The UK’s ‘much needed’ only floating train line reopens after eight months

An island known for its beaches has just reopened the UK’s only floating railway station.

The Isle of Wight might be best known for its seaside vibe, festivals and fossils – but it is also home to a floating railway, the Island Line.

It can make visitors feel like they are somewhere balmier than in the grey UK as they travel the half-a-mile-long line on the Solent strait between Ryder Pier Head and the esplanade.

But the sea railway line between the esplanade and the pier head has been closed since September to give it a new lease of life.

Engineers have been carrying out maintenance and refurbishment works to make the pier and railway line ‘more resilient to extreme weather,’ Network Rail said.

The line finally reopened on May 2, four days ahead of schedule, meaning trains were able to run over the bank holiday weekend – and locals and tourists alike have been celebrating as services return to normal.

From Ryde Pier Head, travellers can catch a ferry to Portsmouth Harbour and travel onwards to London and other UK cities.

When did the Island Line reopen?

The entire line closed between Shanklin and Ryde Pier Head on April 26, so engineers could make the final touches building a new under-track crossing for cables, removing buffer stops, training drivers and carrying out signal testing.

The Island Line fully reopened on May 2.

Conor Wilcox, project manager for the repairs, explained some of the challenges they faced: ‘We’re in a really tricky environment here, we’ve got the sea, two tides a day, very adverse weather conditions over the winter, and we’ve had named storms.

‘It’s been a challenge, but our great teams have really helped us cross the line on time, and it’s been a pleasure handing back the pier a week early.’

And Neil Drury, infrastructure and engineering director at South West Railway, said: ‘What a glorious example of why this pier is so important to our customers, it connects the island to the mainland for our communities to travel across but also for tourists to come over.

‘It means so much for us and the community to be able to run trains to the pier head, connected with the ferries to the mainland.

‘Our customers have been so patient while we’ve been doing the work, so to be able to celebrate the reopening with them today on the 200th anniversary of the railway is fantastic.’

Joe Robertson, who’s MP for the Isle of Wight, said: ‘I’m really pleased to see Ryde Pier reopen. I hope that with this much-needed work now completed, there will be minimal disruption for islanders using the railway.’

What was done to repair the Island Line?

During the 8-month closure, Network Rail worked on the metal structure that supports the pier, replacing old steel bearers, grit blasting the steel columns to remove corrosion that was weakening the structure, then spraying three coats of anti-corrosive paint onto the bare steel.

It’s hoped these repairs give another 60 years of life to the 145-year-old pier.

On top of the pier they replaced the old bull head rail with 113lb rail, which creates less wear and tear on the wheels of the ex-London Underground rolling stock that run on the island.

They installed 896 FFU synthetic sleepers, which compared to their old wooden counterparts don’t expand and contract in changing humidity, making them perfect for the pier’s maritime environment.

These new sleepers last 35 years longer than wooden ones, the railway won’t have to be closed to replace them as often as before.

How the UK’s only floating railway was created

The first pier was created because ships struggled to get to Ryde in low tide.

It was the brainchild of merchants who realised in 1812 that Ryde could have a long pier, and two years later, the 1,740ft pier was ready for action.

In 1824, it was extended to 2,040ft, making it a one-of-a-kind structure in Britain.

Victorian city dwellers flocked to the beach resort and Ryde grew in popularity. As impressive as the long pier was, its length and popularity as a disembarking point for steam ships meant it needed a way to transport weary passengers.

The first transport on the pier was a horse-powered tram before the emergence of diesel engines in the 1950s.

Now, visitors can walk, drive or take the train to the pier head.

Previously, drivers were charged a fee towards the upkeep of repairs at the pier, the National Piers Society said. However, the toll was scrapped and instead the maintenance costs are now absorbed in ferry tickets.

A version of this article was first published on March 30, 2025

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