Island Line Upgrade updates

[trebor79]

But the line most posters have been peddling is that the lack of the railway has deterred visitors to the Island, most of whom will be wanting to go to the front area of Shanklin or Sandown - so you need to make up your mind.

As for your comment about 'useful for a lot of people' - let's unpick that, Sandown's population is about 12,000, Shanklin's is about 9,000 and Lake about 5,000 - so sub 30,000.

Looking for somewhere comparable - if you took Sheringham and Cromer (both coastal resorts, both with a line heading to one key destination etc), you've got a combined population of circa 15,000, but a combined usage of their stations (using 18/19 so as to ensure no Covid impact) of about 0.45m / year. The Island line across Sandown, Lake and Shanklin is about 0.44 - on double the population. Not sure that passes as 'alot of people'.

When I travelled last summer there was a lot of very obvious fare evasion and zero revenue protection. The data will only record journeys for which tickets have actually been purchased.

 

[Gloster]

When I travelled last summer there was a lot of very obvious fare evasion and zero revenue protection. The data will only record journeys for which tickets have actually been purchased.

Last summer was not a typical one. In my experience guards make a reasonable attempt to deal with all passengers.

 

[lewisf]

When I travelled last summer there was a lot of very obvious fare evasion and zero revenue protection. The data will only record journeys for which tickets have actually been purchased.

When I visited the line in October last year I was told by the guard that I didn’t have to pay, as the ticket machine at Ryde wasn’t working and he wouldn’t be coming down the train to sell tickets.

 

[Mag_seven]

Just a reminder that this thread is for discussion of the infrastructure works associated with the Island Line Upgrade. If anyone wants to discuss any other issue relating to the Island Line, then they are welcome to start a new thread or find an existing one. Examples of recent existing threads can be found here:

Search results for query: island line

 

[Chris125]

Not seen this before - seems there was some aggravation in the RMT about SWR's arrangements for training signallers back in June, with a demand that Network Rail take back responsibility for the signalbox. Anyone know if this has been sorted out?

Island Line Signal Box and Signallers

www.rmt.org.uk

We have been asking for full training to be given on a live operational signalling panel or simulator on axle counters and time in the box at Ryde St Johns.

However the company are now trying to rush the final hurdle and shadow train the signallers on a panel that is not live and then be signed off by the general manager of island who does hold signalling competence however never been to signalling school. The head of operations of South Western Railway has said that he will sign the operations manager off to sign the Island Line signallers off as competence. We could have a case where the Island Signallers will be signed off by Island Line on axle counters however never signalled a train in a live situation.

It seems to myself and the Wessex Zonal Operations Representative that they are rushing this through as the project is so delayed and the consequences could be horrendous.

I therefore request that the NEC instruct the General Secretary to report urgently to the ORR and report our findings on the unsafe practices at Island Line and fully investigate before they allow the line to re-open with live traffic. Advise our signalling members to state they feel that it is not safe and not willing to be signed off as competent. Lastly, we demand that the signal box on the island line is taken control of by Network Rail as we do not believe the box is managed correctly by Island Line.

 

[Gloster]

The Fixed Distant Signal on the Pier (#815) has been removed, though I am not sure when. (I must admit to doing a double-take and wondering if I really had seen the thing in the first place.)

 

[341o2]

Just heard on BBC news that the line will not be reopening until next month

 

[trebor79]

Not seen this before - seems there was some aggravation in the RMT about SWR's arrangements for training signallers back in June, with a demand that Network Rail take back responsibility for the signalbox. Anyone know if this has been sorted out?

Island Line Signal Box and Signallers

www.rmt.org.uk

Jeez. It's not complicated is it? It's a shuttle service running on an isolated track that is less complicated and shorter than a lot of heritage lines.
I know safety is the most important factor, but this really does seem to be a case of the union making a mountain out of a molehill.

 

[Goldfish62]

Jeez. It's not complicated is it? It's a shuttle service running on an isolated track that is less complicated and shorter than a lot of heritage lines.
I know safety is the most important factor, but this really does seem to be a case of the union making a mountain out of a molehill.

I also thought the RMT wanted vertical integration. Seems increasingly difficult to work out what they actually want these days.

 

[Romsey]

Jeez. It's not complicated is it? It's a shuttle service running on an isolated track that is less complicated and shorter than a lot of heritage lines.
I know safety is the most important factor, but this really does seem to be a case of the union making a mountain out of a molehill.

What they are really getting upset about is staff in safety related roles being signed off as competent by someone who hasn't had formal training in the subject.

 

[Dunfanaghy Rd]

What they are really getting upset about is staff in safety related roles being signed off as competent by someone who hasn't had formal training in the subject.

is this a new development? Or are RMT playing games with old news?
Pat

 

[Chris125]

More milestones passed today, all four units delivered to the Island have now seen use and trains passed at Brading for the first time in three decades with both 003 and 004 out on the line.

