Island Line (brand) facts for kids
Island Line is a special train service on the Isle of Wight, a beautiful island off the south coast of England. It's part of South Western Railway and runs along an 8.5-mile (13.7 km) railway line. This line helps people travel between different towns on the island, connecting them to ferry services that go to the mainland.
Island Line has a unique history. For a while, it was its own separate train company. Then, it became part of a bigger group called the South Western franchise. Even though it's part of a larger company now, it still keeps its special "Island Line" name and look.
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An Island Line Class 484 at Shanklin
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| Franchise(s): | Island Line 13 October 1996 – 3 February 2007 Part of South Western franchise 4 February 2007 – 24 May 2025 |
| Main area(s): | Isle of Wight |
| Fleet size: | 5 |
| Stations called at: | 8 |
| National Rail abbreviation: | IL |
| Parent company: | South Western Railway |
Contents
The Story of Island Line
How It Started
Before Island Line, the train service on the Isle of Wight was known as RydeRail from 1985 to 1990. This was part of a bigger train network called Network SouthEast.
The Island Line Name Appears
The name Island Line first appeared in 1989. This was when new trains, called Class 483, started running. These trains had the new Island Line name and logo on them. The official change from RydeRail to Island Line happened completely by 1994.
In 1996, the train services in Britain, including Island Line, became private companies. A company called Stagecoach won the bid to run Island Line. They kept the name Island Line for the train service.
Island Line was special because the company running the trains was also in charge of maintaining the railway tracks. This was different from most other train companies.
Even though trains didn't go all the way to Ventnor, there were special bus services. These buses helped people connect from the train station at Shanklin to Ventnor. This made it easier for everyone to use the train.
Until 2007, Island Line was the smallest train company in the UK. It then joined with the South West Trains company to form a larger group. Even after this, the Island Line name stayed. The stations were even repainted in a nice cream and green color scheme.
Island Line Today
In 2017, a new company called South Western Railway took over running Island Line. This company is a partnership between FirstGroup and MTR.
South Western Railway has been working to make big improvements to Island Line. This includes getting brand new trains, upgrading the railway tracks, and adding an extra section of track. These changes mean trains can run every 30 minutes, which makes it much easier to connect with the ferries to the mainland.
Rolling Stock
Island Line uses special trains because the tunnel at Ryde is quite low. Regular trains can't fit! The current trains are called Class 484 units. These are actually old London Underground tube trains that were built in 1978 and then updated.
These new Class 484 trains replaced the older Class 483 trains in 2021. The Class 483 trains had been running on the island since 1989. Before them, even older trains from 1923, called Class 485 units, were used.
In 2007, South West Trains bought the old Class 483 trains for a very small amount of money. This helped save money on leasing costs.
The trains used to have a special blue color with pictures of dinosaurs on them. This was to attract tourists during the summer. Now, the trains have yellow safety panels on the front. The stations also got a makeover with new platforms, green and cream seats, and new waiting areas.
In 2019, South Western Railway announced the new Class 484 trains would replace the Class 483s. The first new Class 484 train arrived on the Isle of Wight in November 2020. All five new trains were delivered by February 2022.
Current Fleet
| Class | Image | Type | Top speed | Number | Routes operated | Built | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mph | km/h | |||||||
| Class 484 |  |
Electric multiple unit | 45 | 72.5 |
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Island Line |
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Entered service on 1 November 2021 |
Past Fleet
| Class | Image | Top Speed | Time in service | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classes 485 and 486 |  |
45 mph | 1966–1992 | 12 |
| Class 483 |  |
45 mph | 1989–2021 | 10 |
The Route
The Island Line railway has eight stations. These stations connect different towns and popular spots on the Isle of Wight:
- Ryde Pier Head
- Ryde Esplanade
- Ryde St John's Road
- Smallbrook Junction
- Brading
- Sandown
- Lake
- Shanklin
