"New" trains arrive on the Isle of Wight

[TRP]

The first of the new class 484 EMUs have been transported to the Isle of Wight, via the vehicle ferry on Thursday 19th November. These EMUs have been converted from ex-London Underground D78 stock which were originally built between 1978-1981 and have been refurbished by Vivarail. These class 484s are set to replace the even older class 483s, which were also ex-tube stock dating from 1938.
The Island Line which runs from Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin is also set to undergo a major upgrade between January and March 2021 which will also see the passing loop at Brading re-instated to improve the service. The new class 484 are then due to enter service from April 2021.

https://www.railwaygazette.com/uk/fi.../57845.article

Tony

[boilersuit]

The 1938 Tube Stock was introduced to the IoW because of the restricted headroom in the tunnel at Ryde. This tunnel had originally been constructed to normal dimensions, but it was frequently liable to flooding in wet weather. This was not a problem when the service was steam operated, but with the decision to convert to electric operation the tunnel floor had to be raised so that the third rail would never be underwater.
Ex-LT D78 Stock is of course not tube stock – it is built to very much the same dimensions as normal main line railway carriages – so I will be interested to see how the Island Line solves the problem of getting class 484 trains through Ryde Tunnel. Perhaps next year's "major upgrade" includes somehow raising the tunnel roof!

[Beeyar Wunby]

ooh. If it's standard gauge running where tube trains used to go....I wonder if they've done the measurements to check that the first train won't rip the platform flagstones off (like thry had in France a few years ago).

Just saying

BW

[TRP]

Yesterday (3rd January 2021) saw the last runs of the ex-LT 1938-built stock on the Island Line.
https://www.islandecho.co.uk/thank-y...n-island-line/

Two units are moving into preservation - one unit (possibly 483007?) at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway to further illustrate the history of the IOW's railways, and one unit (483006) is moving to the Epping-Ongar Railway which was once part of the London Undergrund network.
https://onthewight.com/heres-where-i...es-of-service/

The Island Line between Ryde & Shanklin is now closed for three months of engineering work, with alterations being made to track & platforms to accommodate the new Viva Rail class 484 units which will enter service from the end of March 2021.

Tony

[27vet]

I hope they are not as noisy as the present underground stock!

[TRP]

The Island Line on the Isle of Wight is still closed, 6 months after it should have reopened with the new Vivarail trains running, having been closed since January 2021.
The report from the Island Echo states that the infrastructure work is substantially complete but a software issue on the trains still needs to be resolved.

https://www.islandecho.co.uk/still-n...after-closure/

Tony

[TRP]

South Western Railway has announced that the Island Line on the Isle of Wight will be reopening on 1st November, subject to the satisfactory completion of the final phase of testing to overcome software issues on the new class 484 Vivarail trains.
https://www.therailwayhub.co.uk/6129...on-november-1/
https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2021/09...-upgrades.html

Should the railway reopen on 1st November, the line will have been closed for eleven months - eight months longer than the originally planned three month closure.

Tony