Latest news with #IslandLine
The Irish Sun
21 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
The pretty English train station on the edge of a Victorian seaside town pier which has reopened after 10 months
A UNIQUE floating train ride to the end of the UK's oldest pier is once again welcoming passengers aboard. On the edge of Ryde Pier is a train station that is used to pick up passengers from ferries, which is why it 'floats' over the sea, and it's Advertisement 6 The Ryde Pier Head train station is literally over the sea Credit: Alamy 6 The station connects ferry passengers to the mainland who want to avoid the long walk Credit: Alamy Ryde's The tramway was at first horse-drawn, but it was electrified in 1886, making it one of the first electric tramways in the world and later it was developed into a In October 2024, the train station on the pier was closed in order to undergo renovation work. Upgrades were undertaken to ensure the structure could hold new trains that would be added onto the route - for the first time in 30 years. Advertisement Read More on UK Breaks Lots of the track was replaced, steel barriers were installed, weather screens were put in, and it was freshened up with new paint. The station was due to reopen in May 2025, but was delayed until The station is a stop on the Island Line train service that operates between Ryde and Shanklin. The journey offers incredible views, and doesn't cost much either - the one-stop trip from Ryde Esplanade to Ryde Pier costs £1.70 and takes two minutes. Advertisement Most read in News Travel Exclusive Tickets from Ryde to the neighbouring town of Shanklin cost £3.90. A pier train station isn't all the town has to offer - the seaside town is so charming that it was even the inspiration behind the Beatles song, The Mykonos-like beach restaurants in the Isle of Wight 6 Appley Beach is one of the most popular stretches of coastline in Ryde Credit: Alamy 6 The town has charming shops and markets too Credit: Alamy Advertisement said the title referred to "a British Railways ticket to the town of Ryde on the Isle of Wight ." One of the most popular spots is Appley Beach - the coastline has long stretches of soft sand, a cafe and playground. Visitors say that the beach gets even bigger at low tide making it ideal for kids and families. And the stretch of beach nearest the village of Seaview is dog-friendly too. Advertisement One beachgoer wrote on On Appley Beach is a historic watchtower that used to be part of a sprawling family estate. 6 The remains of Appley Towers sit just off the beach Credit: Alamy The tower is right on the beach and formed part of the home of the Hutt family, who owned the Appley House in the late 1800s. Advertisement Ryde is great for shopping, with Union Street lined with boutiques, gift and souvenir shops. If you continue walking, you'll reach The town has, on average, the most The beach at Shanklin is one of the better-regarded stretches of shoreline on the , with its traditional English seafront promenade adding to the seaside resort experience. Advertisement Here's more on why visitors say heading to the And where to find the 6 Ryde is home to a unique Victorian pier and 'floating' train station Credit: Alamy
The Sun
21 hours ago
- The Sun
The pretty English train station on the edge of a Victorian seaside town pier which has reopened after 10 months
A UNIQUE floating train ride to the end of the UK's oldest pier is once again welcoming passengers aboard. On the edge of Ryde Pier is a train station that is used to pick up passengers from ferries, which is why it 'floats' over the sea, and it's just reopened after 10 months of essential upgrades. 6 6 Ryde's Victorian pier opened in 1814, and Ryde Pier Head first became a tramway station in 1864. The tramway was at first horse-drawn, but it was electrified in 1886, making it one of the first electric tramways in the world and later it was developed into a train station. In October 2024, the train station on the pier was closed in order to undergo renovation work. Upgrades were undertaken to ensure the structure could hold new trains that would be added onto the route - for the first time in 30 years. Lots of the track was replaced, steel barriers were installed, weather screens were put in, and it was freshened up with new paint. The station was due to reopen in May 2025, but was delayed until early July 2025 after issues due to storms. The station is a stop on the Island Line train service that operates between Ryde and Shanklin. The journey offers incredible views, and doesn't cost much either - the one-stop trip from Ryde Esplanade to Ryde Pier costs £1.70 and takes two minutes. Tickets from Ryde to the neighbouring town of Shanklin cost £3.90. A pier train station isn't all the town has to offer - the seaside town is so charming that it was even the inspiration behind the Beatles song, Ticket to Ride. The Mykonos-like beach restaurants in the Isle of Wight 6 6 Paul McCartney said the title referred to "a British Railways ticket to the town of Ryde on the Isle of Wight." One of the most popular spots is Appley Beach - the coastline has long stretches of soft sand, a cafe and playground. Visitors say that the beach gets even bigger at low tide making it ideal for kids and families. And the stretch of beach nearest the village of Seaview is dog-friendly too. One beachgoer wrote on Tripadvisor: "Lovely flat sandy beach for the kids to play without the worry of deep water and then the tide came in around 2-3pm and was so lovely, still super shallow." On Appley Beach is a historic watchtower that used to be part of a sprawling family estate. 6 The tower is right on the beach and formed part of the home of the Hutt family, who owned the Appley House in the late 1800s. Ryde is great for shopping, with Union Street lined with boutiques, gift and souvenir shops. If you continue walking, you'll reach Shanklin, which is actually the UK's sunniest town. The town has, on average, the most hours of sunlight per day, according to a new study, looking at which places in the country are the safest bet for a warm day out. The beach at Shanklin is one of the better-regarded stretches of shoreline on the Isle of Wight, with its traditional English seafront promenade adding to the seaside resort experience. Here's more on why visitors say heading to the Isle of Wight is like 'going back in time'. And where to find the best caravan spot on the island.
