| Island Line | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
| Overview | |||
| Status | Operational | ||
| Owner | South Western Railway | ||
| Locale | Isle of Wight | ||
| Termini | |||
| Service | |||
| Type | Community railway | ||
| Operator(s) | Island Line | ||
| Depot(s) | Ryde | ||
| Rolling stock | British Rail Class 484 | ||
| History | |||
| Opened | 5 April 1880 | ||
| Closed | 3 January 1967 (temporarily) | ||
| Reopened | 1 April 1967 | ||
| Closed | 3 January 2021 (temporarily) | ||
| Reopened | 1 November 2021 | ||
| Technical | |||
| Line length | 8+1⁄2 mi (13.7 km) | ||
| Number of tracks | Mixture of single and double track | ||
| Character | Fully grade separated except foot crossings | ||
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge | ||
| Loading gauge | W6[1] | ||
| Route availability | RA 1[1] | ||
| Electrification | 750 V DC third rail[2] (660 V DC[1] before January 2021) | ||
| Operating speed | 45 mph (72 km/h) | ||
| |||
The Island Line is a railway line on the Isle of Wight which runs along the island's east coast and links Ryde Pier Head with Shanklin. Trains connect at Ryde Pier Head with passenger ferries to Portsmouth Harbour, and these ferries in turn connect with the rest of the National Rail network via the Portsmouth Direct Line. The line also connects to the Isle of Wight Steam Railway, a heritage railway, at Smallbrook Junction. For much of its length the line runs alongside the A3055, criss-crossing this road by means of the Ryde Tunnel and bridges at Rowborough, Morton Common, Lake Hill and Littlestairs.
- ^ a b c "Route Specifications 2016 Wessex" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 6 May 2021. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
- ^ David Burroughs (16 September 2019). "Fleet and track upgrades in £26m Isle of Wight investment". International Railway Journal. Archived from the original on 28 November 2020. Retrieved 27 November 2021.