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IoW light rail conversion proposed


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And some photos sent in by locals remembering the past of the line. There might be some good ones to help modellers that have not been seen before. 

 

https://www.countypress.co.uk/news/18982235.pictures-island-line-trains-30-years/?fbclid=IwAR0Ah7RZIe0sjLoy4bS74rakVSztVFFndJXxTK6TIqcWAoKeQ3fCs6w6yew

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

Work is well underway, with track and ballast removed at Shanklin:

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/355569249197459/permalink/427021858718864/
https://www.facebook.com/ShanklinConservatives/posts/2729435750720412
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10159418553437755&set=p.10159418553437755&type=3

 

Lake is all but finished with it's new full height platform:

 

a1.JPG.aa2ba92fc55ccaf800107d4f9e735ed4.JPGa2.JPG.70ca3927ac1771a626785d403bf035a8.JPG

 

The Up platform at Sandown appears to be approaching completion, using the same pre-fab system as Lake above the old surface:

 

a5.JPG.80c907155c3d230fa427b95258eb898b.JPG

 

Brading is finally progressing, with ballast being laid for the southern turnout and new signalling equipment beginning to appear, while the Ryde end of the Down platform is being rebuilt. 

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/355569249197459/permalink/426597782094605/
https://www.facebook.com/RCRIOW/posts/162741342278088

 

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33 minutes ago, John M Upton said:

Has any of the 1938TS been removed yet and indeed has any more new stock arrived?

 

Not yet. 

 

I imagine that the lorries bringing in the new ones will remove the old, at least for those that aren't being cut up on site- so far as I'm aware the current plan is 007 by road to the IOWSR, with 006 and 008 heading back to the bigger island ultimately to Epping Ongar as the plan to display one at Brading has been canned, one or both will probably end up in storage on the mainland first. 

 

Not sure what the future holds for the remaining two completeish ones, 009 and 004. 

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15 minutes ago, 009 micro modeller said:

 

Permanently? Actually, will the EOR-based group want a second one as a spares donor?

The others will almost certainly be broken up on the island and it is then that any spares will be removed.  The difficulty would be in deciding which components will be needed.

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3 hours ago, 009 micro modeller said:

 

Permanently? Actually, will the EOR-based group want a second one as a spares donor?

The EOR-based group are having two units (006 & 008) but plan to restore both of them to operational condition (with one carriage out of the four to carry the batteries).  I gather the remaining units have been used as spares donors for some time and don’t necessarily have many useful components left on them. 

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I believe that the LTM have approached the island line of any that are likely to be scrapped to be given first shout for spares for their 4 car 38 tube stock.

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Finally some concrete detail about the plans for Brading, with an application for Listed Building Consent. The island platform will return to use with heritage-style lamps and PRM-compliant ramps down to the existing foot crossing.

 

Search for 21/00195/LBC at https://publicaccess.iow.gov.uk/online-applications/search.do?action=simple&searchType=Application

 

Quote

The proposed works are as follows


• New platform front wall construction.
• Wall Strengthening works
• Timber sleeper to be installed between track and platform wall for support.
• New platform copers to match existing
• Partial reconstruction of platform wall with ramp
• Resurfacing of the platform with Bitumen macadam wearing course.
• Installation of Fastrack Mesh
• Straight lighting column to match the existing platform 1 type and colour.

 

Edited by Christopher125
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20 minutes ago, Christopher125 said:

Finally some concrete detail about the plans for Brading, with an application for Listed Building Consent. The island platform will return to use with heritage-style lamps and PRM-compliant ramps down to the existing foot crossing.

 

Search for 21/00195/LBC at https://publicaccess.iow.gov.uk/online-applications/search.do?action=simple&searchType=Application

 

 

Unfortunately, the link just seems to take me back to the top of this page. Any chance of re-posting please?

 

Meanwhile, can we discuss the purpose of this LBC - is it, by any chance, a preamble to re-opening the Bembridge branch? Is there any local initiative to promote this? (I know there are some ghastly 1960's houses at Bembridge, a small B&B near Brading and a few farm tracks in the way, but only the road at St Helens as a major obstacle, really.) Or is that just wishful thinking...........

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14 hours ago, Mike Storey said:

 

Unfortunately, the link just seems to take me back to the top of this page. Any chance of re-posting please?

 

Meanwhile, can we discuss the purpose of this LBC - is it, by any chance, a preamble to re-opening the Bembridge branch? Is there any local initiative to promote this? (I know there are some ghastly 1960's houses at Bembridge, a small B&B near Brading and a few farm tracks in the way, but only the road at St Helens as a major obstacle, really.) Or is that just wishful thinking...........

