Isle of Wight ‘transformation’ gets underway

"UK: South Western Railway has revealed the first of the Class 484 electric multiple-units which Vivarail is producing for the Island Line on the Isle of Wight, and has announced the dates of a major blockade of the 13·7 km line when engineering works are to be undertaken in advance of their introduction to service next year."

https://www.railwaygazette.com/uk/isle- ... 94.article

I've seen the DMU version of this unit on YouTube, it's very cool that the old Underground stock can be repurposed like that. Hopefully a set of the old Tube stock will be retained on the Island for specials.

NaugyRR wrote: ↑Fri Aug 28, 2020 9:45 am I've seen the DMU version of this unit on YouTube, it's very cool that the old Underground stock can be repurposed like that. Hopefully a set of the old Tube stock will be retained on the Island for specials.

The company in charge of the rebuilding (Vivarail, correct me if I'm wrong) has also converted former subway cars into multiple units for other commuter lines in Britain, known as the British Rail class 230, such as London Northwestern, and even tried to sell them to the U.S. for commuter service. No word on that though (I say because of the few inches between the driver and the front of the train, which would not meet the strict FRA safety standards).

With this in mind, maybe Vivarail or other companies like that can do something similar to Portland's LRVs, since there is now a contest to repurpose them.

Yes , i am not sure why Tube stock seems to be reused . i would have thought they got a relatively hard life on the tube, and be worn out by the time they are replaced. maybe its just because there are so many of them .
In this case the are replacing old tube stock , so the loading gauge may be a reason for their use.

I may be remembering this incorrectly, but I think there's a tunnel on the line that prohibits taller stock

Sent from my SM-G930VL using Tapatalk

From The Gazette article:

They will replace Island Line’s existing fleet of small profile ex-London Underground vehicles dating back to 1938, which are now the oldest trains on the national network and are to be made available to organisations able to give them a new home.

That was the equipment when I was there and rode during '79.

NaugyRR wrote: ↑Sun Aug 30, 2020 3:47 pm I may be remembering this incorrectly, but I think there's a tunnel on the line that prohibits taller stock

Sent from my SM-G930VL using Tapatalk

Correct.

Actually, I think it's width rather than height, but it's a clearance issue In any case.