Former Island Line train 483007 now has a new home at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway.
Built in 1940 for London Underground, these trains were already the oldest on the national network when they arrived on the Island in 1989. 31 years later, they finally retired from the Ryde to Shanklin line on 3rd January 2021 after 80 years of service.
The train was generously donated to the Steam Railway by South Western Railway, ensuring that it will be preserved for future generations.
‘007’ made its final journey along the Island Line from Ryde to Sandown on the evening of Wednesday 19th May, from where it travelled by road to the Steam Railway at Havenstreet.
Visitors will be able to get on board and learn more about the Island’s electric-railway era since 1967.
General Manager Steve Backhouse says:
“The Class 483 units have an important place in the Island’s railway history, so it’s very appropriate that an example is preserved here at Havenstreet.
“Preserving an electric train is a new chapter for the Steam Railway, however, it’s interesting to note that unit 007 is actually a decade older than several of our steam locomotives.”
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The Railway now has a near-complete collection of carriages from the Ryde to Shanklin line, ranging from those built new for the line’s opening in 1864 to the present day.
Am glad at least one has found a great home on the Island.
I worked on them for awhile and have some fond memories of them.
Will look forward to meeting up again.
I thought the lines were connected? Is there a reason it can’t be used? I thought it was odd they moved it by road.
There is no connection at Smallbrook to Island line.
Fred.
As far as I remember You have to change trains to the Steam Railway at Smallbrook Junction. I am not aware that a connection by rail has been created at Smallbrook Junction. Hopefully a battery or something can be installed so the train can travel on the railway.
Well done Isle Of Wight Steam Railway for getting it.
If 007 travelled on the Nothern Line of the London Underground then I may have travelled on it as a boy as the nearest tube station was on the Northern Line.