Ryde Esplanade
On the advent of the Southern Railway in 1923, alterations were made
immediately, which included rebuilding the Pier Head station and closing the
signal box at Esplanade. The adjacent tramway switched from electric to petrol
traction in 1927, current for the former having been generated by means of a gas
engine powering a dynamo. Structurally, Esplanade station remained little
changed from its 1880 state, minor additions under SR auspices being T-shaped
double-sided lampposts upon the platforms, complete with ‘’Target’’ name signs.
Thus, we fast-forward to the electrification of the 8-mile and 28-chain section
between Pier Head and Shanklin in 1966, at which time Esplanade still looked
very much the Victorian station. Cowes to Smallbrook Junction and Shanklin to
Ventnor lines were formally condemned in July 1965, and modernisation of the
surviving section of line took place. On 18th September 1966, Esplanade became
the temporary northern terminus of railway, Pier Head having closed the
following day for partial reconstruction to take place as part of the
electrification scheme. Tube stock cascaded from the Northern City Line was
destined for the truncated remains of the Isle of Wight Railway, and as a
result, the platforms at the Esplanade were lowered to meet the floor profile of
these trains. Conversely, at the other stations which were to remain open, the
tracks were instead raised. As a measure against future flooding, tracks within
the twin bores of Esplanade Tunnel were also raised. The Esplanade to Shanklin
line temporarily closed to all traffic on 31st December 1966, to permit advanced
electrification works. The line, including the stretch to Pier Head, re-opened
with a new electric service on 20th March 1967.
On completion of electrification, Ryde Esplanade was still little changed, and
the frequency of the electric service between here and the Pier Head had
improved over the former steam timetable. The decision was thus taken to close
the adjacent tramway, the trains now providing a more than adequate shuttle
service across the water, and the last trips were made on 26th January 1969.
Lifting of the rails took place in the following year. Then, in 1973, Esplanade
station started to lose much of its vintage charm, as a major rebuilding scheme
commenced. This involved the building of a new bus station within the ‘’up’’
side railway façade and, sadly, the demolition of the original terminus building
of the tramway. The railway booking hall was partially rebuilt in modern brick,
complete with elements of CLASP (Consortium of Local Authorities Special
Programme), but some of the roof stanchions and brackets of the original station
were retained. Also still in evidence were sections of timber cladding and
wrought iron railings, producing an unusual integration of vintage and CLASP
components. The ‘’up’’ side canopy was severely pruned on its southern
elevation, to incorporate the new bus station offices, but the section which did
remain over the platform was refurbished. The ‘’down’’ side canopy and
tongue-and-groove timber offices, their designs all of 1880 origin, were for the
time being retained, and the ‘’up’’ side rebuilding works were deemed complete
in 1974.
On 5th May 1974, the double-track from Pier Head to St Johns Road became
reversible in both directions, and the section upon the pier effectively became
two single lines. This allowed a dedicated shuttle service to be maintained
between Pier Head and Esplanade. The scissors crossover at the Pier Head station
was abolished, but a crossover at Esplanade, between station and tunnel,
retained, the latter remotely controlled from St Johns Road signal box.
Esplanade’s ‘’down’’ platform eventually became dedicated to Pier Head shuttles,
these themselves becoming summer Saturday only workings in the holiday peak. In
1978, the opportunity was also taken to wholly obliterate the remaining ‘’down’’
side timber offices and canopy, their replacement coming in the form of an
elongated brick and CLASP structure. Today, Esplanade remains in the form it
took in 1978, but change may be afoot. The local council is desperate to
rejuvenate the Esplanade at Ryde, and completely rebuilding the station into a
peculiar futuristic form was planned. Work should have commenced in summer 2007,
but the council fell out with Network Rail over the plans, and redevelopment has
been put on hold. The final remnants of the 1880 station linger on, for now.
13th June 2006
The primary barrier to the use of ''main line'' stock on the Isle of Wight: Ryde Esplanade Tunnel. The tunnel is
391-yards long and, when built, the bores rose to a height of about 12-foot 3-inches. David Glasspool
13th June 2006
This southward view is of interest, because it includes the framework of the former tramway pier, closed as
long ago as 1969 and partially dismantled in the following year. Notice at the far end that the disused pier
framework curves round to the left: the tram tracks once ran a course which took them onto the sea front
(as mentioned in the main text), where the bus station now stands. When the railway opened in 1880, these
rails were cut back to the limits of the pier. David Glasspool
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