 

How strange, I've reposted it and seems to work. It's just a link to the council's planning portal so easy enough to google if not. As for the LBC, that is indeed wishful thinking!

Edited by Christopher125
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20 hours ago, Mike Storey said:

 

Meanwhile, can we discuss the purpose of this LBC - is it, by any chance, a preamble to re-opening the Bembridge branch? Is there any local initiative to promote this? (I know there are some ghastly 1960's houses at Bembridge, a small B&B near Brading and a few farm tracks in the way, but only the road at St Helens as a major obstacle, really.) Or is that just wishful thinking...........


Definitely wishful thinking, I’m afraid!

 

The Listed Building Consent would relate to the fact that the entire station at Brading is Listed, so (presumably) any replacement lamps or new PRM-compliant ramps would require consent before they could be installed.
 

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Impressive stuff and I look forward to seeing the improvements when on holiday in July if allowed...have a week on a houseboat in Bembridge provisionally booked with some friends.

 

I hope the station cat at Brading isn't too bothered by all the disturbance...he/she is more often than not seen in the various YouTube videos that have appeared in the last couple of years and seems very happy there...

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Disappointing but sadly predictable news - according to Island Echo they'll be using the time to complete some of the station works planned for later this year.

 

At least there's now a project update on the SWR website, and I've been able to take some photos of the latest progress at Brading with the new southern turnout in place and cattle creep replaced by a culvert:

 

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Edited by Christopher125
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Presumably the continuation of using bolted track is mostly due to no CWR train on the Island?  I am guessing transporting the standard lengths of CWR over would mean it sticking a long way out of both ends of the ferry...

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On 12/02/2021 at 17:25, John M Upton said:

 

OMG - but the flood of imminent tourists (Mr Matthew Hancock and family) may overstretch the replacement bus service?

 

Seriously, I wonder if Covid is really to blame. Many other, much larger rail projects have proceeded with less delay than this. Perhaps this was an opportunity to slow down the spend, as money is tight. In the long term, I doubt this will have any significant effect, other than getting more done, at less cost.

 

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3 minutes ago, John M Upton said:

Presumably the continuation of using bolted track is mostly due to no CWR train on the Island?  I am guessing transporting the standard lengths of CWR over would mean it sticking a long way out of both ends of the ferry...

 

Well, 80ft lengths are the norm for welded rail, for welding into >400 ft lengths, but it is perfectly feasible to use 60 ft lengths. I suspect the decision is based mainly on practicality. There is no real need for CWR if line speeds are below 60 mph - it would have a marginal effect on reliability and comfort, but add in greater complications of any repairs and to some degree, maintenance. The only real gain, I would surmise, is the reduction in wheel tyre damage. But I gather the new units allow modular wheel changes, as per London Underground standards, so that re-profiling (or re-tyring) is much simpler and cheaper anyway. These units were designed for bolted rails.

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20 hours ago, John M Upton said:

Presumably the continuation of using bolted track is mostly due to no CWR train on the Island?  I am guessing transporting the standard lengths of CWR over would mean it sticking a long way out of both ends of the ferry...

 

They come over in short lengths but can be welded together later - IIRC they decided to weld every other joint to help the 483s ride quality. 

 

There was talk of more welded track but so far they've only been greasing fishplates, spot re-sleepering, replacing the worst rails and cutting out worn rail ends. Perhaps the welding will come later?

Edited by Christopher125
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4 hours ago, Christopher125 said:

 

They come over in short lengths but can be welded together later - IIRC they decided to weld every other joint to help the 483s ride quality. 

 

There was talk of more welded track but so far they've only been greasing fishplates, spot re-sleepering, replacing the worst rails and cutting out worn rail ends. Perhaps the welding will come later?

 

But you cannot just weld the rails together!! They have to be stress-treated and laid, with expansion joints (diagonal cuts) at ambient intervals. It would almost certainly also require major re-rerailing and re-sleepering, to absorb the stresses. Plus the track circuits (I presume they have them????) would need significant alteration. So, if you were going to do it, better now than in a piecemeal fashion over many years and many closures. but it can be done, of course, at a price.

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  • 1 month later...

Platform works are on the final straight now,  with Esplanade approaching completion and work starting in the last few days at Pier Head visible on the webcams.

 

Signalling work has now ramped up too, especially at Brading where platform underpinning looks finished and new track laid and ballasted.

 

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Edited by Christopher125
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