It's the first week of November, 2021.
For the fourth time in my life,
I am not on the Isle of Wight.
Everything you can see here,
has been reconstructed by green screen, nice effects Geoff.
I was last not here in December of 2020
when I uttered this immortal line.
The line closes for three months,
should be back up and running in April, 2021.
That didn't quite happen.
Instead, it's taken seven months longer.
But finally here today,
the Island line is back open, up and running.
The new trains, the class 484s, the old D-stock
from the District line, are here on the Isle of Wight.
Yes, these old District line tube trains
have been converted by Vivarail,
who make battery and diesel variants of these units too.
To find out more about them, watch this video,
when I made a trip to see them last year,
there's a link in the description.
Along also with the farewell video
to the 1938 tube trains video, which you can watch as well.
It's very fitting that these District line units
have been converted to run on the island,
as it's now the third generation
of tube trains to operate here.
The good news is that for the first time ever
it's not raining, I think that I've been here.
The bad news is that the low winter sun means
we're gonna have some silhouette issues, but that's okay.
Can you see on the other side,
they have raised the platform.
So, one of the things they've done,
it's not just about new trains,
apparently they've done other track work
to make the ride less bumpy, more smooth,
and they've raised the platform height as well
to try and keep the level boarding with the new trains,
(train door beeps)
The class 484 has got a smart, clean look for the interior,
with blue grab poles and a navy blue seat moquette
There's SWR branding
and they've retained the transverse seating configuration,
which is always a much loved on the District line.
So what you've got here is a class 484.
Now these are the Vivarail D trains,
D-stock trains ex-D istrict line trains.
Remember they're on the Bedford Bletchley line.
One in his class 230's, here they're as class 484's.
Meaning that there's no toilets on these ones.
And also they're third rail.
The Bletchley line are actually, they've got engines on.
Here, it's just all third rail traction.
What I'm trying to work out
is why there's a 60 minute service
and they doubled up two units.
There's a two and a two for four car.
As we pull into Shanklin,
I've got a friend here who might just be able to explain.
Ahoy hoy.
It's the dream team. How you doin? You all right?
(doors beeping)
Martin?
Hello, Geoff.
Why is it a 60 minute service and not a 30 minute service?
That's a very convoluted question, quickly.
We should discuss that later. Shouldn't we?
Indeed we should.
I've met Sean.
What you're doing.
I'm working for Adecco of SWR with the new Island Line
helping people make the new timetable and the trains.
Tell us about the new timetable
and the new train Sean.
At the moment, the timetable's every hour.
However, they are trying to up it to every half hour.
As you can see, only units that they got here
is oh one and oh four, actually coupled together one end.
If you go to St John's road,
you can actually see there's a unit inside the shed
and that's oh two and oh three, Geoff.
To get the eventual half an hour frequency
a new passing loop has had to be installed,
as Martin explains.
Okay, so previously
when there was a 20, 40 minute frequency,
there were passing loops at St. John's road
and Sandown.
Those passing loops are still existing.
But now to implement the 30 minute headway,
they've had to put a passing loop,
roughly halfway down the line.
So they've now reinstated the passing loop
that was taken out about 30 years ago in Brading platform
So we will go and check that out later.
We'll get out at Brading and have a look.
I didn't know, from looking at the time table,
is actually 24 minutes going south,
but 25 minutes coming up.
So it's a minute quicker going towards the mainland
than it is going south.
But it makes it very tight
because there's only five minutes,
there's only five minutes turn around at each end.
If there's any delay, then it makes it very...
There's not a lot of slippage time.
And this is without stopping
at Smallbrook Junction,
which only operates when the heritage railway runs,
usually during the summer.
As that would eat up more time,
a couple of minutes into the overall journey.
There was a rumour that the possibility
of a separate Ryde St Johns Road to Smallbrook
shuttle service being run on those days instead.
So that the regular trains always skipped Smallbrook
and it's served by the shuttle instead.
Oh and also Martin's friend Rob is here, hey Rob.
Morning.
Just in case you see him It's like double trouble.
There's two of you.
Rob?
Yes.
Can I get you to be my official door opener person.
Thanks, Rob.
(door beeps)
It's quite slow.
Time to get out and have a look around at Brading,
to see all the work that's taken place.
So, this platform at Brading,
hasn't been used for about 30 years,
because obviously they took the passing loop out,
it wasn't needed.
So they've obviously had t o reinstate it.
Now, the footbridge, the old one,
the black one, that had basically been condemned
and there were signs on it
saying one person on a bridge at any one time.
So while they refurbished that
they've built a temporary foot bridge, instead.
