Isle of Wight stock

I recall reading that LU 1967/1972 stock trains were rejected because of the lack of a cab side door. I don't remember how official this was, but the old Victoria line trains have now been scrapped anyway.

I was under the impression that they had their eye set on 1973 stock, however the delay to the Picc upgrade means that these trains wont be available on the then-predicted timescale. It also means that the other option of piggybacking onto a new train order by LU has also been delayed. AIUI this means the options are keeping the 1938 stock running longer than hoped/planned; spending (significant amounts of) money to upgrade clearances in the Ryde tunnel to accommodate mainline stock; or converting the line to a tram or tram-train and bypassing the tunnel.

I go to the Isle of Wight quite often and in most times, I use the Island Line. Now, I think it's about time they replace the 38TS with something like the Cravens 1960 tube stock or possibly the 1983TS

Now i have to very different replies. One saying that they are going to be replaced, and yours, reganorak. Personally though, i hope you are right.

As far as I know, the only LT livery Cravens 60TS still in existence is the Cravens Heritage train. It comprises two 60TS DMS and a converted 38TS trailer.



The track recording train is similar in configuration but has a converted 73TS trailer instead of the 38TS trailer.



I think the other 60TS DMS are long gone now.

Cravens Heritage train is in northfields depot and some times the TRV on 15 road as well, At the moment the TRV is out. FISH7373

Nice! Thanks for your reply, mate.

During the winter storms just gone, one of the 38TS units (class 483) on the isle of white was flooded. I'm guessing that it will become another spares donor, as it'll probably be very difficult and uneconomic to repair!

No, the information today is that it will be returned to service - just taking a bit longer than planned. Only 002 is the one not going anywhere.

Is there any reason thy the 62ts wasn't considered?

The 1962s were discounted because of the money spent on the 1938s. Much more was spent on them than originally envisaged because of the King's Cross fire, so to replace them 5 or so years after they (the 1938s) were introduced on the IoW was a definite no-no. For similar reasons the 1959s that followed the 1962s.

The IoW wanted the 1973 Stock and this was the plan when a 2014 Tube Stock (Piccadilly Line) was proposed (and then not proceed with). I think they are still 'interested' in the 1973s, but they will have rather a long wait for them .....

Agreed. They would need a lot of mods to be able to run as 2 car units and they are longer than standard cars.

Yes true which is a strange decision to want them considering that the 1938 stock had to run as 2 car units to avoid lengthening the car sheds at St Johns Road.

Don't go there. The T69s are inherently unreliable and every one is different in true AnsaldoBreda style. The same goes for Manchester's earlier T68 trams which are now all withdrawn. It is telling that in Birmingham two T69s have been out of service for many years to keep the rest of the fleet running, whilst similar happened in Manchester before their final withdrawal - both classes are good for nothing other than scrap!

That said, two T69s are already earmarked for a new Light Rail testing facility at Long Marston, with the rest due to be stored there indefinitely as a 'reserve' fleet if extra capacity is needed in Birmingham.

Remember also that converting the line to a tramway will incur great cost of building the new formation and electrifying the whole line with OLE rather than the third rail currently in place.

To think that a 12min frequency was once considered necessary!

I had thought the Brading loop would replace that at Sandown. If so, what would happen in summertime when surely something more than 2tph is needed?


I'd heard that the conversion of the 38ts had gone way over expected! I'd also heard though that they'd skimpped in other areas.

Surely though salt water is likely to cause worse corrosion to steel bodied stock than aluminium stock? Granted the underframe is steel on both though.