Island Line, Isle of Wight

The Island Line is a railway on the Isle of Wight that runs from Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin on the east coast. Most of the route follows the A3055 road, crossing it via tunnels and bridges. The line connects at Ryde Pier Head with ferries to Portsmouth and at Smallbrook Junction with the Isle of Wight Steam Railway. Trains run every thirty minutes between Ryde and Shanklin, calling at all stations except Smallbrook Junction unless the steam railway is open. The line has a history dating back to 1864, when the section from Ryde St John’s Road to Shanklin opened. In 1880, the London and South Western Railway and the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway extended the line to Ryde Pier Head with a new tunnel and pier. The line became part of the Southern Railway in 1923 and later British Rail in 1948. Passenger numbers rose after privatisation, peaking at 1.67 million in 2011–2012 before falling again. Ryde Pier Head station sits at the seaward end of the pier and has two tracks, though only one is in use. Ryde Esplanade station serves the town centre and links with buses and hovercraft services. Ryde St John’s Road station has three platforms, two in regular use, and nearby Ryde depot maintains the trains. Smallbrook Junction station has no public access and exists only as an interchange with the steam railway. Brading and Sandown stations have passing loops, while Lake and Shanklin serve smaller communities. The line ends at Shanklin, where the old second platform is now a flowerbed.