The railway line between Ryde Pier Head and Ryde Esplanade on the Isle of Wight was reopened today, Monday, 10th July, after vital upgrades to the line were completed.
The line has been closed since October 2022, and the reopening will provide a boost for tourism and the local economy in time for the Island's busy summer holiday season. During the line's closure, the 143-year-old, 686-metre-long Victorian pier strengthened and returned to its former glory.
A new weather screen has been installed at Ryde Pier Head station to protect customers from the elements, and engineers have replaced 172 metres of track, installed 143 metres of new steel rail bearers, and repainted the station.
Some further work is still needed that will require the closure of the pier again. Network Rail and South Western Railway (SWR) are liaising to identify the least disruptive date for this closure and will announce the dates as soon as they are confirmed. This extra work includes upgrading the last part of the track with composite sleepers instead of wood that provides better resilience to extreme weather.
Mark Killick, Network Rail's Wessex route director, said: “I'd like to say a huge thank you to Island Line customers and local residents for their patience while these important restoration works have been carried out at the historic Ryde Pier to give it a new lease of life.
“I'm really sorry for the delays the project has faced, it's been a huge task for our teams who have encountered several challenges including the winter storms and high tides, which meant the work took longer than planned.
“I understand the importance of reopening in time for the summer holidays and the positive impact tourism has on the local economy, so I'm excited to be welcoming customers back.
“We are continuing to work closely with our colleagues at SWR to identify the best time to complete the follow up works in a way that causes the least disruption to our customers. Once we have ironed out the finer details, we will update customers with further information so they can plan ahead.”
Mark Dunn, general manager for South Western Railway's Island Line, said: “We're pleased to see Ryde Pier open in time for the busy summer holiday season, which is so important to the people and local businesses on the Island.
“It was fantastic to see trains running on the pier last week when our colleagues completed their familiarisation training, and we're pleased those trains are now carrying customers once again.
“We'd like to thank our customers for their continued patience as we, and our colleagues at Network Rail, progress this complex programme of maintenance and repairs.”
Bob Seely MP for Isle of Wight, said: “I'm delighted by the work that has been done by Network Rail.
“In September 2019, I got a commitment from Network Rail to do the necessary work to keep rail connectivity from Ryde Pier Head.
“This work, combined with a £26 million investment, has secured the Island Line route for decades to come.”
Will Myles, managing director for Visit Isle of Wight, commented: “The work from Network Rail and South Western Railway on the UK's oldest pier, together with the introduction of a new walkway from Wightlink and the work at Ryde Esplanade which is nearing completion, ensures that visitors using the ‘Gateway to the Isle of Wight' will be wowed this summer.
“Congratulations to South Western Railway and Network Rail for completing the works in time for the height of the summer visitor season, this piece of the jigsaw means that now visitors can enjoy a more sustainable journey to the Island.”
It was so long ago that I have forgotten. Did the Ryde pier tram run on that central alignment?
I can see why it needed a massive upgrade but well done.