South China Morning Post
31-05-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong's MTR Corporation opens the Island line in 1985 — from the SCMP archive
This article was first published on June 1, 1985. Advertisement by Francis Li and Louis Liu Massive roll-up as new line opens Huge crowds rolled up to try out the Mass Transit Railway Island line which went into operation without a hitch on Friday (May 31, 1985). An MTR Corporation spokesman said on Friday night more than 136,000 people travelled on the line between Chai Wan and Admiralty stations in the first five hours after it opened for commuters at 2pm. Rostered station staff helped by volunteer MTR workers turned out in force to help passengers, many of whom were first-time MTR commuters. Advertisement The Causeway Bay station was so busy that many commuters said they had to queue for nearly 20 minutes for a ticket, well before the evening rush hours.
The Sun
17-05-2025
- The Sun
UK's only floating train line reopens for the summer linking holiday island to 200-year-old seaside attraction
A UNIQUE UK floating train line has now reopened just in time for the summer. The country's only floating train line, located in the Isle of Wight, has gained popularity for its incredible views of the coast during a half-mile journey. 3 3 Known by its official name the Island Line, the scenic route takes visitors along the east coast of the Isle of Wight. Part of the line, between Ryde and Shanklin, had been closed since September 2024 to give the railway a "new lease of life". But it is now ready to welcome holidaymakers onboard as it has resumed operation on May 2. Network Rail said engineers have carried out maintenance and refurbishment works to make the pier and the Island Line "more resilient to extreme weather" on the Solent strait. Conor Wilcox, project manager for the repairs, told Metro: "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." Linking the esplanade and the pier head, the sea railway has historic roots in the area. Ryde Pier was constructed in 1814 after ships struggled to reach the coast in low tides. It is now the oldest pier in the United Kingdom, with majority of its original structure still intact to this day. However, Network Rail has replaced old steel bearers to give the pier another 60 years of life during the recent closure. Ryde Pier is the second-longest coastal pier in the nation, at 1,740 feet, after Southend's. In 1824, it was expanded to 2,040 feet, making it the only construction of its kind in Britain. Before the introduction of diesel engines in 1950s, the trams on the pier were powered by horses. Now, you can walk, drive, or take the train to visit the scenic pier head, with approximately 600,000 people visiting each year. The peculiar location gives the train's route a breathtakingly original backdrop. The one-stop trip from Ryde Esplanade to Ryde Pier costs £1.70, and tickets for the route between Ryde and Shanklin start at £3.90. Meanwhile, tickets to the mainland from Ryde start at about £23.20. Visitors can also enjoy the Isle of Wight's many sandy white beaches, including Shanklin Beach, Sandown Beach, and Compton Bay. Other activities available include surfing, water sports, an aqua park and even a wildlife sanctuary. And if you don't want to head back to the headland right away, there are a wide variety of hotels available on the island. A Travel Lodge in Ryde has room starting from just £43 per night. There are also numerous pubs and restaurants across the island's towns, with gastro pubs offering affordable meals for all the family. 3
