The Isle of Wight's Railway Revelations

The Isle of Wight may not have the longest rail service in the UK, but it does guarantee a relaxing journey from the south to the north-east of the island. Rail journeys this short provide convenience, as commuters reach a destination more quickly; what they sometimes fail to see, however, is the beauty of the countryside streaming past as they glance down at their newspaper or phone.

The Isle of Wight’s railways, albeit short journeys, reveal some of the best that the island has to offer. Two options delight the keen rail enthusiast, offering charm and convenience for commuters and families alike. I took a trip on the Island Line of the Isle of Wight and saw for myself its usefulness and how it connects the island’s good folk.

Shanklin Station, the first station of the Island Line

Parking up at Shanklin Station on a cold winter’s day, I look forward to seeing what form of warmth the train will provide. I enter the station and already find a train pulled up, ready to depart for one of its many journeys to Ryde Pier. I enter the train’s middle carriage and sit myself down on a vacant seat, the side furthest from the station platform. I gaze out the window for a few minutes, waiting for the time when the train will depart.

The Island Line train at Shanklin Station

Soon enough, the train burst out with an electronic-sounding toot before slowly leaving Shanklin Station. The village passes by at an increasingly rapid pace as we approach the first station on the journey, inaptly called Lake. With no bodies of water in sight, it is one of the smaller villages on the island with the coast nearby. The train then slowly departs from Lake, embarking on its next station, Sandown.

Pulling into Sandown, the station itself has features which briefly hoodwink me into thinking I’ve come back to Shanklin. The train then continues north, remaining parallel to the coastline far to the right. The views outside my window soon become slightly more attractive as the train passes by fields in the cold, beaming sun. It then grinds to a halt at Brading Station, a practically deserted station where no one leaves or jumps on board.

Brading, one of the Island Line's stations

The journey to Ryde Pier Station is now over halfway as the train pulls itself into Smallbrook Junction. This station is where commuters can alight and transfer to a steam train to the village of Wootton. I am able to admire more of the Isle of Wight’s countryside from the window of my seat before the train slowly departs for the final three stations in Ryde.

The train then pulls into Ryde St. John's Road Station, and passengers begin disembarking. It’s a sign that we are nearing the end of the rail journey to Ryde Pier Station. We then leave Ryde St. John's Station and soon come across the rail line’s only long tunnel.  This point signals the signal itself dropping out for the brief minute spent in that tunnel before emerging and arriving shortly at Ryde Esplanade Station.

The Solent River then comes into view as the train leaves Ryde Esplanade Station and embarks towards its final station on Ryde Pier. Looking out of the window to my right, it seems as if the train is gliding across the Solent as it makes an unhurried approach to the pier. The train eventually comes to a complete stop at Ryde Pier Station, the final stop of the Island Line. As I disembark from the train, I am greeted by views on both sides: the town of Ryde on the distant right and a further view towards the mainland UK on my left.

Ryde Pier Station, with a view looking back towards Ryde

It comes to pass that many of the Isle of Wight’s residents are grateful for this rail line’s convenience, particularly those living on the west side of the island. This is especially true for those who do not drive and rely on this mode of transport to reach their preferred town/village more quickly. Having previously used the oldest passenger-class trains before going electric (British Rail Class 483s), it no doubt continues to serve the Isle of Wight’s residents well.

The Travelling Foodie's Facts and Figures

• The Isle of Wight's Island Line is operated by South Western Railway, and takes about 27 minutes to get from Shanklin to Ryde Pier station. This is similar to the return journey.

• A map of this route is available on the South Western Railway's website. Click Here to view this.

• You also have the option to purchase a £5 Island Line Residents Card. It will grant you up to 40% off single/return journey tickets for stations on the Isle of Wight. These are available to purchase at the Ryde and Shanklin ticket offices.