Island Line Railway
Ryde to Shanklin by former Tube train
The Island Line is the Isle of Wight's only remaining railway, running 8.5 miles from Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin along the eastern coast. The line is operated by South Western Railway and is one of the most unusual railways in Britain, using former London Underground trains adapted for island use. The current fleet of Class 484 trains, introduced in 2021, were built by Vivarail using the bodyshells of former District line stock.
The line runs from Ryde Pier Head, where passengers arrive by Wightlink catamaran from Portsmouth, through Ryde Esplanade, Ryde St John's Road, Brading, Sandown, Lake and on to Shanklin. The journey takes around twenty-three minutes from end to end. At Smallbrook Junction, a request stop between Ryde St John's Road and Brading, passengers can interchange with the Isle of Wight Steam Railway.
The use of former Underground trains gives the Island Line a distinctive character. The tunnels at Ryde, originally built for Victorian-era trains, have a restricted loading gauge that prevents standard-size mainline rolling stock from using the line. The solution, adopted since the late 1960s, has been to use surplus London Underground trains, which are narrower and shorter than mainline stock.
The line is important for both commuters and tourists. It provides a rail link from the ferry terminal at Ryde Pier Head into the island, connecting the arrival point to the resort towns of Sandown and Shanklin. For commuters, it provides access to the ferry for those working on the mainland. For visitors, it offers a scenic coastal journey with views across Sandown Bay and the downs.
The Island Line is the last survivor of what was once an extensive island railway network. At its peak in the early twentieth century, the island had lines connecting Cowes, Newport, Ryde, Sandown, Shanklin, Ventnor, Freshwater and Bembridge. The Beeching cuts of the 1960s closed most of the network, and only the Ryde to Shanklin line was retained.
The line's future has been the subject of debate and investment. Track and infrastructure upgrades have been carried out in recent years, and the new rolling stock has improved reliability. The Island Line remains a cherished part of island life and a unique feature of the British railway network.
The Island Line holds a special place in the affections of both islanders and railway enthusiasts. The sight of a former Underground train running along the seafront at Ryde, past the pier and the beach, is one of the most distinctive railway experiences in Britain. The line has been the subject of several television documentaries and features regularly in railway publications. For visitors arriving at Ryde Pier Head by catamaran from Portsmouth, stepping onto an Island Line train and rattling along the coast to Sandown or Shanklin is a memorable introduction to island life. The line also serves a practical purpose, providing an essential commuter link for residents who work in Ryde or travel onwards to the mainland via the ferry. The retention of the line, when so much of the island's railway network was lost in the 1960s, was a piece of good fortune that the island continues to benefit from today.