Description

This DVD was filmed in 2017/8. Part One profiles buses from the Southern Vectis company, while Part Two looks at the variety of special bus running days held on the island as well as the Ryde Bus & Coach museum. Part Three follows the Island Line from Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin with its old London Underground 1938 tube trains. Part Four looks at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway.

Full description from the producer:

This DVD was filmed in 2017/8 and is divided into 4 chapters:

Part 1 features buses in action from the Southern Vectis company who operate the bus services on the Isle of Wight. The company also provides school transport and private hire from its Vectis Blue operation. Southern Vectis buses can be seen in this DVD in all the major towns on the island.

Part 2: This chapter includes many of the former Southern Vectis buses preserved at the Isle of Wight Bus & Coach museum which is based in Ryde. Every year the museum has a number of running days, the Beer & Buses festival is in October and preserved buses can be seen all over the island and in May there is the Rydabus weekend which recreates local bus routes in the Ryde area. Apart from the Southern Vectis vehicles, many preserved buses come over from the mainland to take part in these events.

Part 3: The Island Line is the railway from Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin which is operated by ex London Underground 1938 stock tube trains. These trains replaced earlier tube trains in the early 1990’s and are now. at 80 years old, by far the oldest trains in use on the main line railways. After various livery changes (Network SE, Dinosaurs etc.), the trains are now in London Transport red and cream. In 2017 the franchise was changed from Stagecoach owned South West Trains to South Western Railways who have started a programme of repainting the trains, train set no. 006 now carries large ‘Island Line’ fleetnames and the South Western Railway logo.

Part 4: The Isle of Wight Steam Railway runs from Smallbrook Junction to Wootton via Havenstreet which is the railways headquarters. At Havenstreet there is a fine museum and the station is also the location of the loco sheds and carriage works. The railway is notable for its collection of Victorian and early C20th carriages as well as its superbly restored locomotives.

Additional information