IMPROVEMENT works on Ryde Pier will get underway next month to help keep trains on the Island running long into the future.
Network Rail and South Western Railway (SWR) will begin a complex programme of vital maintenance and improvements on Ryde Pier, starting Sunday, October 30 and ending in Spring next year.
Network Rail engineers will strengthen the pier and extend its life by up to 60 years, and SWR will also be carrying out work at the same time.
The railway structure of the pier was built by Victorian engineers between 1878 and 1880.
After nearly 150 years of harsh environmental conditions, which have caused parts of the structure to deteriorate, it now needs major refurbishment and repairs.
Mark Killick, Network Rail’s Wessex route director, said: “We’re pleased to finally start work on Ryde Pier, which after 142 years of service, needs a lot of maintenance to support SWR’s Island Line going forward.
“Our aim is to have everything finished in the Spring of next year, and we’re grateful to customers for their patience during what we know will be a disruptive closure.”
The 686-metre-long pier is split into six ‘zones’ which were built using several different forms of construction.
Engineers will have to use a variety of methods to repair the pier, with a combination of both partial replacements and full refurbishments of the metal and timber structure.
Claire Mann, SWR’s managing director, said: “We’re sorry for the inconvenience that this closure will cause, however, we are making the most of the opportunity available to us by carrying out work that will give our customers smoother and more reliable journeys.”
SWR will operate a shuttle bus service between Ryde Pier Head and Ryde Esplanade during the closure.
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