Obviously people who have accessible needs
at the, down end of the platform,
they put a ramp in at both ends.
But what they haven't done,
they haven't raised these platforms.
Which they have done
for every other platform on the line.
My understanding is all trains are using this platform.
So nobody's got to cross over.
Nobody's got to use the foot crossing
And there's clearly work's still going on,
cause I can hear like drilling noises in the background.
On both platforms
It's like there's workmen doing...
There's something going on over there.
So what we got accessible path to platform two, there.
But there's a gate, which looks locked.
Now, off-camera,
Martin and Rob are chatting to a Workman over there.
He's got permission to work over there.
There's a sign here saying please latch gate,
but the gate very, definitely.
But I'm pretty sure this, this was,
a barrow crossing or foot crossing?
This used to be a public access footpath
and it's become a bit un-public.
And the Workman is saying is that some Ramblers
have been through this morning
unable to cross their regular foot path
'cause they've turned it into this
accessible crossing, which isn't yet open
but i think come the December timetable
you should be able to use it
Rob's found a timetable! watcha found?
so hopfully ...
from the 12th December
they may go half hourly
i think yeah this is like hourly until December
so it's only for six weeks and then it'll change
to a 30 minute service
*PA* The next station is Sandown *PA*
and then it's time for a quick charge of my phone
on the USB ports that are between each seat on the side
and then, we meet some passengers
who are loving the new level access
it's really good, much better for travelling with the pushchair
there's not much of a gap anymore
so it's more level for us to come on
so that makes it slightly easier?
yes! that's good!
and then, back to Sandown where i discovered
that it's got a second entramce on the northbound side
did you know that Sandown was totally accessible
on the northbound platform, by this
entramce, on the western side of the station
oh look, there's a little old
there's a thing in the wall!
i never knew this was here
they've definetely raised the platform here
this is a new platform
are we gibing a thumbs up or thumbs down? - oh definetely a thunbs up
yeah it's an improvemebt, well done, we're rail community officers
are you just making sure that i'm behaving myself?
absolutely? best behaviour - am i behaving myself
do you hace a ticket? - i do actuall yes
that's what we like to see, ok
Next stop, Ryde St John's Road
there's a ramp here at Ryde St Johns where we are
but there's still this footbridge over and what i'm thinking right now it what is
how the heck, do you get step free to the souhbound platform
also, at Esplanade
it's definetely, 'cause the platform there is on a curve isn't it?
it's on quite a curvy thing, so
even though it might be level, there's still a bit of a gap
because of the curve, it's not a straight platform
which is awkward, but i think
the boarding is a little better, just because
the platform heights on the train are now, more
more even, obviously good!
but i don't think it's 100%step free, eveywhere i think
Martin, so 1 and 4 are out
what's behind you, in the depot there?
so there, behind those yellow and black shutters
is 484 double-oh-two and double-oh-three
so where's double-oh-five, it sounds like james bond doesn't it!
- it does where's double-oh-seven
double-oh-five is still at Eastleigh still hasn't made its way across to the Island
are you liking it?
i'm lovin' it!
oh sorry that's tradmarked
i'm enjoy it very much who's trademark Martin?
i really fancy a hamburger for some reason and i don't know why
is there one of those on the island?
there's .. there's two
the old D Stock trains go through the tunnel at Ryde no problems with the height clearance here
and that took us, to our penultimate stop
made it to Ryde ... Esplanade
do you know, i still don't know is it Esplanade ... or Esplanade?
i've heard in pronounced both ways
the tide is waaay out, look at that
and we wait for the train to come down, i'm gonna do one stop
to the pier head, they've definetely definetely
can you see by my feet, they've definetely
refurbished the platform here
but as i say it's on a curve, so ...
there's still a gap
so we'll make one last trip, i want to go and find where the accessible wheelchair area is
Hello again! - hello
if only they had actual straphangers
the bar is good enough, err we're in the accessible area
there's a luggage rack, handy i think in peak summer
when a lot of people come over for holidays, so
that's interesting to see, and two flip down seats
right there, accessible area
and you can totally
you can walk through into the next carriage like that
which seems really strange for a tube train
and at Ryde Piere there's just enough time to buy myself, a souvenir
so if i give this man, some dosh
he'll give .. and some change look at thaaaaat
nice, thanks very much! - there we go
and that is it Martin we're gonna stick around and get the dramatic dusk shot with the drone right?
we're totally doing that to play out but that is the new Class 484
Island Line, here on the Isle of Wight
old D-Stock tube trains, they're awesome
come visit, come visit the Isle of Wight
and ride .. the new trains. See ya!