Xenophon PCDGS
Veteran Member
Surely Smallbrook Junction is a significant oversight by the local council.
It must be worrying for residents to be told that their local council can make "a significant oversight" to which you allude.
Surely Smallbrook Junction is a significant oversight by the local council.
Interesting article covered in the current Heritage Railway magazine about future of Island Railway.
Issue 237 January 2018 from meeting on December 14th.
Includes Ryde to Newport steam service. Line to run to Newport harbour with a loop to the quayside. Smallbrook junction could close if access to mainline is made.
Lowering track at Ryde tunnel. Extension to Ventnor. The Keep Island line in the franchise (KILF) effectively rules out closure or a tram or bus guided transport system.
Smallbrook junction could close if access to mainline is made.
I don't think this has been referenced on this thread so far:
Interesting article covered in the current Heritage Railway magazine about future of Island Railway.
I make no secret of the fact that I, in general, despise bus travel, though getting to be on the upper deck while subject to the, ah, lively driving habits of Southern Vectis does have a certain charm. Being stuck in traffic from Ryde to Newport, however, is not, especially around the entrance to Newport bus station. I am one of those people that won't take a bus unless I absolutely have to (so, for anywhere not on the east coast) and would not accept any talk that involves replacement of a rail line with any kind of bus. Gosport being a prime example that makes me seethe.
You are not alone in your views about buses as others on this thread seem to share your opinion.
Howsoever, if you look at the areas covered by the Island Line, against the whole settlement areas of the Isle of Wight that are served by bus services, you must agree that Southern Vectis do serve a much more widespread area.
DLR stock has been discussed repeatedly on this thread and is not suitable for several reasons (too long, too tall, too square, too high floor, wrong sort of electrification...). There would also be the costs of installing the ATO equipment lineside and in the control room (which will need upgrading, and more staff), programming the ATO, etc. All told this will be very significantly more than the savings in on-board staff.I'd be looking at using DLR stock, new or used and convert to ATO, yes it'll cost a fair amount to make it happen, but you'll save on staffing cost, only needing one member of staff per train and it would secure the future for another 20 years at least...
Rest assured it was debated at some length back in early November
Howsoever, if you look at the areas covered by the Island Line, against the whole settlement areas of the Isle of Wight that are served by bus services, you must agree that Southern Vectis do serve a much more widespread area.
A factor in this is the state of majority of the roads on the Island - main roads are not up to standard and could do with upgrades.
That is something that covers all modes of road-based transport and not just public transport.
DLR stock has been discussed repeatedly on this thread and is not suitable for several reasons (too long, too tall, too square, too high floor, wrong sort of electrification...).
As appears about every 5 pages on this thread D78s won't fit either, they would need to get on their knees to fit through the tunnel.If D78s will (or can be made to) fit - which Vivarail seem to believe - then I don't see why DLR dimensions would be a problem, especially with vehicle bodies only around 14m long.
Former DLR vehicles sold to Germany have been converted to manual operation, and given pantographs too - a lot more challenging than moving from bottom to top contact 3rd rail I'd have thought.
The more fundamental issues are surely condition and design - I doubt they have enough years left in them to justify the work, and a light rail/tram design surely requires significantly better track maintained to a much higher standard.
Please don't take this post seriously -
Several coupled up draisines, that's my solution for the Island Line...
Height Length Width Floor height
1938 stock DM 2.883 m 15.94 m 2.597 m 0.6 m
D stock DM 3.740 m 14.94 m 3.740 m 0.975 m
DLR B90/B92/B2K stock 3.51 m 28.8 m 2.65 m 1.03 m
As appears about every 5 pages on this thread D78s won't fit either, they would need to get on their knees to fit through the tunnel.
Unless you lower the trackbed back to its original level, and provide some other means of reducing flooding e.g. pumps. It used to use full size stock.
Unless you lower the trackbed back to its original level, and provide some other means of reducing flooding e.g. pumps. It used to use full size stock.
It's not until you see the different types of tube stock next to each other until you get to see the scale of the problem.
With the amount of tax payer money the DFT/NR throw away each year and how many billions is going to be spent on HS2, I can't see how anyone can justify not spending a few quid on sorting Ryde tunne out and strengthening Ryde pier and bring over some 319's(Or whatever other 3rd rail stock is available)...