with the Steam Railway.

"Wightlink's FastCats connect with Island Line to offer a reliable and efficient service to Portsmouth Harbour and onward journeys by rail, bus and coach."

Conor Wilcox, Project Manager at Octavius Infrastructure said “For Octavius there is the satisfaction of an engaging, rewarding project delivered ahead of schedule and on budget. In addition to the trains running along the pier once more, Ryde’s legacy includes innovations that have taken on a life beyond this project and supporting some of the island’s businesses.”

Loretta Lale, Head of Marketing at Hovertravel: “At Hovertravel, we’re proud to support Island Line and the wider rail network in making travel more seamless and easier for everyone. By working together, we can create easier, more integrated journeys that encourage people to choose sustainable transport options when travelling to and from the Isle of Wight.”

B-Roll from the work (filmed in December) can be viewed below: