Island Line Upgrade updates

[43055]

Well, they've certainly gone by today. A video on twitter (I cant find it now i'm afraid) showed two lorries driving through Portsmouth's Wightlink terminal earlier with 2 vehicles. I wonder if their final destination could be Raxstar at Eastleigh?

Not a video but two pictures on Wightlink's twitter: Wightlink Ferries on Twitter: "We took the first of the old Island Line trains across from the Island to the mainland today - thanks for all your years of service! https://t.co/sAbB4Zx8ao" / Twitter

 

[david1212]

There was only a very modest increase in line speed with electrification in 1967 - from 40 to 45, IIRC. In practice, speed limits were largely academic until the arrival of the 1938 stock in 1989, because neither the O2 tanks nor the 'Standard' tube stock were fitted with speedometers. I remember one quite exhilarating - and slightly scary - occasion in 1988, when I was guard on the 'boat train' and the driver was 'caught short' during the turnround at Shanklin. We eventually departed six minutes late, much to the chagrin of passengers hoping to connect with the catamaran. It was clear from the outset that the driver was 'going for it' and once we left Sandown all hell let loose. Even though this (by then singled) section was laid with 60 foot flat-bottom rail, the vertical and lateral motion (of the passengers as well as the train) had to be seen to be believed! at the bottom of the bank on Moreton Common, I did a discreet quarter milepost timing and worked out that we had been doing 66 mph. We arrived at the Pierhead one minute down and the passengers made their connection, shaken but not stirred! I've never felt able to put this writing up to now, but the driver concerned is long since retired and probably no longer with us.....one of the great island railway characters!

I think I might have been a passenger on that run! Or certainly one exactly like it but I always thought it was early 80s - maybe it was a regular occurrence? We really thought we’d missed the boat when we left Shanklin!

Shaving off 5 minutes in 8.5 miles and 4 / 5 stops ( depending if before or after Lake opened ) is a major achievement. While the LT sub-surface stock was officially capable of 65-70mph I'm surprised the tube stock could achieve 60+mph even downhill.

 

[D6130]

Shaving off 5 minutes in 8.5 miles and 4 / 5 stops ( depending if before or after Lake opened ) is a major achievement. While the LT sub-surface stock was officially capable of 65-70mph I'm surprised the tube stock could achieve 60+mph even downhill.

So was I....and I'm very glad that it never happened to me again. It caused me to spill most of my coffee!

 

[fgwrich]

Albeit very much a before video (I await to see how much of the jointed track may or will be replaced with newer stuff + CWR), I happened to come across this video from a 483 travelling along the roughest stretch back in January.

 

[bramling]

Well, they've certainly gone by today. A video on twitter (I cant find it now i'm afraid) showed two lorries driving through Portsmouth's Wightlink terminal earlier with 2 vehicles. I wonder if their final destination could be Raxstar at Eastleigh?

Booths has been mentioned, but no idea in the authenticity of that.

Shaving off 5 minutes in 8.5 miles and 4 / 5 stops ( depending if before or after Lake opened ) is a major achievement. While the LT sub-surface stock was officially capable of 65-70mph I'm surprised the tube stock could achieve 60+mph even downhill.

The older Tube stocks could certainly touch 60 mph on LU, though generally only on downhill sections.

High Barnet to Totteridge was always a favourite for both 59 and 72 stocks, indeed it was possible to go off the speedo on those. There were certainly a few fast sections on the Central Line too - Epping to Theydon Bois being one.

Today Oakwood to Southgate is a good one, and Heathrow T123 to Heathrow Terminal 5 likewise, though not supposed to happen. The advent of stuff like data recorders means this sort of thing is less common than in the past.

 

[Journeyman]

Albeit very much a before video (I await to see how much of the jointed track may or will be replaced with newer stuff + CWR), I happened to come across this video from a 483 travelling along the roughest stretch back in January.

The soundtrack to that is glorious, and it's the sound of those old DC motors, peppered with the compressors kicking in, that I'll really miss.

Booths has been mentioned, but no idea in the authenticity of that.



The older Tube stocks could certainly touch 60 mph on LU, though generally only on downhill sections.

High Barnet to Totteridge was always a favourite for both 59 and 72 stocks, indeed it was possible to go off the speedo on those. There were certainly a few fast sections on the Central Line too - Epping to Theydon Bois being one.

