A flying visit (literally as I went by Hovercraft from Southsea) allowed me to sample yet again the delights that the island has to offer.
Ryde is a genuine passenger interchange where the Hovercraft meets up with the trains, buses and the passenger and vehicle ferries that work to Portsmouth from Ryde pier head.
The current Hovercraft fleet consists of AP1-88 units built by The British Hovercraft Corporation.
It is surprising to note that the ‘Hovercraft’ service to the ‘IoW’ was 50 years old in 2015.
A Hovercraft at rest with the air cushion effect engines switched off.
Hovercraft with the cushion effect engines running just prior to takeoff showing the ‘puffed up’ effect that is produced and which carries the machine across the water.
The service is normally maintained with two ‘craft’ in service however on the day we travelled, the second machine was having work done on one of the engines.
The ‘Mainline’ railway on the island which runs down the Eastern side of the island as far as Shanklin is operated by ‘South West Trains’ who are a part of the ‘Stagecoach’ group.
The islands railways have a fascinating history dating back to the 1860’s and is well worth further investigation.
Todays services are operated with former London Transport Underground units made up of 1938 built stock.
Ryde Bus Station is of drive in, reverse out layout boasting 8 stands and a couple of lay over bays.
It is operated by the islands long standing operator ‘Southern Vectis’ (SV) who are a part of the ‘Go-Ahead’ group.
‘SV’ is a predominantly double deck fleet which is presumably to cope with the large numbers of people who holiday on the island.
Painted mainly in a traditional green livery the buses are always attractive and well turned out.
HW63 FHH
A Dennis Trident 2 with Alexander Dennis Ltd (ADL) Enviro 400 bodywork has just arrived from Newport.
HW58 ARZ
A Scania CN270UD OmniCity departing for Bembridge.
HW62 CJE
An Optare Solo SR operated by ‘SV’ in its ‘Vectis blue’ livery.
These and a similarly liveried batch of ‘ADL’ Enviro 400’s specifically ordered for schools services are used for normal services when not required for delivering children.
VDL 744
A Scania CN270UD OmniCity of ‘SV’ that suffered fire damage and as a result was converted to open top becoming O76F. Formerly HW58 ASX.
K743 ODL
A Leyland Olympian with a Northern Counties part open top body that at one time was part of the normal ‘SV’ fleet.
HW58 ATF
Another Scania 270UD Omnicity leaving Ryde on its way to Shanklin.
One of our favourite walks is along the seafront from Sandown to Shanklin. I have been aware of the timber structures that have been erected to prevent rock falls from damaging the footway or the people on it.
It was only when I looked more closely at the timber structure that the layout of the bolt holes show that at one time the timber was used as sleepers on the parts of the ‘IoW’ that no longer exist.
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