Would it be feasible to commute from Newport (Isle of Wight) to London Waterloo?

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Moderator note: Split from https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...e-island-line-progress-updates.192181/page-25

Getting on a train from Newport to Ryde then over the Solent and commute up to Waterloo could be attractive.

That seems to be a very long commute. How much does an annual season ticket including the ferry leg cost.

 

[Bletchleyite]

That seems to be a very long commute. How much does an annual season ticket including the ferry leg cost.

It'd be a very long daily commute, but I think the days of the daily London office-worker commute are gone for good (and I mean that in both senses of the word "good"). Two or three days a week it'd be no worse than coming down from the North West or North East to London for example.

 

[samuelmorris]

It'd be a very long daily commute, but I think the days of the daily London office-worker commute are gone for good (and I mean that in both senses of the word "good"). Two or three days a week it'd be no worse than coming down from the North West or North East to London for example.

A member of our team is based on the island half the time, coming back to the mainland isn't a journey taken lightly, and not something they ever really do for a day's work. I believe the main hazard is the ferry crossing and the cost and/or reliability issues it presents.

 

[Bletchleyite]

A member of our team is based on the island half the time, coming back to the mainland isn't a journey taken lightly, and not something they ever really do for a day's work. I believe the main hazard is the ferry crossing and the cost and/or reliability issues it presents.

The ferry is expensive to use by car, but as a foot passenger as part of a through fare it's pretty negligible.

 

[hermit]

The ferry is expensive to use by car, but as a foot passenger as part of a through fare it's pretty negligible

Really? The difference between a Ryde St Johns- Waterloo return and a Portsmouth - Waterloo return (off-peak, no railcard) is £25.20. Hardly negligible. Moreover, the availability of advance tickets is more limited for through journeys..
Regular users can reduce the cost, eg by booking the ferry leg separately (Wightlink sell tickets for multiple crossings), but the cost remains a major obstacle to crossing the Solent. It’s no wonder that many people on the island, which is a very low-wage economy, can‘t afford to leave it.

 

[jopsuk]

Really? The difference between a Ryde St Johns- Waterloo return and a Portsmouth - Waterloo return (off-peak, no railcard) is £25.20.

looking at the ticket prices, that's the cost of an open return on the car ferries with Wightlink. The catamarans are a bit more expensive, as is Hovertravel, foot passengers on Red Funnel are really expensive but RedJet seems to be cheap?

 

[hermit]

looking at the ticket prices, that's the cost of an open return on the car ferries with Wightlink. The catamarans are a bit more expensive, as is Hovertravel, foot passengers on Red Funnel are really expensive but RedJet seems to be cheap?

My figures were based on through tickets, though it turns out that they are the fares for journeys via the hovercraft, as tickets via the Wightlink catamaran are not being quoted at the moment as it’s not running during the lockdown. They would normally be slightly cheaper than the hovercraft.
The ferry element of through tickets from West Cowes to Waterloo via the Redjet costs a similar amount; through tickets from East Cowes to Waterloo via the Red Funnel car ferry are slightly cheaper, no doubt reflecting the fact that it’s slower.

 

[Southern Dvr]

Perhaps if in 20 years they decide to repaint the stock into authentic District Line livery it won't be a bad thing, just because it is not appropriate now does not mean it won't be appropriate then.

On the subject of travelling across to the island, I would point out that before lockdown 2.0 I took the hovercraft from Southsea across to Ryde. Very reasonable price with only £1 extra for an all day train rover on the island as well. The other advantage was the 10 mins journey across the Solent as well. Southsea is not the most straightforward of places to reach once you leave the motorway but its worth it for the hovercraft journey in my opinion.

 

[Wolfie]

Perhaps if in 20 years they decide to repaint the stock into authentic District Line livery it won't be a bad thing, just because it is not appropriate now does not mean it won't be appropriate then.

On the subject of travelling across to the island, I would point out that before lockdown 2.0 I took the hovercraft from Southsea across to Ryde. Very reasonable price with only £1 extra for an all day train rover on the island as well. The other advantage was the 10 mins journey across the Solent as well. Southsea is not the most straightforward of places to reach once you leave the motorway but its worth it for the hovercraft journey in my opinion.

Out of curiosity what is "authentic District Line livery"? Do you mean the on-delivery to LU scheme or the post LU-refurbishment scheme? Would either really be appropriate given the significant changes to the interior?

 

[OneOffDave]

Back in the late 80s there were a fair number of people who commuted to and from the Island via the hydrofoil. Most of them going to the island worked for Marconi and British Hovercraft Corp and those going to the mainland worked for Vospers, the NHS or the university. There was a charter service direct to Woolston for Vospers workers for a while, serviced by HM2 sidewall hovercraft at first then by the hydrofoils

 

[[.n]]

Its doable, I know someone who used to do it, I used to do a slightly longer journey on a daily basis - takes a little planning. My season ticket was quite expensive !!!

 

[Gloster]

It would be a long day by any of the three routes, even with relaxed office hours. The biggest problem would be disruption due to weather in autumn and winter (and spring and summer), when the FastCats, Red Jets and Hovercraft can’t operate. You are then redirected to the car ferry, which takes longer and drops you at a different place.

 

[hermit]

Much less of a problem than it used to be, at least on Portsmouth-Ryde. The current Wightlink catamarans are almost never cancelled because of bad weather, unlike their predecessors on the route.

Strangely, the Redjets on the Southampton route seem much more prone to cancellation than they used to be, despite having a more sheltered passage. I wonder whether someone has changed their operating parameters to make them more cautious.

 

[westv]

I remember wtaching a tv programme a few years ago about extreme commuting and I think that featured somebody who did a daily IOW to London commute.

 

[[.n]]

I remember wtaching a tv programme a few years ago about extreme commuting and I think that featured somebody who did a daily IOW to London commute.

It did, that's who I know, ironically I did a longer commute but wasn't in the programme

 

[Wagonshop]

Worked at Marylebone in the late 80's
Knew a chap who came in from ventnor
Each day.
I worked at Doncaster for 9months and traveled from Tonbridge each day better going than returning remember late nights home

 

[Wolfie]

Worked at Marylebone in the late 80's
Knew a chap who came in from ventnor
Each day.
I worked at Doncaster for 9months and traveled from Tonbridge each day better going than returning remember late nights home

Ouch

 

[Gloster]

Worked at Marylebone in the late 80's
Knew a chap who came in from ventnor
Each day.
I worked at Doncaster for 9months and traveled from Tonbridge each day better going than returning remember late nights home

Ventnor must be pretty difficult as you have to get either to Shanklin or to the ferry terminal first.


Did you know it would only be a limited period at Doncaster when you started? I have known one or two people who have commuted from the Isle of Wight on a daily basis, but none were expecting it to be a permanent arrangement.

 

[Wagonshop]

Ventnor must be pretty difficult as you have to get either to Shanklin or to the ferry terminal first.


Did you know it would only be a limited period at Doncaster when you started? I have known one or two people who have commuted from the Isle of Wight on a daily basis, but none were expecting it to be a permanent arrangement.

I was working at Paddington when the boss told me Doncaster next week
They did offer me to lodge however the job only took weeks to sort out.
Spent most of time warndering round doncaster. I was then offered a post in manchester, asked for my P45 and left