Funny you should talk about going off the speedo - I'd love to see someone attempt that on a 483. Last time I peeped in the cab of one, I noticed they have BR speedos fitted that go up to 100mph!

 

[Chris125]

The Down platform at Sandown is going to look... 'interesting'. The metalwork in this photo appears to be the extent of the new platform, with a fence beginning to appear where the red barriers are, even under the canopy.

One of those searchlight-style Dorman signals has appeared too.

 

[MotCO]

The Down platform at Sandown is going to look... 'interesting'. The metalwork in this photo appears to be the extent of the new platform, with a fence beginning to appear where the red barriers are, even under the canopy.

One of those searchlight-style Dorman signals has appeared too.

It almost looks as though the new platform rises up from the back to the front of the platform, rather than being level throughout.

 

[Chris125]

It almost looks as though the new platform rises up from the back to the front of the platform, rather than being level throughout.

AIUI platforms traditionally sloped towards the railway for drainage, now they slope away to reduce the risk of things rolling onto it.

 

[Journeyman]

AIUI platforms traditionally sloped towards the railway for drainage, now they slope away to reduce the risk of things rolling onto it.

It'll have to meet all relevant safety standards, and it looks like a very gentle slope.

 

[swt_passenger]

It'll have to meet all relevant safety standards, and it looks like a very gentle slope.

1 in 50 is the usual standard for completely new construction.

 

[Joshua483]

Will Ryde st john's road signal box get shut and it control move to a ROC (rail Operations Center) on the mainland like Basingstoke or York or will it stay open to control the island line? if so why then?

Will the island line have AWS and TPWS or TWPS or AWS or AWS and tripcock or AWS, TWPS and tripcock or AWS and tripcock or TPWS and tripcock or tripcock?

 

[Journeyman]

Will Ryde st john's road signal box get shut and it control move to a ROC (rail Operations Center) on the mainland like Basingstoke or York or will it stay open to control the island line? if so why then?

Will the island line have AWS and TPWS or TWPS or AWS or AWS and tripcock or AWS, TWPS and tripcock or AWS and tripcock or TPWS and tripcock or tripcock?

I can't see the box closing anytime soon. There's still semaphore signals in the vicinity, and it doubles as a control room for the line, which you probably wouldn't want to move to a remote location.

 

[Joshua483]

Why would they move the single at the south of Ryde esplanade into the disused four foot when the line turns sharply to the left and the disused platform is on that side. If so why did they not a banner repeater to the London end or the pier end?

Will Ryde st john's road signal box get shut and it control move to a ROC (rail Operations Center) on the mainland like Basingstoke or York or will it stay open to control the island line? if so why then?

Will the island line have AWS and TPWS or TWPS or AWS or AWS and tripcock or AWS, TWPS and tripcock or AWS and tripcock or TPWS and tripcock or tripcock?

I can't see the box closing anytime soon. There's still semaphore signals in the vicinity, and it doubles as a control room for the line, which you probably wouldn't want to move to a remote location.

Why when network rail what's to remove as many signal box's. Is the one reason because it is on an island and if a boat broken the cable it would causes havoc to the timetable.

 

[swt_passenger]

Will the island line have AWS and TPWS or TWPS or AWS or AWS and tripcock or AWS, TWPS and tripcock or AWS and tripcock or TPWS and tripcock or tripcock?

TPWS fitted throughout, and trainstops removed. It’s covered earlier in this thread, and a few of the photos clearly show the new grids going in.

I’ve no idea if TPWS is allowed without AWS on such a line though, does anyone know?

 

[30907]

Why would they move the single at the south of Ryde esplanade into the disused four foot when the line turns sharply to the left and the disused platform is on that side.

Welcome to the forum. The answer may have been in the post you refer to, but it is normal for signals to be on the LH side where possible.

If so why did they not a banner repeater to the London end or the pier end?

Unnecessary because all trains stop at Esplanade (or very occasionally might pass at low speed) - why waste momey?

Why when network rail what's to remove as many signal box's. Is the one reason because it is on an island and if a boat broken the cable it would causes havoc to the timetable.

Possibly, but there are bigger re-controlling jobs on the mainland to be done anyway.

 

[Gloster]

Why would they move the single at the south of Ryde esplanade into the disused four foot when the line turns sharply to the left and the disused platform is on that side. If so why did they not a banner repeater to the London end or the pier end?

