The main argument for keeping it open is the benefit to island tourism, so disrupting or shutting the line on a major holiday weekend would only play into the hands of the "close it down and run buses instead" campaign.
The 1938 stock has always had guard operated doors, as did all LU stock up to about 1960 (from memory so subject to correction by anyone who knows better). I think the 1967 Vic Line stock was the first to be DOO (in fact largely automatic).
Under SWT the infrastructure was said to have been transferred to the TOC (Island Line) , but I don't know how that was affected by the change from Stagecoach to First/MTR control.
There are also a multitude of TOC-specific rules these days, SWR no doubt have an 'appendix to the Rulebook' and no doubt it includes instructions about not crossing the open gangway between '38 stock cars, and so on.Peculiarities of certain locations are pretty standard stuff, the overall Rulebook still applies but with 'local instructions' for those places where certain procedures are necessary. The Severn Tunnel is a good example, there are numerous others nationwide. Was the '38 stock ever modified to include door egress equipment, or does it retain the standard Underground layout of emergency escape via the cabs? If that's the case, it's a pretty easy situation to control; a crew member at each end and your pax are contained. I can't imagine many would attempt a swift exit whilst sat on Ryde Pier anyway somehow!
As for the infrastructure, I very much doubt NR would harbour any remote desire to have it back!
I believe that this is SWR's aim - the current belief is that this saves time at every station allowing for timetable improvements and/or more resilient performance.
I personally don't see the difference. It's a vote in both cases.
If anyone is wondering the relevance of the dates they are the three busiest days of Royal Ascot. Queues for the 6-8 tph after racing finishes on the Saturday can be up to two hours long
