ScotRail’s
full
timetable


has
been
restored,
after
three
months
of
reduced
services.

A
pay
deal
was
agreed
with
ASLEF
on
25
September,
and
ScotRail
said
it
can
now
restore
the
service
that
had
been
advertised
until
10
July,
having
also
recruited
more
than
250
drivers
since
April
2022
in
a
bid
to
reduce
its
reliance
on
drivers
working
overtime.

Meanwhile,
trains
have
started
running
again
on
the
Isle
of
Wight
between
Ryde
and
Shanklin
after
a
month
of
engineering
work,
but
not
to
Ryde
Pier
Head.

During
the
closure
Network
Rail
engineers
laid
110m
of
new
track
through
Ryde
Esplanade,
using
composite
sleepers
which
are
more
resilient
to
the
maritime
atmosphere,
and
which
should
last
for
60
years.
They
also
installed
about
48
new
rail
bearers
on
a
65m
section
from
the
end
of
Ryde
Esplanade
station
towards
Ryde
Pier
Head.

Signalling
was
improved
and
the
track
through
Ryde
Esplanade
station
was
slewed
to
reduce
the
gap
between
trains
and
the
platform.
Elsewhere,
track
was
also
renewed
at
Smallbrook
Junction,
two
bridge
decks
were
renewed,
another
bridge
was
repaired
at
Sandown
and
the
footbridge
at
Brading
was
improved.

The
pier
section,
which
relies
on
a
Victorian
structure,
will
remain
closed
until
May
to
allow
parts
of
the
pier
to
be
maintained
or
replaced.

Network
Rail
Wessex
route
infrastructure
director
Tom
McNamee
said:
‘We’re
delighted
to
have
completed
an
important
programme
of
maintenance
on
the
Island
Line
over
the
past
month,
alongside
our
SWR
colleagues.

‘All
of
our
focus
now
turns
to
continuing
life
extension
work
to
the
Ryde
Pier
structure
which
presents
a
unique
and
challenging
working
environment
for
our
engineers.
We
recognise
closing
this
stretch
of
track
between
Ryde
Pierhead
and
Ryde
Esplanade
will
be
disruptive
to
passengers.
However
continuing
this
work
is
imperative
for
the
continued
safe
and
reliable
running
of
Island
Line
services.’