Island Line, Isle of Wight

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Franchise(s):	Island Line – 4. February 2007
Main area(s):	Isle of Wight
Other area(s):	None
Fleet size:	7 (6 operated)
Stations:	8
Parent company:	Stagecoach Group
Web site:	www.island-line.co.uk

Island Line is the smallest of the Train Operating Companies that make up Britain’s National Rail network. The franchise is currently operated by the Stagecoach Group. It is the only passenger franchise that includes maintenance of the infrastructure in addition to the running of passenger services.

Island Line is reportedly Britain’s most reliable and punctual train company. The shortness and simplicity of the route may be the reason for this.

A new South Western franchise beginning 4 February 2007 will combine Island Line with South West Trains on the mainland. Stagecoach currently own both companies and in October 2006 its bid won the rights to operate the combined franchise. The UK's Department for Transport recently designated the Line a 'Community Rail Line' under recent reforms to help boost use of rural and branch lines in the UK rail network.

[edit] Line and trains

Island Line operate a single railway line on the Isle of Wight, running some 8½ miles from Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin down the eastern side of the island. The line was electrified (750 V DC third rail) in 1967. Trains connect with passenger ferries to Portsmouth Harbour at Ryde Pier Head, and these ferries in turn connect with the rest of the National Rail network. The line also connects to the Isle of Wight Steam Railway, a steam operated heritage railway at Smallbrook Junction. Because of tight clearances within a tunnel at Ryde, standard National Rail vehicle types cannot operate on the Island Line. Currently, the services are operated using Class 483 units, which are refurbished ex-London Underground tube trains originally built in 1938. These replaced the older Class 485 and Class 486 units, which dated from 1923. Following its successful bid for the new integrated franchise, Stagecoach announced that it had no plans to replace the current rolling stock, instead investing "to ensure the continued viability of the existing Island Line rolling stock and infrastructure" [1]. By 2016, when the new franchise is due to end, the rolling stock on the Isle of Wight will be almost 80 years old.

[edit] Island Line Route

In the mid-1990s it was planned to reopen the line south of Shanklin, to the original terminus atVentnor. However, this now seems unlikely to happen, due in part to the high costs involved.

[edit] See also

• Isle of Wight Railway
• Isle of Wight
• National Rail
• South Western

Categories: Railway lines of England | Post-privatisation British railway companies | Transport on the Isle of Wight | Stagecoach Group