The comment in #531 was only a suggestion as to the purpose of the hole in the former ‘shuttle’ line. However, neither I nor, it seems, anyone else on this thread knows the answer with certainty. If the reason is that the change in drivers’ eye heights means that the signal (in its present position) is obscured by the awning then a banner repeater would be of little use as the obscuring would still occur unacceptably close to the signal, even allowing for the slow speed.

 

[D6130]

I notice from Real Time Trains that there is a working this morning from Eastleigh Arlington to West Ruislip LUL depot via Oxford and Bicester. Is this the two class 20s with one or more of the Island Line 484s going for some kind of modification?

 

[Gag Halfrunt]

Or the London Transport Traction Group's 483s?

483006 + 483008 are coming to us at the London Transport Traction Group. In the short term they won't be heading to the Epping Ongar Railway, but to a TfL site in North London (hopefully). It's hoped that they'll move to the EOR at some future date, once most of the work on them has been done.

 

[Dstock7080]

I notice from Real Time Trains that there is a working this morning from Eastleigh Arlington to West Ruislip LUL depot via Oxford and Bicester. Is this the two class 20s with one or more of the Island Line 484s going for some kind of modification?

probably returning engineering wagons after modifications.

What would Ruislip do with a 484 ?

 

[Joshua483]

Why would they move the single at the south of Ryde esplanade into the disused four foot when the line turns sharply to the left and the disused platform is on that side. If so why did they not a banner repeater to the London end or the pier end?

Why the signal put it in the four foot when not a co-acting signal in the six foot and a banner repeater. But by adding a banner repeater and hanging the signal off the the wall and put and putting a co-acting signal on the six foot. Why did they cut back the platform canopy on platform 1 at Ryde esplanade and how does it look at Ryde esplanade and Brading now?

 

[Gloster]

Why the signal put it in the four foot when not a co-acting signal in the six foot and a banner repeater. But by adding a banner repeater and hanging the signal off the the wall and put and putting a co-acting signal on the six foot. Why did they cut back the platform canopy on platform 1 at Ryde esplanade and how does it look at Ryde esplanade and Brading now?

We still don’t know that they are going to move the signal to the old shuttle line. What was written in #531 was a logical explanation for a hole in an odd place, but could still be wrong. If there is a problem with sighting, then putting a signal where the hole is would probably resolve the problem with the minimal amount of work and alterations. On Saturday there was no change to the situation at Esplanade.

 

[3973EXL]

I notice from Real Time Trains that there is a working this morning from Eastleigh Arlington to West Ruislip LUL depot via Oxford and Bicester. Is this the two class 20s with one or more of the Island Line 484s going for some kind of modification?

Nothing to do with 484 or 483.

20s Inspection Saloon 45029 & LU 4TC set.

 

[D6130]

Nothing to do with 484 or 483.

Inspection Saloon 45029 & LU 4TC set.

Thanks for that. A friend is out photographing at Bramley this morning.

 

[yorkie]

Just a gentle reminder this thread is for progress updates please.

The forum has plenty of spare capacity for threads on matters including speculative ideas, history and nostalgia, and more

 

[Joshua483]

There is a new thread for your ideas with future of the island line: island line ideas of how it could live on in your mind


How is Brading's new passing loop looking?

 

[Chris125]

Why when network rail what's to remove as many signal box's. Is the one reason because it is on an island and if a boat broken the cable it would causes havoc to the timetable.

This project is led by SWR, not Network Rail so the priorities are likely different - NR's plan to resignal the line in 2012, also involving a loop at Brading, was deferred but was probably more ambitious with regards how the line is signalled and probably rationalisation.

How is Brading's new passing loop looking?

Not much different to my last update tbh, though a signal has appeared on the platform and they've dug out the platform ramps. (how things change!)


Brading by Chris, on Flickr

 

[Joshua483]

The Down platform at Sandown is going to look... 'interesting'. The metalwork in this photo appears to be the extent of the new platform, with a fence beginning to appear where the red barriers are, even under the canopy.

One of those searchlight-style Dorman signals has appeared too.

Where is the searchlight-style Dorman Signal because it still looks like a normal two aspect signal.

Good to see how Brading is looking.

 

[Goldfish62]

Where is the searchlight-style Dorman Signal because it still looks like a normal two aspect signal.

Good to see how Brading is looking.

Yes I've zoomed in and it's got two lenses. Perhaps it's four aspect.

 

[bengley]

See Chris125's post above and you'll see the dorman LED