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Isle of Wight Electrics - Three Glimpses in Time
With the current London Underground 1938 series stock well overdue for retirement and the signalling coming due for renewal we are taking the opportunity to look back at electric railway operation on the Isle of Wight at three moments in time - 1976, during the 1990s and in 2008. The railway system on the island had long been the respository of superannuated hand-me-down stock and the workshop at Ryde St. John's Road had a tradition and reputation for make-and-mend-do and recycling. What now remains of the once extensive system is the result of two concurrent factors - the Beeching Report and subsequent manouvering, and the end of steam. That any railway remains on the island at all is by many regarded as near miracle. To deal with the overlapping factors separately and in brief. Doctor Beeching recommended that all but the mile and a quarter between Ryde Pier Head and Ryde St. John's Road be closed. Subsequently the Minister of Transport decided to retain the line between Ryde Pier Head and Shanklin. Considering the replacement of steam stock, British Railways Southern Region considered a number of ideas in the early 1960s. Bearing in mind the very restricted loading gauge on the island, these revolved around using withdrawn London Underground tube stock, the most likely solution being in push-pull units with driving trailers and either diesel or diesel electric driving power cars. London Underground was first contacted officially by BR Southern Region about buying tube stock in October 1961. The BR board authorised the electrification scheme in November 1965. Electrification would be at 630v dc. The Underground stock eventually purchased by BR was converted and restored on the mainland. Before commencement of electric operation the "new" (circa 40 year old) stock was stored on the down (southbound) line between Ryde St. John's Road and Smallbrook Junction. After April 1966 only the line between Ryde to Shanklin line remained and the Ryde Pier Head to Ryde St. John's Road portion was temporarily closed to allow the remodelling of Ryde Pier Head station to be completed. Rationalisation work on this station had commenced in 1964. Steam operation on the island ceased on 31st December 1966 and the railway service was then suspended. An interim bus service was substituted. Trial electric running commenced in early March 1967 and the first electric service started on 20th March 1967 with the quieter winter timetable. For the history in a wealth of detail you are recommended to read |
| 1976 | |
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On the 26th June 1976 Southern Electric Group members visited the Isle of Wight. This selection of photographs was taken then by Gregory Beecroft. 3Vec unit 035 and 4Tis unit 045 work the Ryde Pier shuttle. The line between Ryde Pier Head and Ryde Esplanade was operated as two independent single lines. The train to work the shuttle shunted to the down line and could then operate separately from those to and from Shanklin. |
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Units 035 and 045 again, at Ryde Esplanade, contrasting the different body styles on motor coach S9S and driving trailer S36S. (Note S suffixes then in use despite the stock not being of Southern Railway origin.) Both cars were built by MCW, no. 36 in 1927 and no.9 in 1931. 36 was the only car on the island from the 1927 lot of driving trailers and had spent time on the Bakerloo and Piccadilly lines, as well as the Northern and Northern City. All others were from te 1925 batch, which worked exclusively on the Northern and Northern City. |
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Isle of Wight tube stock was the first BR unit stock to be painted overall blue with brown underframes and full yellow driving cab ends. S34 was one of the first IoW cars to be subsequently repainted with grey doors. |
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3Vec 033 and 4Tis 043 leave Ryde Esplanade for Shanklin and are about to head into the tunnel which is notorious for its restricted height, its rail bed being raised due to the tunnel's tendency to flood. This is a view we will see in all three glimpses in time. Note the plethora of period road coaches which will ply the island's equally notorious narrow roads! |
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SEG members were fortunate to visit the works at Ryde St. John's Road. Here an unidentified vehicle is being repainted. When the cars were converted for use on the island BR blue paint was applied directly over LT red. A further coat of blue was added in 1972. The repainting in 1976 was the first time that BR had taken the stock back to bare metal. |
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Unit 034 stabled at St. John's Road. At the time this normally worked the pier shuttle as a 4 car formation with spare car S10S . However, as seen in the first photograph in this section, on Summer Saturdays a seven coach train was in service, so this unit was not required. |
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This page updated 24th January 2009 by Colin Duff. All text, graphics and photographs are ©Copyright |