British Rail announced significant price rises for both train and cross-Solent travel from 7th September 1975 – 50 years ago today.
An ordinary single fare from Ryde to Portsmouth Harbour was increased from 60p to 69p (£5.34 in today’s values). The current price of a single on the FastCat is £18. The single passenger fare from Yarmouth to Lymington rose to 56p.
A monthly season ticket would set you back £15.15 – less than a single journey today without adjusting for inflation.
Prices for vehicles also rose. A cross-Solent car journey cost £3.75 half a century ago – under £30 in today’s values.
Isle of Wight rail fares were also subject to a price hike, with a single or day return from Ryde Esplanade to Brading rising 3p to 28p, a trip to Sandown costing 36p and a journey to Shanklin setting you back 46p (£3.56 in today’s values). A journey along the whole length of the Island Line costs £5 today.
People always moaned about British Rail,
they were much cheaper and provided a
more reliable service.
Look at the fares thesedays, criminal.
The inflation rate in September 1975 was runnning at 26.9% so the price rises were not unreasonable. Sealink was a subsidiary of the nationalised British Rail. The ferries ran and demand was high. Portsmouth to Fishbourne services ran through the night and I don’t ever recall a service not running because of technical trouble with a boat or insufficient crew.
British Rail were great.
Where is today’s car ferry price in this article?
There is not enough space to put all the zero’s
The prices are criminal in 2025
The Government should compulsory buy back the
ferry companies and let British Rail run them again.
24 hour great service at affordable prices.
so, what would have been equivilent £5.34 in today’s values,.. is currently being charged by Wight£ink @ £18…
Nearly 3 1/2 times the relative cost
just goes to show what happens when you privatise public services…
& where does that extra £12.65 per single crossing go ??
into the pockets of the fat-cat shareholders of course…
but well, if that’s what the good folk of the Island want, by voting CONservative, or Deform,.. then that’s what we get