Ryde Pier on the Isle of Wight has reopened to railway traffic after having been closed for nine months. In that time, contractors have strengthened the 143-year-old, 686-metre-long Victorian structure to return it to its former glory.
As part of this work, engineers have installed a new weather screen to protect customers while they wait at Ryde Pier Head station, replaced 172 metres of track, and installed 143 metres of new steel rail bearers, as well giving the station a new lick of paint.
However, there is still further work to be done, including upgrading the final part of the track using composite sleepers instead of wood, which are more resilient to the extreme weather. Network Rail and South Western Railway (SWR) are working together to identify the least disruptive date to close the pier again and will announce this as soon as the dates are confirmed.
Network Rail’s Wessex route director Mark Killick said: “I’d like to say a huge thank you to Island Line customers and local residents for their patience while these important restoration works have been carried out at the historic Ryde Pier to give it a new lease of life.
“I’m really sorry for the delays the project has faced, it’s been a huge task for our teams who have encountered several challenges including the winter storms and high tides, which meant the work took longer than planned.
“I understand the importance of reopening in time for the summer holidays and the positive impact tourism has on the local economy, so I’m excited to be welcoming customers back.”
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