 

[Smitham]

The big one now is getting a unit to Pier Head. Can't be far off.....can it?

 

[Rick1984]

It disappeared after the flooding, guess it was useful after all - as for filling in the hole, presumably they've ditched any idea of a temporary signal in the four foot.

Lighting/electrics aside, Brading looks all but finished. Shame they've not repainted the canopies.


Brading by Chris, on Flickr

The high fencing beside foot crossing seems a bit contradictive. Blocking view of oncoming trains?

 

[hermit]

The high fencing beside foot crossing seems a bit contradictive. Blocking view of oncoming trains?

The fencing does seem over the top, and very ugly. Who exactly is being protected from who or what?

 

[yorksrob]

Another way of thinking about it - would the good people of this forum be so interested in the line if it were merely a pair of Class 150s shuttling back and forth all day?

Why does the forum find the Island Line so interesting but not, for example, the Barton-on-Humber branch?

I can assure you, I'm equally concerned that the Barton on Humber branch continues to serve the nation's rail travellers.

 

[Bald Rick]

This part of the RMT announcement was curious:

“I therefore request that the NEC instruct the General Secretary to report urgently to the ORR and report our findings on the unsafe practices at Island Line and fully investigate before they allow the line to re-open with live traffic.”

If the local rep is sufficiently concerned that there are unsafe practices that need urgent reporting, why doesn’t he or she report them directly to the ORR themselves? Rather than writing a letter to the NEC, asking them to instruct the GS to write to the ORR ? If it’s unsafe, it surely needs to be stopped now, rather than waiting for three letters / emails to be written in sequence. It would also reduce the risk of the message being garbled in the transmission.

 

[InOban]

I'm sure it's quoted earlier, but what will be the speed limit on the line?

 

[Chris125]

The high fencing beside foot crossing seems a bit contradictive. Blocking view of oncoming trains?

I think it's safe to assume now that the crossing will have gates unlocked by the signaller.

I'm sure it's quoted earlier, but what will be the speed limit on the line?

It varies, but max remains 45mph.

 

[InOban]

Could they reduce it to 40, reclassify as a tram and drive on visual?

 

[Gloster]

Could they reduce it to 40, reclassify as a tram and drive on visual?

Please don’t suggest that. We are just beginning to hope that we will get our trains back before the end of the year, but that would probably delay things until the 2030s

 

[Chris125]

Could they reduce it to 40, reclassify as a tram and drive on visual?

Trams or trains, a single track line with passing loops needs signalling.

 

[A0wen]

I can assure you, I'm equally concerned that the Barton on Humber branch continues to serve the nation's rail travellers.

Well, yes, wouldn't expect anything different. Have you considered changing your user ID to Saint Jude (patron saint of lost causes).

The Barton line could be replaced with a Transit minibus and still there would be empty seats.....

This part of the RMT announcement was curious:

“I therefore request that the NEC instruct the General Secretary to report urgently to the ORR and report our findings on the unsafe practices at Island Line and fully investigate before they allow the line to re-open with live traffic.”

If the local rep is sufficiently concerned that there are unsafe practices that need urgent reporting, why doesn’t he or she report them directly to the ORR themselves? Rather than writing a letter to the NEC, asking them to instruct the GS to write to the ORR ? If it’s unsafe, it surely needs to be stopped now, rather than waiting for three letters / emails to be written in sequence. It would also reduce the risk of the message being garbled in the transmission.

Have things actually changed which have led to these "unsafe practises" or is it a case of it's always been done this way and now the RMT have decided it's unacceptable?

 

[Chris125]

First train up the pier since January can currently (14:53) be seen on the webcams... though it's stopped 3/4 of the way up with the lights flashing?

 

[Smitham]

484 on the pier now.

 

[pompeyfan]

Believe they’re doing some sort of exercise

 

[Chris125]

Believe they’re doing some sort of exercise

That would explain the safety boats presumably? Seemed a tad excessive otherwise.

 

[swt_passenger]

Just entered the platform at 1644.

 

[Grumpy]

Could they reduce it to 40, reclassify as a tram and drive on visual?

Would they need to reduce to 40-I understood Manchester trams do 50?
Perhaps someone should have asked this question a few years back. And also for lots of other lines

 

[Goldfish62]

Would they need to reduce to 40-I understood Manchester trams do 50?
Perhaps someone should have asked this question a few years back. And also for lots of other lines

Yes indeed, Metrolink max speed is 50mph.

They are able to be driven on sight because they have far superior braking capability to any heavy rail stock - and that includes former LU stock.

A train is a train. A tram is a tram. They are not interchangeable (except for tram-trains, which are complex beasts).